30th April 2017

A Turtle Dove west over East Lea this morning (MJP) at least ensures this species makes it into another Filey Bird & Wildlife report next year. A strong day for visible migration – particularly of waders, terns and wildfowl along the coast – was otherwise headlined by a Black Tern south at the Gap, where other day counts included 38 Bar-tailed Godwits, 15 Whimbrel, 14 Knot and 16 Sanderlings south, with a single Pintail the best of a small duck movement and two Corn Buntings south (KC). Smaller numbers of waders, including Grey Plovers and Bar-tailed Godwits, were also noted off the Brigg in the day and at the Gap in the evening. A Grasshopper Warbler sang from Top Scrub (DL) and up to six Greenland Wheatears were along the coastal strip (JP, MC, DL, AH et al).

Otherwise, previous days were reasonably quiet with totals at the Gap of 112 Linnets and 61 Goldfinches on 28th and 240 / 74 respectively on 27th. Two Ring Ouzels went north there on 25th (KC), while other species on the move in small numbers along the coastal strip over the period have included Manx Shearwaters, Whimbrel, Grey Plovers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Goosanders, Sandwich and Arctic Terns, hirundines, and Yellow and Pied Wagtails. Odd waders at the Dams and (particularly) East Lea have included Whimbrel, Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpipers, and all warbler species (including Reed, Garden, Sedge and Lesser Whitethroat) have trickled in in small numbers.