Spurn 24.10.2016
Without rain the easterlies did not deliver in the way that
the previous set had. That being said there was still a host of goodies to be
had. We started the day by going down to the Snow Bunting that was present at
Sandy Beaches and had continued to show well. We were able to get fairly close
to it and get some nice photos.
-Snow Bunting
We walked the triangle and ended up back at the Obs. Whilst
snacking at the obs we received news of a Long-tailed Duck at Kilnsea Wetlands.
We raced up there but the bird had already gone, shortly after to reappear on
the Humber. Having got to wetlands in the first place I could not face
continuing to chase the duck around and proceeded to count the wildfowl.
However, when we had finished there the duck was still present, so I headed down.
At this point the bird, which had been sat in the middle of the Humber, began
to move closer and soon was paddling just offshore allowing fantastic views of
the species which previously I have only seen out at sea.
-Long-tailed Duck
Buzzed from that I decided to have a walk round the
triangle, for which I was joined by Mick Cunningham. We had a good walk, the
highlights being the presumed Northern Bullfinch, but we did not hear it call
and see the bird at the same time. We also saw a Yellow-browed Warbler in Canal
Hedge, which was the first one I have seen for some time.
Species List:
Kilnsea Wetlands: Mallard,
Wigeon, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Teal, Lapwing, Grey Plover, Golden Plover,
Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Knot, Little Grebe, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Curlew,
Triangle: Chaffinch,
Goldcrest, Siskin, Blackcap, Robin, Bullfinch, Song Thrush, Fieldfare, Snipe,
Lesser Whitethroat, Yellow-browed Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Little
Grebe, Mute Swan, Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Chiffchaff, Brambling, Peregrine,
Black-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Redwing,
Spurn 25.10.2016
Of the most recent easterlies period today looked the most
promising. However it started slow and until the afternoon not much really
happened. A pine bunting was seen briefly but flew north and was not seen again.
The search round the area did not produce much and by lunchtime I had all but
given up on it reappearing.
As a result I made the plunge and went down the point again
to have another look at the Stenejers Stonechat. Given the wind change
tomorrow, I doubt it will be staying overnight. I got down there and soon got
to grips with the Stonechat. It was not showing massively close but was showing
well and I was able to get better views of the rump.
-Stenejers Stonechat
I made a small detour to have a look for a reported Little
Bunting, but I did not look particularly hard. I wandered round the point but
became disillusioned with not finding any birds. As a result I called it quits
and was about to set off back when the radio buzzed into life that a
Red-flanked Bluetail had been found at the point. Despite a few rare things
turning up back at the top I decided to stay and have a look at the Bluetail
down here. On my way through the shrubbery to the location described I spotted
a passerine lift up from the path into the bushes, and when I got onto it
through bins I was surprised to see that it was the Little Bunting. It sat in
the open for a few seconds before it dived into the shrubbery calling. I had a
quick look but decided it was not worth chasing.
I got to the Bluetail location where a handful of people
were already. Dave Constantine showed me the back of his camera and was
absolutely stunned. The bird was a fully blue adult male. Now seriously excited
I continued looking for the bird. The relief and awe when we first picked it
up, before we got to enjoy it all and revel in what was a truly stunning bird.
We saw it a few more times but the bird was mobile and quite elusive. It sat
out when it showed but not for long, before it would drop into the bushes and
go missing. Over an hour or so we had a few good views of it, but nothing that
would allow me to get the cracking shots that would do the bird justice. After
an hour it dropped and did not show again for long enough for me to decided
that the time had come to leave and head back up north. Views through the bins
were almost exceptional, and the bird was without doubt one of the best birds I
have ever seen.
-Red-flanked Bluetail
Back up top I decided to check out the rarest bird of the
day in Easington; an Eastern Black Redstart. Not a tick, but a really smart
bird. When I got up there the light was fading but the bird was showing well
and I was able to get a few acceptable photos of it. Obviously the bird is only
a subspecies but it’s still a stunner and I’m glad I went up to see it.
-Eastern Black Redstart
Species List:
Spurn Peninsula: Little
Bunting, Siberian Stonechat (Stenejeri), Red-flanked Bluetail, Reed Bunting,
Siskin, Greenfinch, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare,
Sparrowhawk, Swallow, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Robin, Wren, Chaffinch, Brambling,
Kilnsea:
Long-tailed Tit, Common Snipe, Stock Dove, Black Redstart, Robin, Wren,
Chaffinch, Swallow, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion
Crow,
Spurn 26.10.2016
The weather changed again, from the short easterly period
into a period of prolonged south-westerly. I was hoping for an insane
vis-migging session, but sadly movement as very steady and there was not a
great deal moving. The undoubted highlight was when a shrill call alerted us to
the presence of a Waxwing on the bushes at the Warren and showing nicely. It
showed for about 10 mins before it turned around and flew north.
-Waxwing
Late morning/afternoon was spent wandering round the
wetlands and the triangle to see if there was anything new in. Wetlands was
fairly quiet, with a large clear-out of wildfowl but still a few bits and
pieces. Paul caught a Woodcock at Kew which I went to have a look at. During
the afternoon I walked round the triangle where I had a smashing Merlin north
and a flock of six Whooper Swans south.
