February 2009

Migration watch 06.50 – 13.45. Cloudy with the occasional bit of blue sky and some drizzly showers in the morning, a mild day in a WSW 2 wind.

The best day of the year so far, a few birds were moving south and some coming in off the sea but the main feature of the day was the north and north-west passage of Pink-footed Geese, between 9and 11am a total of 1835 in 12 skeins (largest 300) moved through, this was a new winter/spring record, as was the flock of 11 Goosander that flew north. Other birds moving (south unless stated) were; 1 Wigeon + 4 west, 9 Teal + 1 N, 3 Pintail, 1 Eider + 5 N, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 11 Red-throated Diver + 82 N, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Gannet + 1 N, 4 Cormorant, 7 Oystercatcher in, 102 Golden Plover in, 1 Dunlin in, 6 Curlew in, 1 ad Mediterranean Gull, 124 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser B.B.Gull N, 4 Kittiwake N, 4 Wood Pigeon, 14 Skylark + 3 in, 3 Meadow Pipit + 1 in, 6 Rock Pipit + 1in, 3 Jackdaw U-turned, 1 Rook + 1 U-turned, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Tree Sparrow, 11 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 21 Linnet, and 2 Yellowhammer.

Other birds of note seen included; 700 Brent Geese, 16 Wigeon, 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine, 12 Common Snipe, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Stonechat, 26 Blackbird, 10 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing, 1 Snow Bunting.

Remaining dull and cloudy with a gusting W wind a few more grounded birds today with the best being 9 Teal (Triangle), 7 Sanderling, the Spotted Redshank (Borrow Pit), 25 Turnstone, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Stonechat, 6 Song Thrush, a Rook in Church Field, 9 Chaffinch (8 Kew), 4 Goldfinch (Kew), 3 Siskin at Kew then S, a Linnet singing at the Point.

The frog count at Kew has now touched 20.

Remaining cloudy in a force 5+ W-WNW and feeling a little colder better than yesterday with a Wigeon S, 9 Teal (Canal Scrape), 5 Common Scoter (4 S), 33 Red-throated Diver (26 N), 930 Golden Plover (Crown), a Lapwing out, a Black-tailed Godwit, 66 Black-headed Gull S, 171 Herring Gull S, 2 Guillemot N, 4 Blackbird came in, single Fieldfare and Redwing (Point), 4 Goldfinch (Kew).

Cloudy all day with a cold force 4 W wind very little of note with 5 Wigeon (3 N, 2 S), 5 Red-throated Diver N, 26 Black-headed Gull S and 5 Song Thrush being about it.

Just the odd glimpse of the sun in a mainly cloudy day and a light NW wind of note today were 6 Teal (Walker Butts), 2 Eider N, 61 Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Crested Grebe N, the Spotted Redshank (Walker Butts), 436 Herring Gull S, 8 Sky Lark (4 S), 3 Stonechat, 8 Song Thrush, 5 Chaffinch (2 S), 3 Greenfinch S, 2 Goldfinch (Kew).

The first Frog arrival of the year today with 4 in the pond at Kew.

Remaining mild with an increasing NW wind touching force 3 by the afternoon with some sunny spells, some light passage with 400 Pink-footed Geese NW, single Marsh and Hen Harrier S, 282 Herring Gull S, 2 Sky Lark S, 5 Chaffinch and 2 Greenfinch S. Elsewhere of note were 603 Brent Geese plus 3 pale-bellied birds, 2 Shag (1 S), 1500 Golden Plover, 60 Lapwing and 35 Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber, a Rock Pipit (Salt Marsh), 3 Song Thrush, a Redwing (Crown), 4 Chaffinch and 2 Goldfinch (Kew).

Being very warm and mild a Red Admiral was on the wing at Kew.

A much quieter day all round but remaining mild with sunny spells and light winds of note were a Wigeon S, 6 Teal (Triangle), 2 Eider S, 5 Common Scoter N, 76 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver S, a Merlin (Warren), 11 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), 2 Stock Dove (Church Field), 11 Sky Lark (2 S, 2 in), 4 Meadow Pipit (3 in), 3 Stonechat, 2 Goldfinch (Crown), a Yellowhammer (Point).

The first day of spring? with some early passage (south unless stated) which included 30 Pink-footed Geese NW, 18 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 44 Lapwing and a Curlew out E, 2 Stock Dove, 13 Wood Pigeon, 35 Sky Lark plus 21 in, 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Rock Pipit, 1 Alba Wagtail, 2 Rook, 167 Starling, 11 Chaffinch, 24 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch, 3 Linnet and 1 Snow Bunting.

Elsewhere of note were single Pink-footed and Grey-lag Geese blogging, 4 Teal (Walker Butts), 83 Common Scoter (78 N), 89 Red-throated Diver, 2 Kestrel, a Merlin, 26 Ringed Plover (2 displaying briefly), 210 Lapwing, the Spotted Redshank (Triangle), a Puffin S, 3 Stock Dove, 50 Wood Pigeon, 6 Sky Lark (Clubley’s), 3 Meadow Pipit, 3 Rock Pipit (Warren), 6 Stonechat (4 Sheep Field), 18 Blackbird, 2 Fieldfare (Wire Dump), 6 Song Thrush, a Mistle Thrush (Warren), a Jackdaw blogging, 3 Goldfinch (Crown), 15 Reed Bunting, a Yellowhammer (Church Field).

North of the area a Common Crane flew over Easington heading towards Skeffling, a Peregrine was hunting pigeons and a Hen Harrier was over Long Bank.

A very murky misty start clearing by midday but remaining cloudy in a light W-NW wind but very mild.

