Spurn Week 5

Wednesday 20^th - Saturday 23^rd September

Most of my time was spent ringing in steady south-westerlies with little change in species composition; Tree Sparrows, Lesser Redpolls and common garden birds making up the majority of species. I also spent a lot of time typing up logs for the observatory hence a lack of updates from these dates.

Sunday 24^th September

Today there was finally a change to an easterly wind direction. Almost immediately there was a small arrival of Redstarts, with the first few birds appearing at the Warren. I was at Kew with Paul having rung a few bits and pieces. No sooner had the first birds appeared at the Warren did we have a Redstart appear in our nets, a smart young male, which Paul allowed me to ring.

-Common Redstart

Monday 25^th September

With a little rain first thing and continued easterlies we were hopeful that there would be some arrival. I spent most of the day birding the Triangle, Beacon Lane and then a few other areas likely to be less checked. Sadly I failed to really find anything new, although it was clear that birds had arrived, with an obvious increase in Garden Warblers and Blackcaps. A Cettis Warbler was found singing at the bottom of the Canal Zone. Sadly I only heard it distantly and did not see it, although I barely tried given there were quite a few people waiting for this Spurn rarity.

Tuesday 26^th September

Expectation was high that today there might finally be some birds. A layer of fog covered the area and this added to the anticipation. Ultimately though the anticipation failed to materialise into anything major! A few new Yellow-browed Warblers were nice, but the undoubted highlight was a stunning adult male Red-breasted Flycatcher that was found at warren. It was tricky at times but at other times showed quite well. In the afternoon it was found in the net, before being ringed and released. An early contender for the best bird of the autumn! 

-Red-breasted Flycatcher

Species List:

Spurn Bird Obs: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pintail, Pink-footed Goose, Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Red-throated Diver, Gannet, Cormorant, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Greenshank. Common Redshank, Ruff, Long-billed Dowitcher, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Little Gull, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Feral Pigeon, Short-eared Owl, Ring-necked Parakeet, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Whinchat, Stonechat, Robin, Redstart, Black Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Yellow-browed Warbler, Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Migrant Hawker, Red-veined Darter, Common Darter, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White,