Things livened up in April, with the expected spring migrant starting to show up. On 2nd a male Wheatear was on Carr Naze, with a Willow Warbler singing in Filey Dams car park. c50 migrant Robins were in Country Park on 1st and 2nd. The Ring-necked Parakeet was in Top Scrub. On 3rd the Cetti’s Warbler was seen from East pool hide. A possible second bird also present as 2 birds flew left to right across in front of the ‘Jack Snipe’ window. The 4th was a busy day with 355 Chaffinches south at Hunmanby Gap – over 3,600 south this record-breaking spring. A drake Garganey was at Filey Dams, with a Kingfisher also seen. A female Marsh Harrier went north over a birders house at East Lea. A Swallow was with 5 Sand Martins at the Dams In the bay roost there were 1,200 Common Gulls, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 700 Herring Gulls, 80 Black-headed Gulls; 2 Great Northern Divers and 7 Wigeon. An acredula type Willow Warbler was on the Tip. On 5th a Wheatear and male Blackcap were at Hunmanby Gap. On 6th a Barn Owl was unusually in Top Scrub, possibly a migrant? A Lesser Whitethroat sang to the rear of the first Owl box at Filey Dams. On 8th a Firecrest was in holly in the northeast corner Parish Wood, and stayed for a few days. An unexpected Common Scoter was at Filey Dams. On 9th a Little Ringed Plover was recorded on nocmig, over the house in Filey town last night – the second of the year, after the first nocmig on 17th March. One Buzzard, displaying Sparrowhawks, 12 Fieldfare east, 3 Swallow, 6 Sand Martin, 1 Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, 7 Cormorant, 1 Lesser Blacked Backed Gull plus the usual ducks were at Filey Dams. A Marsh Harrier went high south over town. A very smart male Marsh Harrier went over the Dams on 10th. On 13th a Yellow Wagtail and a Common Sandpiper were at East Lea. Also there was a Ring Ouzel by Carr Naze pond. On 14th 2 Tree Pipit went south and a Yellow Wagtail went north at Hunmanby Gap, with an unidentifable shrike briefly there. On 15th three Sandwich Terns were in the bay. A drake Mandarin Duck was at East Lea. A Ring Ouzel was in Long Hedge on 16th. A possible Woodchat Shrike was reported in a paddock north of Parish Wood at 10.20 but mobile. A Pied Flycatcher also appeared there. A male Common Redstart was in the hedgerow running off the flood defence path. An adult Little Gull went southeast along Carr Naze with Black-headed Gulls, Two Bottle-nosed Dolphins went north across the bay (17:50-18:00) on 17th, one with very distinctive dorsal fin marking – thin white leading edge and 2 or 3 obvious white blobs at base of fin (known as Runny Paint).  Also 3 Great Northern & 3 Red-throated Divers, 1 Sandwich Tern. A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were at the bottom of Carr Naze steps on 18th. On 21st there were four Bar-tailed Godwits in East Lea fields. On 22nd a Greenshank went northwest, a Tree Pipit went north, and two Siskin were in Long Lane.  Greenshank, Redshank, Green Sandpiper and Yellow Wagtail were at East Lea and 4 Barwits were still in the fields. A Common Crane in off at Muston Sands, heading inland southwest. A Pied Flycatcher was in Church Ravine on 23rd. A Sedge Warbler sang at East Lea. Two Whimbrel went north at Hunmanby Gap on 26th. A Whitethroat was at the Tip and a female Redstart in Short Hedge. A male Yellow Wagtail was in Top Fields The first Swift went over on 28th. A Nuthatch in clifftop scrub at Hunmanby Gap on 29th was a big surprise! Also a Redstart there. On 30th a Marsh Harrier went north at Hunmanby Gap, a Great White Egret came in off at the Gap, and 10 Whimbrel flew north. A Marsh Harrier went south over the Tip, with a Short-eared Owl south over the bay, and a Little Egret went south inland.