December 2006

Even less today with 16 Pink-footed Geese (15 S), 13 Wigeon, 4 Eider & a Red-breasted Merganser S, an Arctic Skua S, 1 Kittiwake N, single Stonechat and Goldcrest being the best of the sightings today.

Heavy showers turning into longer periods of rain in a strong SW wind made birding difficult a few birds at sea with little in the way of new grounded migrants.

At sea 19 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe S, 3 Gannet, 23 Wigeon, 46 Teal, 5 Pintail, 6 Eider all south, 2 Little Gull, 6 Guillemot and 2 Razorbill. The Pink-footed Goose was still present in Walker Butts, 9 Wigeon (Humber), a Red-breasted Merganser (Humber), 5 Black-tailed Godwit, a Redwing (Point) were best of the grounded birds.

A cloudy with frequent showers in a strong SE wind reaching force 6+ by the afternoon making birding extremely difficult hence not a lot seen.

At sea 4 Red-throated Diver, 2 Little Gull S, 2 Kittiwake, 2 Guillemot and a Razorbill S. Other reports were the Pink-footed Goose (Walker Butts), a Wigeon (Canal Scrape), 2 Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine (Humber), 8 Lapwing (5 S, 3 Humber), 23 Turnstone and a Chiffchaff (Point).

Very little change in more dull conditions with the wind strengthening late on.

At sea 12 Red-throated Diver were about the only notable sighting whilst elsewhere the Pink-footed Goose seems at home in Walker Butts, 8 Wigeon and an Eider were on the Humber, a Goosander flew in onto the Humber, a Water Rail (Point), 4 Stonechat, 57 Blackbird, 5 Fieldfare, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest (Point), a Goldfinch S and a Snow Bunting n over the Warren were the best of it.

North of the area a Little Owl was along Beacon Lane and at Beacon Lagoons there were 4 Jack Snipe and 3 Snow Bunting.

Little of note in a dull day that barely got light with low cloud and drizzle in a freshening force 2-3 SW wind.

Of note today were the Pink-footed Goose at Wire Dump where it was caught in the trap and moved to Walker Butts for this is a far better habitat for it, although a little on the light side the bird was found to very fit and healthy, 184 Brent Geese (Humber), 17 Wigeon, 1 Teal (Humber), 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Merlin, a Water Rail (Canal Scrape), a Jack Snipe (Point), a Short-eared Owl (Salt Marsh), 47 Blackbird, single Goldcrest & Brambling (Point) and a Snow Bunting (Chalk Bank).

A similar day to yesterday weather and bird wise with just a few birds moving at sea and the odd new thrush.

Highlights today were 16 red-throated Diver, the Pink-footed Goose is now at Wire Dump, 9 Wigeon S plus 4 in, 2 Eider, 9 Common Scoter, a Peregrine over the Humber, a Water Rail (Point), 63 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare (Point), 2 Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Point) and 3 Snow Bunting over Chalk Bank.

Another dull day with poor visibility but with a light E wind a small arrival of thrushes occurred.

Sea watching produced 17 Red-throated Diver, 3 Gannet S, 78 Common Scoter S, a few Herring Gulls S and a Guillemot.

On the steps of the Point Café this morning a Pink-footed Goose stood? 60 Brent Geese and 2 Wigeon (Humber), 140 Lapwing, 1 Snipe (Salt Marsh), 1 Stonechat (Old Scrape), 74 Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 14 Redwing (2 Point, 12 Triangle), single Chiffchaff and Goldcrest (Point).

Continuing dull with just the odd new arrival and a few ducks at sea.

At sea 132 Red-throated Diver (78 N, 31 S), 7 Cormorant (5 S), 5 Teal S, 3 Eider N, 227 Common Scoter (34 N, 193 S), 2 Red-breasted Merganser S and 7 Guillemot.

Other interesting sightings were a Peregrine (Chalk Bank), 1 Water Rail (Canal), 12 Ringed Plover, a Jack Snipe (Clubley’s), a Woodcock (Canal), 1 Stonechat, 54 Blackbird, 3 Fieldfare, 6 Song Thrush, 3 Redwing (Point), a Blackcap (Chalk Bank), 3 Chiffchaff (2 Point, 1 Beacon Lane) and a Brambling (Point).

More poor visibility all day with low grey clouds with fog/mist, a few geese/ducks still about but little in the way of small birds.

At sea 69 Red-throated Diver (41 N), 9 Pink-footed Geese S, 4 Gadwall S, 8 Teal, 6 Mallard S, 18 Eider, 20 Common Scoter, a Red-breasted Merganser S and the odd Auk sp.

