The 1st was busy with 2 Whooper Swans south over Dams, and 4 Black Tailed Godwit, 4 Snipe, 1 Pintail, 1 Dabchick, 1 Swallow, and a Barn Owl at the Dams. At Hunmanby Gap one Swift, 30 Skylark, 5 Brambling, 25 Chaffinch, 9 Whooper Swan and over 1000 Siskin went south. Two Twite were in the Carr Naze pond area.
On 2nd a Snow Bunting and a pair of Stonechat were on Carr Naze. An adult Mediterranean Gull was on Brigg End. At Hunmanby Gap 4000 Pink footed Goose went north, 385 Siskin, 347 Jackdaw, 1255 Woodpigeon, 119 Skylark and 1 Twite went south plus locally 200 Lapwing and 110 Golden Plover. One Chiffchaff was in the Country Park. On 3rd a Woodcock was in Rocket Pole Field. On 4th a Short-eared Owl was in off over the bay. A female Goldeneye was at the Dams. A Knot also dropped in, a rare occurrence. Six juvenile Little Gull went north inshore at Hunmanby Gap. On 6th 686 Siskin, 5 Crossbill, 1 Brambling went south at Hunmanby Gap. The autumn Siskin on migration total was now over 10,000. A Great White Egret came in off and NW at the Gap. On 7th a Black Redstart was in Bay Corner. 3 Great Northern Divers were in the bay (2 off Brigg, 1 off Muston Sands). In the Gull roost off seafront: 2400 Black- headed, 300 Herring, 100 Common, 1 Great Black-backed Gull. On 9th over 1100 Siskin went south over the clifftop at Hunmanby Gap in the first hour and half. The Great White Egret was back at the Dams.
On 11th a Short-eared Owl off the end of Carr Naze flew off towards Brigg end. A pair of very tame Snow Bunting were at the end of Carr Naze. It would be good to subspecies identify our Snow Buntings. In Britain Snow Buntings come from Iceland (insulae) and Greenland and Scandinavia (nominate nivalis). In Scotland, most wintering birds are insulae, but in Norfolk both races are present in approximately equal numbers. Males with a dark centre to the rump-feathers are insulae, while male nivalis show a completely white rump once the yellowish to rusty edges have worn off. This is a diagnostic feature but it may be difficult to assess in early winter when the centres of the rump-feathers are covered by rusty fringes.
On 12th a House Martin went over Filey high street. On 14th an adult Mediterranean Gull was in the Gap car park. A rare find these days, a Richard’s Pipit was also in a cliff top field north of Hunmanby Gap car park. The same day an interesting Stonechat was on the cliff tops, where the path from old tip meets rough grass. The finder thought it was an Eastern Stonechat and has submitted as such. Unfortunately no DNA evidence was collected to confirm its identity as either Siberian or Stejneger’s. On 15th a Short-eared Owl and Jay were at the Tip, a Stonechat at Rocket Pole Field, 170 Pink-footed Geese and a Buzzard in the field west of tip towards Newbiggin Farm. Siskins broke the 16,000 barrier at Hunmanby Gap as another 500 moved south over the clifftop. 4 Snow Bunting and Swallow went south and c50 Blackbirds dropped in from on high. A Jay and Lapland Bunting were present. On 17th another Swallow went south at the Gap.
On 18th 2 Brent Geese were on the Country Park. On 19th 675 Siskin went south at Hunmanby Gap – an incredible 18,400 south since October. On 19th a Swallow went west over Tesco. On 20th flocks of 90, 50, 41 and 30 Lapwing NW over East Lea including a leucistic bird plus Buzzard and a very late Common Darter dragonfly. Two Mediterranean Gulls were off Filey seafront (ad. & 1st w), 2,300 Black-headed, 250 Herring, a handful of Common Gulls and 2 Great Crested Grebes. 1 Chiffchaff was at the Golf Course. On 23rd a Storm Petrel lingered off Filey Brigg, also 2 Great Northern Diver and the 3 Snow Bunting were still on Carr Naze. On 24th 3 Jack Snipe were between the Tip and the concrete structure near Short Hedge. A good count of 6o+ Yellowhammer, 5 Reed Bunting, and 1 bullfinch were in a rough field along cliff path between Hunmanby Gap and Reighton Gap. On 28th 5 Great Northern Divers were in the bay, with 5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Goldeneye, 3 Eider, 2 Common Scoter, 1 ad Mediterranean Gull, and 29 Great Black-backed Gull. A Little Auk was in the waves off Coble Landing/sea front. On 29th a Little Auk was off Hunmanby Gap plus 39 Sanderling and a Dunlin on the beach. Dunlin are now Red-listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern. A dead Otter was on the downhill road a few hundred yards before Hunmanby Gap roundabout.