February 2010

The last day of the month with rain all day hampering all serious birding with 5 Common Scoter (4 S), the Goldeneye (Canal Scrape), 9 Red-throated Diver N, 2 Fulmar N, 4 Gannet N, a Merlin blogging, a Lapwing (Point), 3 Sky Lark (Triangle), the Black Redstart (Southfield Farm), 2 Redwing (Church Field) being the only noteworthy sightings.

The first spring like day for ages with some welcome sunshine and light winds some passage and some new arrivals.

On the move south were a Grey-lag Goose, 2 Teal, 2 Mallard, 1 Eider, 8 Common Scoter, 23 Sky Lark plus 11 N, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Chaffinch and a Greenfinch, whilst at sea 30 Red-throated Diver (25 N), a Great Northern Diver S, and a Gannet were notable and elsewhere the Brent Goose flock reached 500 with 52 pale-bellied birds and the Black Brant on the Humber, 91 Mallard (Triangle), 1 Eider and 50 Common Scoter (Humber), 2 Lapwing (Point), a Barn Owl and a Long-eared Owl (Triangle), 5 Sky Lark, a Black Redstart (Southfield Farm), 7 Stonechat (3 Triangle), 6 Fieldfare (Point), 30 Redwing (Church Field), 5 Chaffinch, 42 Snow Bunting (New Road area), 3 Yellowhammer (Church Field) made up the main observations

north of the area 4 Red-legged Partridge, a Short-eared Owl and a Kingfisher were noted.

More fog to start with finally clearing around midday then rain turning to snow in a stiffening NNE-W wind touching gale force by the evening.

A few more sightings today with 12 Red-throated Diver N, a Water Rail (Kew), 2 Lapwing (Point), 3 LBB Gull S, a Sky Lark (Point), 6 Fieldfare (Point), 7 Song Thrush, a Mistle Thrush blogging, 3 Redwing, 9 Goldfinch (Crown), a Linnet (Church Field), 1st returning bird, a Yellowhammer blogging, 6 Snow Bunting (New Road).

Thick fog all day disrupting any serious birding with 2 Stonechat, 3 Redwing (2 Kew) and 3 Snow Bunting (New Road) being the only noteworthy sightings.

Amazingly even duller today with thick fog slowly clearing leaving low cloud in a force 1-2 SSE wind of note were 6 Teal (Walker Butts), the Goldeneye, a Snipe (Church Field), a Woodcock (Kew), 27 Black-tailed Godwit (New Road), 2 Sky Lark, 7 Redwing 9Church Field), 22 Snow Bunting (New Road).

Another dull cloudy day in a force 3 E with the highlights being 11 Mute Swan all over the place which is bound to cause problems, 36 Wigeon and 5 Gadwall on the Humber, 98 Red-throated Diver (96 N), a Black-throated Diver on the sea, a Peregrine hunting the Humber, a Rock Pipit (New Road), a Fieldfare (Church Field), 6 Redwing, 16 Snow Bunting (New Road).

Lovely conditions for the wader count with thick heavy snow petering out by early afternoon leaving some sunny spells in cold force 3-4 SE wind of note were 5 Teal (Walker Butts), a Snipe (Church Field), a Woodcock (Point), 2 Med Gull a 2nd winter and an adult of the Point, a Barn Owl (Triangle), 2 Sky Lark (Point), 2 Redwing (Church Field), 26 Snow Bunting (2 Point, 24 New Road). Also of note was the sighting of a Water Vole.

Little change bird wise but a lovely spring like day after a heavy overnight frost, with the highlights being 3 pale-bellied Brent Geese and the Black Brant on the Humber in the goose flock, 300 Shelduck (Humber), 28 Wigeon (18 S, 10 Humber), 2 Goldeneye (1 S, 1 Canal), 2 Grey Partridge (Church Field), 184 Red-throated Diver (179 N), a Great Crested Grebe N, a Gannet N, an adult Glaucous Gull N, a Barn Owl over the Borrow Pit, 12 Sky Lark (3 S, 7 Clubley’s, 2 Point), 3 Stonechat, 3 Redwing, 7 Jackdaw u-turned back N, 66 Snow Bunting (New Road).

