Recent sightings (in chronological order)15th: Woodcocks at Top Scrub and Gristhorpe roundabout. 16th: a Blue fulmar on the seawatch. 17th: female Black Redstart St Oswald’s church, 60 Blackbirds among smaller numbers of other thrushes in the Top Scrub area, male Scaup and still two Velvet Scoters in the bay (with at least one remaining for another week), 24 Lapwings at Newbiggin, Blue Fulmar and Little Gull on the seawatch. 18th: Four Corn Buntings and 25 Yellowhammers among other passerines in the Reighton Gap set-aside. 19th: a Blue Fulmar past the Brigg.

Water Rail, Dams (Mike Cole)

20th: female Black Redstart Bay Corner (presumably the same bird as above), Short-eared Owl at the Tip, Pink-footed Goose and Chiffchaff at East Lea. 21st: Two Goosander in the bay. 22nd: 22 Redwing by Long Lane, a juvenile Glaucous Gull north over Carr Naze, improved vismig at the Gap with 234 Meadow Pipits, a Corn Bunting, two Mute Swans and 30 Redwings north there. 24th: a Scandinavian Rock Pipit in the Rocket Pole Field, 8,000 Kittiwakes south and 69 Red-throated Divers and a Velvet Scoter north at the Gap, and an adult Med Gull on the seawatch. 

25th: Vismig at the Gap included 134 Linnet and 30 Redwings, and 78 Red-throated Divers in the bay. 26th: Two Twite and 35 Pink-footed Geese north at the Gap, with a Long-eared Owl brielfy near Muston roundabout; Water Rails performing well at the Dams. 28th: A White Wagtail on Carr Naze. 29th: 35 Redwings, a Fieldfare, a female Goosander north at the Gap, and a Mealy Redpoll there with 15 Lessers. 30th: A Bar-tailed godwit in the Bay Corner (often relocating to the Country Park over the next few days), a Woodcock in the Rocket Pole Field, a male Pochard at the Dams and 15 Lesser Redpolls still at the Gap. 31st: A male rubicola-type Stonechat in the Rocket Pole Field, and a Little Gull south on the sea. 

Corn Buntings, Reighton Gap (Will Scott)