16th April 2018

A welcome southerly airflow produced lots of variety today, with a Hooded Crow high and north-west over North Cliff, a Merlin low and in the same direction, another Firecrest trapped by the ringing team in Top Scrub first thing, an Osprey north over the sea past the Gap and then over North Cliff late morning, four Ring Ouzels (one in off just after dawn at Reighton Sands, one in the Donkey Field and two at Gristhorpe Bay), year’s firsts in the shape of House Martins (about a dozen, with some back at colonies) and a Green Sandpiper at East Lea, an acredula-type Willow Warbler trapped in Top Scrub, a White Wagtail and a Wheatear at Gristhorpe Bay, Lesser Whitethroats at Reighton Sands (three) and the Gap (two), a Little Egret at East Lea and the Dams, and good visible migration of common species at Reighton Sands and the Gap, which included over 400 Linnets, 300 Goldfinches and 100 Siskins south at the latter site. 

Yesterday (15th), a Red-breasted Merganser was at the Dams (a rare record there), two Little Egrets went south at the Gap, where 362 Linnets and 22 Siskins did likewise, and a Wheatear was in the Rocket Pole Field.