Another cloudy day with just the odd glimpse of the sun in a cold NW wind of note were 8 Wigeon (Humber), 6 Eider and 6 Common Scoter S, a Goldeneye S, 49 Red-throated Diver, 20 Turnstone (New Road), a LBB Gull S, 800 Herring Gull S, a Barn Owl around the Borrow Pit, 3 Sky Lark (Point), a Redwing (Kew) and 48 Snow Bunting (1 S, 47 New Road).

A dull cloudy day with little wind producing the odd new arrival with the highlight being a Slavonian Grebe on the Humber, other notable sightings were 100 Wigeon on the Humber, 30 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe N, 130 Lapwing (Humber), a Woodcock (Canal), 3 LBB Gull came in, 8 Sky Lark (5 N, 1 New Road, 2 Triangle), 2 Rock Pipit S, 6 Fieldfare (5 Walker Butts), 8 Redwing (Church Field), 75 Starling (40 S), 60 Snow Bunting (New Road), 23 Reed Bunting.

Fog slowly clearing with light rain by mid-afternoon with very little wind around of note were 300 Brent Geese plus 3 pale-bellied birds, 156 Wigeon (154 Humber, 2 S), 9 Teal, 30 Red-throated Diver blogging, 9 Cormorant (1 S, 8 out), 2 Snipe (Clubley’s), a 1st winter Med Gull of the Point, 4 Stock Dove S, 10 Sky Lark (7 S, 1 in and 2 Church Field), a Rock Pipit (Narrows), 3 Stonechat, 23 Fieldfare (20 Church Field), 70 Snow Bunting at New Road.

A cloudy day to start with and then snow by midday until dark with a force 3-5 S-SE wind highlights today were 2 Wigeon S, 2 Teal (Canal Scrape), 12 Eider N, 60 Common Scoter (53 N), 184 Red-throated Diver (179 N), a Purple Sandpiper S, 2 Stonechat, 9 Fieldfare and 3 Redwing at rose Cottage, 68 Snow Bunting (New Road).

Light showers in a mainly bright and sunny day in a light N wind, some increases in numbers today with the Brent Goose flock in Easington/Long Bank reaching around 600 birds with the Black Brant and 30 pale-bellied birds also present, also along New Road the Snow Bunting flock reached 80 birds. Other highlights today were 5 Teal (Triangle), 3 Eider S, 8 Goosander out, 2 Grey Partridge (Triangle), 183 Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Northern Diver blogging, a Peregrine, a Glaucous Gull over the Humber, a Meadow Pipit (Triangle), 20 Fieldfare (18 Triangle), 4 Redwing.

A bright mainly sunny day with just the odd shower thrown in a cool NE wind of note were 2 Eider, 41 Common Scoter (39 N), a Grey Partridge (Well Field), 32 Red-throated Diver (29 N), a Great Northern Diver N, a Peregrine hunting the area, a Snipe, 4 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush and a Redwing (Church Field).

A day of changes with some lengthy sunny spells and some showers occasionally wintry and a cold force 3 NE wind, the Black Brant remains in the Brent flock with other highlights being 13 Wigeon S, 59 Common Scoter, 45 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe S, a Fieldfare, 2 Redwing and a Snow Bunting (Point). At the top end of Beacon Lane on the beach was the 1st winter Glaucous Gull whilst 3 Goldeneye were at Beacon Lagoons.

Another bright and sunny day with a cold light NEW wind, the main talking point today was the probability of a White-billed Diver S although not all the identification features were seen well enough for a positive id. Other notable sightings were a Pink-footed and 4 Grey-lag Geese N over the Triangle, 2 Wigeon and 2 Pintail S, a Great Northern Diver S, a Common Buzzard S, 2 Peregrine displaying over North Field, a Short-eared Owl S over the Salt Marsh, 2 Stonechat, 18 Fieldfare (14 Well Field), 12 Redwing (Well Field), 61 Starling and 8 Goldfinch (Crown). In Long Bank the Black Brant was still in the c400 dark-bellied Brent Goose flock along with at least 4 pale-bellied birds.