Elsewhere birds of note were 2 Pochard, a Tufted Duck and the Goldeneye (Canal Scrape), 2 Stock Dove (Warren), 300 Golden Plover, 2 Snipe (Salt Marsh), 5 Stonechat, 60 Blackbird, 3 Fieldfare, 6 Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff (Point) and 32 Chaffinch.

Low cloud all day becoming fog by the evening giving poor visibility all day, a few more Geese about and the odd new bird.

Highlights for the day were 54 Grey-lag Geese on the Humber went north later on, yesterdays 2 Barnacle Geese were flying around the Point, the Goldeneye (Canal Scrape), a Water Rail (Triangle), a Woodcock (Canal Zone), 58 Blackbird, 3 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, a Redwing (Point), 1 Blackcap, a Chiffchaff (Point).

The whale was finally identified today as a Fin Whale as the tide had turned the creature over exposing the main identifying features.

Fog cleared by mid-morning leaving a lovely sunny day with little wind, a few ducks at sea but the most interesting birds today were two unusual Geese species.

At sea 4 Red-throated Diver, a Bean Goose in of the sea which flew straight over Church Field calling loudly and kept on going W over the Humber, 2 Barnacle Geese sat on the sea drifting south, 1 Teal S, 4 Mallard S plus 23 blogging around, 3 Eider, 2 Common Scoter S, 3 Goldeneye plus the bird on Canal Scrape.

Other birds of note were a Merlin (Narrows), 20 Lapwing (Walker Butts), 1 Snipe, a Stock Dove (Chalk Bank), 2 Stonechat, 60 Blackbird, 5 Fieldfare, 5 Song Thrush and 2 Goldcrest.

Thick fog cleared for just a few hours with some birds seen moving at sea but returned around lunchtime curtailing any serious birding.

At sea 30 Red-throated Diver, 3 Grey-lag Geese, 51 Wigeon, 4 Gadwall, 15 Teal all south plus another 32 Teal in, 58 Mallard S plus 6 in, 4 Pintail, 5 Shoveler in, a Pochard N, 12 Scaup S, 3 Eider, 2 Common Scoter and a Goldeneye N.

Other notable sightings were 11 Lapwing on Walker Butts one which was killed by two Crows, 2 Snipe, 23 Wood Pigeon, 1 Skylark, 65 Blackbird, 4 Fieldfare, 2 Blackcap, 22 Chaffinch and 3 Goldfinch (S).

A day when thick fog made birding almost impossible with visibility down to 100 m and less in places. Very few highlights with 7 Lapwing (Humber), a Jack Snipe (Clubley’s), yesterday’s Goldeneye (Canal Scrape), 5 Wood Pigeon (Kew), 90 Blackbird, 7 Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap (1 Chalk Bank, 2 Kew) and a Goldcrest (Point).

A small arrival of thrushes today in high thin cloud and light winds but little else. Notable sightings today were 6 Little Grebe (Canal), 2 Wigeon & 2 Teal (Humber), a Goldeneye (Canal Scrape), 7 Lapwing, a Woodcock (Point), 2 Skylark, 2 Stonechat (Chalk Bank), 95 Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare (Triangle), 4 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing (Warren), 1 Chiffchaff and a Goldfinch at Kew.

Apart from some early thin cloud and bright sunny day in a force 4 W decreasing to force 2 by the afternoon.

Sea watching was again the most interesting with 37 Red-throated Diver, a Black-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver both N, a Teal and 4 Wigeon S, 1 Eider N, 29 Common Scoter, 5 Goldeneye S, 17 Black-headed Gull & 637 Herring Gull S, 2 Guillemot and a Puffin S, elsewhere 24 Wood Pigeon and a Stock Dove (Kew) and a Song Thrush (Point) were the best of it.

More whale discussion today with the consensus of opinion being that it is a Sei whale when measured with a tape today it reached 12.5 m long.

A bright day with a light SW wind with just a trickle of birds at sea including 22 Red-throated Diver, a Black-throated Diver N, 10 Pink-footed Geese S, a Common Scoter S, 1 Puffin S. Grounded birds of note were 4 Stonechat and 2 Chiffchaff (Point/ Sunnycliffe). North of the area a Goldeneye, 1 Shore Lark and 21 Twite were at Beacon Lagoons and the Little Owl was at Long Bank.

The most interesting find today was a decomposing body of a whale sp. washed up on the Humber shore at Wire Dump, because of how badly decomposed it is identification is difficult but initial thoughts look like it may be a Sei whale.

A much calmer day with light drizzle until early afternoon then remaining cloudy with light winds, on the bird front it remains quiet.