Of note today were 3 pale-bellied Brent Geese with the flock, 13 Wigeon (Humber), 5 Teal (Walker Butts), 23 Black-tailed Godwit (New Road), a Shag on the Humber, 13 Stock Dove S, 7 Sky Lark (3 S), 2 Stonechat, a Fieldfare (Kew), 4 Song Thrush, 10 Chaffinch (2 S, 7 Kew), 5 Goldfinch (Crown), a Siskin and 5 Linnet S.

The first Newt and Toad of the year were seen today.

Another dull cloudy day with light winds a few birds at sea and just a hint of some passage with the highlights being 4 Wigeon S, 4 Teal (Walker Butts), 5 Eider S, 7 Common Scoter, 21 Red-throated Diver, a Fulmar N, 22 Ringed Plover, the Spotted Redshank (Walker Butts), 2 LBB Gull blogging, 9 Sky Lark (3 S, 6 Clubley’s), 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit (Cliff Farm), 3 Song Thrush, 7 Chaffinch (1 S, 5 Kew), 2 Goldfinch (Kew).

A similar cloudy day with highlights being 542 Brent Geese, 3 Teal (Walker Butts), 10 Coot, a Woodcock (Point), 4 Sky Lark (2 S), 2 Stonechat, 3 Song Thrush and 2 Goldfinch.

A cloudy day with light winds with another 300 Pink-footed Geese NW, a pale-bellied Brent Goose with the flock, 5 Teal and 64 Mallard (Triangle), 4 Eider N, 37 Common Scoter (29 N), 143 Red-throated Diver (122 N), 3 Great Crested Grebe S, 14 Snipe (Borrow Pit), 630 Bar-tailed Godwit (Humber), the Spotted Redshank (Triangle), 2 LBB Gull blogging, 5 Sky Lark (Clubley’s) being the best sightings whilst around Long Bank a Kingfisher was seen.

More frost overnight and heavy snow by the afternoon in a decreasing W wind.

Highlights of the day were 61 Mallard (Walker Butts), a Red-breasted Merganser S, 21 Red-throated Diver, 4 Cormorant S, 31 Lapwing and 6 Snipe (Triangle), 34 Black-tailed Godwit (Well Field), 150 Common Gull blogging, a Stock Dove (Church Field), 2 Fieldfare (Warren), 2 Song Thrush (Crown) and a Redwing (Kew).

Similar to yesterday with some showers dying out leaving a few bright periods with a hard overnight frost of note were 47 Mallard, 5 Lapwing and 11 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 4 Sky Lark (Clubley’s), 3 Meadow Pipit (2 S, 1 Walker Butts), a Song Thrush (Church), 2 Greenfinch S and a Goldfinch (Kew).

Heavy rain showers most of the morning finally petering giving some sunny spells in the afternoon in a cool NW wind but remaining deadly quiet. Highlights being a Shag S, the Spotted Redshank, a Stock Dove (Triangle), 2 Song Thrush (Kew).

Another light covering of snow overnight and thick mist until midday hampering birding. Little of note with 300 Brent Geese, 2 Snipe and yesterdays Spotted Redshank being seen.

A very quiet day with a light dusting of snow overnight with 14 Lapwing (Triangle), a Spotted Redshank (Humber) and single Stonechat and Fieldfare being the best of it.

A bright start before clouding over with a few showers in the afternoon in a NW force 3, of note were a Wigeon (Canal Scrape), single Eider and Common Scoter S, 26 Red-throated Diver, 2 Little Grebe, 5 Cormorant S, a Shag S, 7 Snipe (Borrow Pit), a Barn Owl (Church Field), 2 Sky Lark, a Stonechat, 2 Fieldfare and a Redwing (Church Field).

A grey day but pleasant in a light north-westerly winds, however there were no birds of any note seen.

A day with snow and wintry showers until mid-afternoon still remaining cold in the fresh SE wind.

Very few birds seen today, 1 Red-throated Diver, 140 Brent Geese, 30 Herring Gull south and 1 Auk sp N.

A heavy frost overnight leaving a beautiful sunny day with a light but cold southerly wind.

There was no activity over the sea and no change in the local bird population, and the only noteworthy birds were 4 Stonechat and 1 Redwing.

Bright and sunny all day with an overnight frost, cold in a light southerly wind.

Birds of note today were 138 Brent Geese which included 2 Pale-bellied, 2 Wigeon, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Kittiwake, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Stonechat, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Snow Bunting and 12 Reed Bunting.

Snow showers all day sometimes heavy, although no snow settled, very cold in a strong ENE-NE wind.

Activity over the sea included 1 Eider, 4 Common Scoter, 1 Gannet, 2 Black-headed Gull, 25 Common Gull, 350 Herring Gull, 1 adult Glaucous Gull, 28 Great B.B.Gull, 12 Kittiwake, 2 Auk sp, 2 Guillemot and 1 Razorbill all south.

Other birds of note included; 27 Lapwing, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Fieldfare and 1 Song Thrush.

Another icy cold day, cloudy with occasional sunshine and regular winter showers throughout the day. Sea-watch 08.20 - 10.45, 15.00 – 16.00.

A cold weather movement of gulls was the main feature of the day which produced 1 Little Gull, 5 Black-headed Gull, 230 Common Gull, 1500+ Herring Gull, 210 Great B.B.Gull and 44 Kittiwake, while other birds moving over the sea included 1 Eider, 1 Goldeneye, 5 Red-throated Diver + 28 N, 7 Fulmar + 2 N, 22 Gannet, 1 Pomarine Skua, 82 auk sp, 3 Guillemot, and 2 Razorbill.

Other birds of note were 1 Merling, 1 Peregrine, 9 Lapwing, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing and a Snow Bunting at the Point.