Two days of sharp contrasts – yesterday being exceptionally warm, sunny and humid, and today being dominated by thick fog and strong winds from the northern sector. As a result, today was very much about the sea – at least, for the limited period when it was visible – and despite the poor visibility, a […]
(With apologies for the short break in transmissions, we’re just back from the Spurn Migration Festival!)… A relatively quiet few days, although the White-rumped Sandpiper was present on the Brigg to 9th at least, where a Yellow-legged Gull and a Mediterranean Gull were also present on 10th (MA et al.). The sea has been uninspiring […]
An excellent day here at the Obs thanks in no small part to an incredibly tame and accommodating White-rumped Sandpiper (SD, KD et al.) on the Brigg. At times feeding down to two metres of appreciative observers, it’s our fourth record (all since 2002), after the last at the Dams in 2012. An Icterine Warbler […]
A much quieter day, with a very light variable and continuing warm temperatures offering little new of note. Visible migration was minimal at best, while the sea offered few signs of movement; the Dams kept things interesting, however, with the Curlew Sandpiper and the Pintail in situ, seven Ruff, eight Dunlin, two Green Sandpipers, 35 […]
A day of brisk south-westerlies, increasingly balmy temperatures and a memorably epic movement of hirundines this morning. Peaking for approx 90 minutes (between 0800 and 0930), perhaps our biggest ever count of Swallows and House Martins flooded south, with counters positioned at Carr Naze and Hunmanby Gap nigh-on overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers […]
Another day of promising conditions on the sea (with the possibility of birds reorientating after yesterday’s north-westerlies) which delivered some good results in seven and a half hours consecutive watching from dawn. Highlights included two Cory’s Shearwaters, both north at distance between 0750 and 0815, a Curlew Sandpiper south early afternoon with Dunlins, and an […]
With winds due to strengthen and swing into the north-west, most of the attention was focused on the sea today, with just shy of ten hours consecutive coverage yielding some good returns (although arguably there perhaps wasn’t as much activity as might have been expected). Highlights included three Long-tailed Skuas, one early in the morning and […]
A mild and cloudy morning turning to a wet and windy afternoon, with the highlight coming early on at the Gap where an Osprey headed south (KC, NC); other passage there included over 200 Meadow Pipits south. The Dams held the same cast (two Green Sandpipers, two Ruff, four Dunlin) and there are now five […]
A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (MJP, CW) was the highlight of a still benign sea over the last two days, while a Little Stint remains on the Brigg both today and yesterday with a good selection of common waders (including five Purple Sandpipers today). Two Marsh Harriers were along North Cliff yesterday, while up to three […]
An interesting end to the month, with some notable arrivals and strong overhead passage. Highlights of the day included a Curlew Sandpiper at the Dams briefly early on (JL), two Little Stints and a Yellow-legged Gull on the Brigg first thing and a Red-necked Grebe north (MJP, BP, CW). Wagtails on or over the Brigg […]