Highlights of the day were 35 Red-throated Diver, a Gannet blogging, 70 Brent Geese, 4 Wigeon (Humber), 43 Lapwing (Humber), the albino Dunlin was still present, 7 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), a Barn Owl (Triangle), 1 Meadow Pipit, 48 Blackbird and a Chiffchaff (Point).

Back to gale force winds today from the SW, a few birds at sea but little else.

At sea 13 Red-throated Diver, a Fulmar blogging, 1 Shelduck S, 19 Ringed Plover S, a Lesser Black-backed Gull S, 2 Kittiwake S plus a few distant Auk’s. Elsewhere 7 Wigeon & 36 Mallard (Humber), single Sparrowhawk, Kestrel & Merlin, a Water Rail (Canal), 75 Lapwing (Humber), a Chiffchaff (Point) and a Goldfinch S was about the best of it.

At least it started better than the previous with only a force 3 but became gale force by early afternoon, with the odd shower thrown in for good measure, a few birds were observed in the morning with the highlights being the presumed same juvenile Pomarine Skua that was here on Friday chasing Herring Gulls over Wire Dump and 2 Snow Buntings over the Triangle onto the Salt Marsh.

Other birds of note were 46 Red-throated Diver, 10 Wigeon (7 Humber), 2 Snipe (Salt Marsh), 2 Stonechat (Chalk Bank) and a Redwing (Point).

A dismal day all round with hardly any birds and plenty of wind and rain as usual.

The only notable sightings were 17 Red-throated Diver, a Wigeon (Humber), 5 Grey Partridge (Church Field), a Water rail (Canal), 1 Kittiwake, 3 Guillemot, 1 Razorbill and a Stock Dove (Chalk Bank).

Rain at first petering out by 10.00, with a decreasing W wind giving an unusual number of Fulmars for the time of year.

At sea 43 Red-throated Diver (17 N, 26 S), 79 Fulmar (38 N, 26 S & 5 on the sea) must have been misplaced by the strong winds recently, 11 Teal S, 6 Eider S, 13 Common Scoter, 1 Little Gull N, 58 Kittiwake, plenty of distant Auk’s, 21 Guillemot, 42 Razorbill and 4 Puffin.

Elsewhere notable sightings were 309 Brent Geese plus 1 pale-bellied form, 9 Wigeon and a Pintail (Humber), a Jack Snipe & 2 Snipe (Salt Marsh), a Barn Owl (Triangle area), 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Stonechat, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing and a Redpoll went N from the Warren.

Another work day in Kew and around the Warren, in a day that started with pleasant sunshine but clouded up giving rain and strong winds by mid-afternoon

A good day at sea with 26 Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Diver, 4 Gannet, 40 Pink Footed Geese S, 17 Teal S, 69 Eider (65 S), 36 Common Scoter, a Velvet Scoter N, 5 Goldeneye, 2 Red-breasted Merganser S, 2 Goosander south then in, 3 Little Gull N, 10 Kittiwake, 5 Guillemot, 31 Razorbill, 2 Little Auk N, 10 Puffin (8 N).

). The only other birds of note were 3 Woodcock and 3 Stonechat (2 Chalk Bank, 1 Scrape Field). North of the area the Little Owl was back along the Easington straight and there were 19 Twite at Beacon Lagoons.

Work party day today with vegetation work being carried out at Kew and Church Field in pleasant sunshine and a moderate NW wind, although work was the order of the day a few birds were noted.

At sea 33 Red-throated Diver (29 S), a Great Crested Grebe S, 6 Gannet N, 1 Shag N, 38 Common Scoter, a Red-breasted Merganser N, 1 Woodcock N, 51 Black-headed Gull S, a LBBB Gull S, 287 Herring Gull S, 2 Kittiwake S, 7 Guillemot & 3 Razorbill N were observed. Other sightings included 45 Pink-footed Geese S, another Red-breasted Merganser (Canal Scrape), a Peregrine, 400 Lapwing, a Skua Sp and an adult Mediterranean Gull all on the Humber, a Stock Dove and 3 Skylark S, 2 Stonechat (Scrape Field), 1 Fieldfare (Clubley’s), a Mistle Thrush (Church Field), 2 Blackcap (Kew), 2 Goldcrest (Church Field), 9 Goldfinch (8 S), a Siskin (Crown), 3 Redpoll (Church Field), a Snow Bunting N, 1 Yellowhammer (Church Field).

North of the area a Greenshank was at Beacon Ponds, and the Little Owl was along Easington straight on the hay bales.