A cool day with a strong NE wind and occasional wintry showers with the main event today was the finding of a Black Brant in the 400+ Brent Goose flock along with 6 pale-bellied birds all on Long Bank. Elsewhere of note were 7 Pink-footed Geese, 4 Wigeon, 3 Eider all N, 2 Goldeneye (1 S, 1 Canal), 43 Red-throated Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver N, 2 Great Northern Diver S, a Merlin blogging and a Meadow Pipit (Sheep Field).

A changeable day with some sunny spells and some wintry showers in a cold gusty NNE wind of note were the Tufted Duck and Goldeneye, a Peregrine over the Humber, a Water Rail (Churchyard), a Jack Snipe (Salt Marsh), 186 Black-tailed Godwit, a Sky Lark (Salt Marsh), 36 Blackbird, 11 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing and a Mistle Thrush (Triangle).

A cloudy day with some wintry showers and a cold force 3-5 E wind, little of change with 29 Wigeon (Canal Scrape), the resident Tufted Duck and Goldeneye, a Sky Lark (Point), the Waxwing at Kew, 32 Blackbird, a Fieldfare and 4 Redwing (Church Field).

Yet another dull cloudy day with drizzle and an increasing E wind, a few more birds around both at sea and on land. The highlights being 2 Pink-footed and 2 Grey-lag Geese (Triangle), 350 Brent Geese, 15 Wigeon (5 S, 10 Humber), the Tufted Duck and Goldeneye (Canal), 39 Common Scoter (36 S), 2 Velvet Scoter S, 129 Red-throated Diver (121 N), 2 Fulmar N, 2 Snipe, a Stock Dove (Point), a Sky Lark N, a Waxwing around the Church but really flighty, 24 Blackbird, 29 Fieldfare (14 Triangle), 2 singing Song Thrush heralding the coming spring maybe? 14 Redwing, 2 Chaffinch, 12 Goldfinch (Warren).

Another dull day with rain until mid-afternoon and slow clearing fog, sightings were the same as yesterday except the Pink-footed Goose flock in the Fields reached 450.

Fog most of the day hampered observations but little of change was noted with 2 Pink-footed Geese (Walker Butts), 10 Wigeon (Humber), the Tufted Duck and Goldeneye (Canal), a Water Rail (Kew), 2 Snipe and 2 Woodcock (Church Field), a Stonechat, 4 Redwing and 4 Chaffinch (Church Field). North of the area in the Easington Fields there were 2 pale-bellied Brent Geese in the flock and 268 Pink-footed Geese.

Bright and sunny with little wind most of the day but by the evening the wind had picked up from the SE and heavy snowfall occurred. Of note today were 2 Pink-footed Geese (Walker Butts), the Tufted Duck and Goldeneye (Canal Zone), 52 Red-throated Diver N, 2 Sparrowhawk and a Peregrine, Coot moved up to 5, 18 Lapwing, 2 Woodcock, a 2nd winter Med Gull (New Road), 2 Stock Dove (Church Field), single Stonechat and Fieldfare, 25 Redwing (Church Field).

Dull with constant drizzle all day little change on the bird front with the Tufted Duck and Goldeneye present along the Canal, 28 Red-throated Diver N, a Water Rail along the Canal, an increase in Coot with 4, 34 Guillemot (26 S), 8 Razorbill (7 S), 2 Fieldfare and 4 Song Thrush.

Another bright sunny day in a cold force 3 NW wind of note were a Tufted Duck and a Goldeneye (Canal Zone), a Great Northern Diver N, a Kittiwake S, 7 Guillemot, 3 Stonechat (2 New Road), 3 Redwing. Whilst north of the area there were 260 Pink-footed Geese in Easington fields.