-Woodcock
-Whooper Swan
A much quieter day overall than yesterday…
Species List:
Triangle: Black-tailed
Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Wigeon, Robin, Siskin,
Blackbird, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Merlin, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Little Egret,
Wigeon, Teal, Turnstone, Redwing, Waxwing, Woodcock, Jack Snipe,
Kilnsea Wetlands:
Mallard, Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Wigeon, Teal,
Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Knot, Brent Goose, Black-headed Gull,
Woodpigeon, Goldcrest, Magpie, Carrion Crow,
Spurn 27.10.2016
With a RL buzzard on the east coast I was out at Numpties
for first thing. Sadly though the bird never appeared and the steady state of
passage that we had seen yesterday continued into today. In fairness though
there were still plenty of good birds. Up to three Swallows went south, which
could well be the last ones I see this year and are almost certainly my latest
birds ever.
As yesterday, there was clear highlight when 3 Shorelarks
flew south flying past numpties. Common Buzzard, Twite and a reasonable passage
of corvids and tree sparrows made for a reasonable supporting cast. However
once passage had slowed down the day ground to something of a halt, with
previous days remaining birds seemingly moved on leaving us with not much at
all.
-Shorelark
Species List:
Triangle: Common
Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Shore Lark, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Starling,
Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Chaffinch,
Linnet, Twite, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Kestrel, Little Egret, Wigeon,
Greylag Geese, Brent Goose, Mallard, Golden Plover,
Spurn 28.10.2016
With a Spurn wedding later in the day, the birding force at
Spurn was vastly reduced. I was left in charge of the daily log and sorting the
daily recording. I started up at Numpties, which was where I spent most of the
morning. The passage was fairly average, with a good variety of species but no
massive movement. A couple of Twite, a Merlin and a Short-eared Owl were the
best of it, the Merlin especially giving great views as it flew by.
Come early afternoon I decided to get on with some outstanding
jobs around the Obs garden. Whilst I was doing this the radio buzzed into life
that a Rough-legged Buzzard was flying over Kilnsea. I rushed over the Obs to
see everyone in it rushing out! The Buzzard was already on it was down being
mobbed by a crow, but once it had entered the triangle to settled down and
spent the rest of the day blogging
around. At times it showed incredibly well, sat on a fence post before flying
only a few feet over our heads. So far as showing well goes for raptors, it
does not get much better than this. The bird is thought to be an adult male,
possibly a returning bird from the last couple of years.
-Rough-legged Buzzard
Species List:
Triangle: Chaffinch,
Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Twite, Woodpigeon, Ringed Plover,
Siskin, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Stock Dove, Redpoll, Linnet, Meadow Pipit,
Goldfinch, Common Scoter, Merlin, Pintail, Swallow, Long-tailed Tit, Skylark,
Jackdaw, Rook, Grey Wagtail, Knot, Golden Plover, Short-eared Owl, Reed
Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Rough-legged Buzzard,
Spurn 29.10.2016
The continued lack of Spurn birders (for the morning at
least) left open the possibility of glory, in that fewer birders to notice
things meant more chance of picking it up myself. However, I was keener to test
myself Viz-migging, see how much I had learnt. As a result I headed up to
numpties where, for over an hour, I was on my own. It was a challenge but also
rewarding, as I picked up a Lapland Bunting going down the cliffs, and a couple
of Long-tailed Ducks going south on the sea.
After a while I was joined by a couple of other Spurn
birders who were still on site. As the morning drew on we added a Waxwing going
north and a pair of Snow Buntings going south. Overall it was a very successful
morning. By mid-morning though birders started to return, so I spent most of
the day either napping or doing odd-jobs.
Perhaps the most exciting bird of the day was when Barry
radioed up that he had caught a Bullfinch and asked if we want to see it. I
should state that I was unaware of the issues surrounding Bullfinches and
ringing, so I blissfully photographed the bird. Fortunately the bird did not
keel over and die in the hand, but in future I will think twice about
Bullfinches in the hand.
-Bullfinch
Species List:
Triangle: Meadow
Pipit, Chaffinch, Rook, Lapland Bunting, Long-tailed Duck, Jackdaw, Siskin,
Rock Pipit, Greylag Goose, Skylark, Linnet, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Linnet,
Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Whooper
Swan, Common Scoter, Waxwing, Twite, Snow Bunting, Pied Wagtail, Wigeon,
Carrion Crow, Tree Sparrow,
Spurn 30.10.2016
The continued westerlies meant a lack of new birds incoming
and as a result it made birding a bit more challenging that it had been the
last few weeks. I headed down the point to check the beach for wheatears, but I
failed to find any. That being said I did have a few nice bits and pieces,
including a Snow Bunting, Purple Sandpiper and a personal highlight; Firecrest.
By midday I had returned from the point and spent the
afternoon clearing up the garden by doing a host of outstanding odd jobs. In
the end it felt like a rather productive day despite the lack of birds. That is
all that I can really say for it to be honest…
Species List:
Spurn Peninsula: Snow
Bunting, Purple Sandpiper, Firecrest, Blackbird, Robin, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff,
Blackcap, Fieldfare, Redwing, Reed Bunting, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull,
Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Sparrowhawk, Wren, Dunnock,