A much calmer day with instant results with a few interesting birds and some southerly passage under bright skies in only a force 2 SW wind.

At sea 21 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver S, 1 Great Crested Grebe S, a Sooty Shearwater S, 8 Gannet, 1 Shag S, 325 Pink-footed Geese S, 1 Eider, 76 Common Scoter, 2 Goldeneye S, a juvenile Pomarine Skua S, 1 Little Gull S, 298 Herring Gull S, 51 Kittiwake (49 S), 3 Razorbill.

. Other notable sightings today were 4 Skylark (3 S, 1 in), 5 Meadow Pipit (4 S), 2 Stonechat, a Chiffchaff (Potato Fields), 1 Goldcrest, 4 Goldfinch, a Linnet S, 2 Redpoll S and a Yellowhammer (Triangle).

Gale force winds back again today are starting to wear thin! Some showers with the odd sunny spell making birding very difficult.

At sea 5 Red-throated Diver N, 1 Gannet N, a Shag S, 5 Pink-footed Geese came in and were later seen in the fields in Easington, 9 Teal S, 6 Tufted Duck S, 2 Goldeneye came in and a few large gulls went S. Other birds of note were 2 Sparrowhawk, 120 Lapwing (Humber), a Woodcock (Point) and a Stock Dove (Triangle).

The Little Owl was still on the hay bales along the Easington straight.

With the wind slightly lighter than previous days a few birds were heading south including 3 Red-throated Diver, 9 Whooper Swan, 35 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Teal, 19 Common Scoter, 1 Goldeneye, 7 Stock Dove, 14 Wood Pigeon, 4 Skylark, 6 Goldfinch, 3 Siskin and a Linnet. Elsewhere birds of note were 6 Little Grebe along the Canal, a Little Egret on the Humber along with 400 Golden Plover and 180 Lapwing, and a Barn Owl (Triangle).

North of the area on some hay bales in Easington fields a Little Owl showed really well and at Beacon Lagoons there were 6 Jack Snipe.

More strong winds from the SW reaching force 6 curtailing any serious bird watching with very little of note anywhere.

The only birds of note were 2 Sparrowhawk, 5 Grey Partridge (Church Field), 180 Golden Plover & 60 Lapwing (Humber), a Short-eared Owl (Triangle), 33 Blackbird, a Chiffchaff (Kew), 2 Goldfinch (Crown), a change in the weather is desperately needed!

With the winds easing a slightly to a force 4 but increasing again by late afternoon sea-watching was the order of the day with 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Gannet, 31 Pink-footed Geese S, 3 Common Scoter S, a Merlin in off the sea, 188 Herring Gull (158 S), 72 GBB Gull (42 S).

Other birds of note were an Avocet (Chalk Bank), 180 Lapwing (Humber), 2 Stock Dove (Triangle), 23 Wood Pigeon S, 3 Sky Lark S, a Rock Pipit (Tank Blocks), 6 Goldfinch (4 S) and a Siskin S.

A very violent 24 hours with gale force SW winds, although the rain cleared by dawn the wind never let up making birding very difficult.

The sea was the only place where any birds could be seen as most passerines were well hidden under cover.

At sea a Gannet N, 22 Pink-footed Geese, 11 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 1 Mallard all south, 4 Common Scoter & 3 Kittiwake N. Whilst on land a cracking male Hen Harrier went south, a Jack Snipe (Salt Marsh), 1 Redwing and 3 Goldfinch were the best of a hard days birding.

A few birds south today but on the whole a very quiet day although it was still rather pleasant with blue and plenty of sunshine in an increasing SW wind.

On the move were 1 Skylark in, 8 Meadow Pipit, 1 Alba Wagtail, 6 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch, 7 Siskin, 20 Snow Bunting plus 2 in.

Other highlights were 2 Water Rail (Point/Canal Scrape), 40 Lapwing, a Jack Snipe (Salt Marsh), 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Stonechat (Triangle), a Blackcap (Point), 1 Chiffchaff (Kew), 3 Goldcrest, 2 Siskin (Crown), a Linnet, 1 Redpoll (Church Field) and a Lapland Bunting (Clubley’s).

A quieter day weather and bird wise, with nothing much of note under cloudy skies in a moderate S-SSE wind.

Birds of any note were 1 Sparrowhawk, 47 Lapwing (45 Old Scrape), a Rock Pipit S, 63 Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare, 3 Song Thrush, 4 Redwing, a Blackcap (Point), a Chiffchaff (Kew), 2 Goldcrest (Point), 17 Chaffinch, and 6 Goldfinch (1 S, 5 Point).