August 2005

Beacon Ponds

1 Short-eared Owl. 1 Peregrine, 5 Med Gull (4 Ad, 1 juv), 1 Little Stint juv, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover.

Some light passage south today with a Marsh Harrier at 07.15, 3 Swift, 111 Sand Martin, 287 Swallow, 62 House Martin, 23 Greenfinch, grounded migrants were hard to come by with 4 Whinchat, 5 Wheatear.

Sea passage was lighter than yesterday with only 3300 Common Tern and 3 Black Tern, other notable seabirds were a Little Gull, 2 Med Gulls and the usual Yellow-legged Gull. At Beacon ponds today were 12 Med Gulls (11 Ad, 1 juv), the Little Ringed Plover and Little Stint were also present.

An very average kind of day with with an increase in Golden Plover with c2000 on the Humber, a good Tern passage in the evening including 3300 Common Tern & 3 Black Tern whilst overland grounded birds were few with 17 Flava Wagtail, 4 Whinchat, 5 Wheatear & 13 Willow Warbler. Southerly passage consisted of 3 Swift, 111 Sand Martin, 287 Swallow, 62 House Martin & 23 Greenfinch. Better highlights were at Beacon Ponds with 12 Med Gulls (1 juvenile), and singles of Little Ringed Plover & Little Stint.

A quieter day with heavy downpours slowing down any passage with just a Marsh Harrier North, 3 Swift, 68 Sand Martin, 80 Swallow & 6 House Martin south whilst Terns reached c3500 "Commic". Very few new grounded migrants with a Tree Pipit (Church Field), 2 Whinchat (Point/ Clubley's),

2 Chiffchaff, 10 Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher (Wire Dump).

A small arrival of migrants with a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Tree Pipit (Triangle), 28 Yellow Wagtail (Triangle), a Redstart (Church Field), 4 whinchat, 4 Wheatear, 11 Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler (Chalk bank), 2 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 24 Willow Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher (Point), 3 Pied Flycatcher (Warren/ North Field/Cliffe Farm). Southerly passage was better than of late with a Marsh Harrier, 4 Greenshank, 2 Swift, 42 Sand Martin, 1110 Swallow, 154 House Martin, 12 Meadow Pipit, 13 Flava Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail. At sea 21 Arctic Skua & 2 Bonxie went south whilst terns headed south to roost included 1 Roseate, 1028 Common, 9 Arctic & 1 Black Tern.

The best day of the autumn so far with plenty of new arrivals including a Little Egret on the Humber, possible yesterdays Great Spotted Woodpecker blogging around, 10 Yellow Wagtail, 17 Robin, 4 Redstart (2 Point, 1 Wire Dump/Canal Hedge), 38 Whinchat scattered all over the area, 8 Wheatear, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler, a very elusive GREENISH WARBLER in the hedge at Southfield Farm but was only seen by one lucky observer, a Wood Warbler (Blue Bell), 12 Willow Warbler, 15 Pied Flycatcher well spread over the recording area, 3 Spotted Flycatcher (Wire Dump/Warren/Little Hedge). Passage birds seen were 30 Teal south, a Little Stint in onto the Humber, 3 Snipe, 4 Sand Martin, 54 Swallow all south. At sea 9 Arctic Skua, 2 Bonxie & a Little Gull south, 63 Sandwich Tern, 15 Roseate Tern (5 juvenile), 3000 Common Tern, 13 Arctic Tern & 2 Black Tern all south to roost.