A busy month, with rewards for those who persevered in the field. On 1st Pinkfoots were conspicuous going south. A first-winter Caspian Gull was reported. A Snow Bunting was on Carr Naze all month. On 2nd another fine vismig session at Hunmanby Gap with 600 Goldfinch, 150 Lesser Redpoll, 135 Siskin and 9 Crossbill south over the coastal strip plus a cream crown Marsh Harrier, 70 Pink-footed Goose and 34 Cormorant also south. A Grey Plover was at East Lea on 3rd. On 6th two Twite briefly on the fence of the Rocket Pole field. A single Brambling and c100 Redwing were at Hunmanby Gap on 8th. A Short-eared Owl, Marsh Harrier, Ring Ouzels, a Water Rail, a late Spotted Flycatcher and a Yellow-browed Warbler also featured at Filey, but the big surprise was a Red-Flanked Bluetail found in the afternoon in Arndale. Fifteen Bottlenose Dolphins were seen. On 9th a Velvet Scoter was off Brigg End with 22 Common Scoters. Remarkably another Bluetail was caught and ringed in Top Scrub, and released into Arndale, where the two could be seen in close proximity. Vismig over Hunmanby Gap produced 430 Goldfinch, 67 Lesser Redpoll, 12 Brambling, 5 Crossbill, 24 Rock Pipit and a single Ring Ouzel. Six Barnacle Geese went south over the Country Park and Bay. On 10th 20 Whooper Swans went south off Carr Naze, skimming the waves. On 11th on the Brigg End 1 Grey Plover, 13 Knot, 3 Redshank, 4 Ringed Plover, 10 Dunlin, 3 Purple Sandpiper, 5 Turnstone, 2 Shag and 11 Red-throated Diver over south. A Jack Snipe was visible from East Pool hide at Filey Dams with 1 Swallow, a Little Egret and 2 Goosander. A Hen Harrier went south. On 14th a Swallow went north at Hunmanby Gap, with a Twite singing! in the field next to the car park at Hunmanby Gap. Two Pomarine Skuas went south. A Long-tailed Duck and Great Northern Diver were bayside of Brigg on 15th. Seven Sooty Shearwaters went north. In the evening roost were a female Velvet Scoter, 1 Common Scoter, 400 Black-headed Gull, 400 Herring Gull, and 70 Common Gull. 85 Oystercatcher were on the side of Carr Naze at high tide. On 16th a Short-eared Owl was at the Tip. On 17th a Little Egret and juvenile Arctic Tern were on the Brigg. At East Lea a Short-eared Owl flew north, with 27 Siskin, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Water Rail also seen. A large dark backed and upper winged (Bridled?) Tern headed south past Hunmanby Gap !!!, unfortunately one that got away. Four Little Gull and 13 Commic terns fed off Hunmanby Gap being harassed by an Arctic Skua. The evening roost had 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Velvet Scoter, 6 Common Scoter, 1 Eider, 25 Teal, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1,400 Black-headed Gull and 30 Common Gull. A Black Redstart on Carr Naze was videoed by a visiting birder. On 18th a Yellow-browed Warbler was by the East Lea Gate and playground area, with another on Long Lane. A Red-breasted Flycatcher was also there. A large-scale arrival of birds occurred on 19th, with Short-eared Owl, Woodcock, 100 Redwing, 40 Blackbirds, 25 Starling, 10 Song Thrush, Ring Ouzel, a Fieldfare, 3 Brambling, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, alba Wagtails, and 2 Peregrines. A Pomarine Skua and 23 Little Gulls were seen on 20th. On 21st a male Blackcap was in Parish Wood, with a Woodcock flushed near the bottom gate. A male Black Redstart was in the Rocket Pole field with a Short-eared Owl. Another Black Redstart was in Cherry Tree Drive on the roofs. A Yellow-browed Warbler was in the Sycamore at the entrance to the minor road to St Oswalds. An adult Little Gull was briefly at Filey Dams, with a Goosander, Goldeneye and a Chiffchaff. A Hen Harrier flew north, and was later seen hunting near Newbiggin. A Long-tailed Duck and a Grey Phalarope were in the bay, a Little Auk went south, with 2 Swallow south over Hunmanby Gap. 20 Brent Geese went south over Carr Naze. An Egyptian Goose went south over the Tip and was later seen in the North Cliff field. On 22nd 23 Twite flew north over clifftop at Hunmanby Gap, a site record count. Two Lapland Bunting came in-off. Two Crane flew south over Hunmanby Gap. A Kingfisher was at Filey Dams, and seen again up to 30th. Two Black Redstart were at Mount Pleasant Farm. 50 Crossbill flew south at Hunmanby Gap on 23rd. On 24th a Short-eared Owl flew south inshore at Hunmanby Gap. On Carr Naze 10-15 Goldcrest and 6 Redpoll were present. Two of the Redpolls were male Common Redpolls. Three Arctic Tern were on the Brigg. A Black-throated Diver was off the Brigg. On 25th there was another thrush arrival with Redwings, Fieldfare and Blackbirds dropping in by the thousands, Waxwing in off, Goldcrests and Redpolls (including 35 Common Redpolls), Shore Lark, Short-eared Owl, Hawfinch, Blackcap, Wheatear, four Swallows, a Swift and Woodcock. A Yellow-browed Warbler was by Carr Naze. On 26th 2 Swallow and 11 Crossbill went south and Corn Bunting were present at Hunmanby Gap plus thrushes moved south west inland. 12 Barnacle Geese flew south over Country Park. Over 1000 Redwing, 500 Fieldfare, Blackbird, Song Thrush and a Ring Ouzel went south west at Hunmanby Gap plus 300 Siskin and 11 Crossbill south in drizzle. A Hume’s Leaf Warbler was reported briefly in the Country Park. On 27th another ringtail Hen Harrier went south over Hunmanby Gap, with four Little Gull on the beach. Two Great White Egrets flew south at Hunmanby Gap. A ringtail Harrier flew east along the north side of Carr Naze. A Marsh Harrier went south, with a Rough-legged Buzzard also seen. Late Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler were recorded. A Puffin was on the bay side of Carr Naze. Yet another (or the same) ringtail Hen Harrier flew south at Hunmanby Gap on 28th. Over 700 Pinkfeet went south over Filey, accompanied by a White-fronted Goose, with a good passage of thrushes including 50 plus Fieldfare, 4 Snipe, 8 Siskin and 1 Crossbill. A good flock of 14 Sandwich Tern were on the Brigg. A continental Coal Tit was in Long Lane, part of a big influx. On 29th 27 Twite flew north at Hunmanby Gap in the evening. On 30th 62 Purple Sandpiper, 34 Ringed Plovers, 80 Oystercatchers, 27 Sanderling and a juvenile Black Tern were on the Brigg. On 31st two drake Eider were on the bay side of Brigg, with a Black Tern and adult Little Gull feeding off the Brigg end. A Siberian Chiffchaff was in Martins Ravine. Ten Waxwings were in trees near bungalows on West Road. Thrushes, especially Blackbirds with smaller numbers of Fieldfare, Song Thrushes and Redwing dropped in again. The most impressive sight was a flock of 17 Snipe flying high up, making a total of 21 for the morning.
