January 2007

A mild but coolish day in a stiff blustery westerly wind with the highlights being 19 Red-throated Diver, a Shag S, 87 Pink-footed Geese S plus the bird in the Triangle, 9 Grey-lag Geese in then S, 488 Brent Geese plus 2 pale bellied birds, 6 Wigeon, 3 Teal, a Stock Dove 9Warren) and a Blackcap (Point).

Stronger winds today for a change, with just the odd interesting sighting including 220 Pink-footed Geese NW plus 1 in the Triangle, 6 pale-bellied Bret Geese (Tank Blocks) plus another 7 on Long Bank, a Peregrine (Humber), an adult Med Gull feeding on the mass of pipe fish around the Warren, 26 Wood Pigeon, 1 Stonechat, only 1 Fieldfare, 5 Song Thrush and 3 Redwing.

A few thrushes around but on the whole quiet but at least the wind has abated for the time being.

Birds of note were a Pink-footed Goose (Triangle), 333 Brent Geese including 3 pale-bellied raced birds, 3 Wigeon (Chalk Bank), a Merlin (Warren), 1 Stock Dove, 3 Skylark S, 1 Stonechat, 44 Blackbird, 16 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing and 2 Linnet (Wire Dump).

With a stiff W wind blowing all day making it feel rather chilly birds were at a premium with very little of note except for; 13 Red-throated Diver, a Shag S, 9 Wigeon (5 Canal, 4 came in), 5 Grey Partridge (Triangle), a Water Rail (Canal), a Woodcock (Point), 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Stock Dove drinking from Church Field pond, a Skylark (Clubley’s), a Stonechat (Chalk Bank) and only 1 Fieldfare.

A cold bright day with a light NW wind a few Fieldfare and gulls but little else.

Of note today were 9 Pink-footed Geese that u-turned back north, a Water Rail (Canal Scrape), 22 Lapwing (Walker Butts), 166 Black-headed Gull mostly heading S, 445 Common Gull, a Meadow Pipit (Triangle), 29 Fieldfare (20 Point), 11 Redwing and the Goldfinch at the Crown.

A much milder day with some sunshine and a light NW wind an interesting day with a few new seabirds around.

Highlights today were a Great Northern Diver N, 488 Brent Geese plus 2 pale-bellied birds, a Peregrine (Humber), a Woodcock came in, 2 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), a Lesser Black-backed Gull (Point), 1st year Iceland Gull (Point) & Glaucous Gull (Chalk Bank), a Skylark, 2 Stonechat and 6 Fieldfare (5 Point).

Bright and sunny in a light NE wind feeling rather pleasant, sadly no further sightings of yesterday’s interesting Redpoll, birds of note today were 175 Brent Geese plus 1 pale bellied race, 2 Teal (Canal), 5 Grey Partridge, 17 Lapwing (Walker Butts), 2 Snipe (Salt Marsh), 5 Woodcock from the Point – Church Field, 2 Stonechat, 52 Blackbird, 7 Fieldfare (5 Triangle), 3 Redwing, 6 Song Thrush and a Goldfinch (Crown).

A day of squally wintry showers and a cold NE wind the most interesting bird today was a Redpoll sp. a cracking looking male bird very white looking with a huge white wing bar, either a Common or Arctic, lets hope its still here tomorrow.

. Other birds of note were a Shag S, 42 Brent Geese, a Merlin (Warren), a Water Rail at the Narrows, 5 Ringed Plover the 1st of the year, 300 Golden Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 1 Stonechat, 50 Blackbird, 4 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing.

With it feeling much colder with even some wintry showers first thing and a cold NE wind blowing a few new arrivals appeared today which at least gives hope for the coming week.

. Quiet at sea today with only 1 Red-throated Diver and a few Kittiwakes and Auk’s albeit mostly distant.

On land the highlights were 5 Grey Partridge (Church Field), 38 Golden Plover, 13 Lapwing & 6 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 8000 Knot, a Waxwing at the Blue Bell at 16.10, 7 Fieldfare (Point), 2 Redwing & a Mistle Thrush (Point). Another Waxwing was reported from Skeffling.

Relentless winds up to force 6 most of the day making life difficult with very little change in what is around.

. Highlights today were 2 Red-throated Diver N, 1 Gannet N, a Water Rail in the ditch near Fourways, 111 Golden Plover, 15 Lapwing & 6 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 5 Kittiwake N, yesterdays Chiffchaff was now at Wire Dump & 50 Starling (Triangle).

With the wind back up to full strength again well only force 6+! Birding was very poor with only 1 Sparrowhawk, 10 Lapwing and 5 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 1 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Kew), a Chiffchaff (Chalk Bank) and 20 Starling being of note.

A better day weather wise with only a force 3 W wind with plenty of sunny spells very little new in with only 2 Red-throated Diver, 145 Brent Geese (Humber), 1 Sparrowhawk, an extra Coot with 5 birds now, 11 Lapwing (Walker Butts), 5 Redwing (Kilnsea Road), 2 Goldcrest (Point) and 40 Starling (Walker Butts).

With gale-storm force winds and driving rain birding was extremely difficult but amazingly a few birds were observed coming in of the sea including 1 Shelduck, 3 Lapwing, a Knot and a Jackdaw, elsewhere 2 Fulmar S, 12 Wigeon S and a Song Thrush (Point) were about the best of it.

An increase in Blackbirds today with 65, in a day of light rain with full cloud cover but little wind, a little colder than of late.

At sea 53 Red-throated Diver, 6 Teal N, 2 Wigeon S, 24 Common Scoter, 3 Eider S were about the best of it whilst on land birds of note were a Merlin (Warren), 5 Grey Partridge (Church Field), a Water Rail (Point), 600 Golden Plover (Humber), a Woodcock (Warren), 2 Stonechat (Chalk Bank) and a Goldcrest (Point).

A much better day weather wise although rather breezy plenty of sunshine and very mild a few birds around to see making it a rather pleasant day.

Highlights today were 52 Red-throated Diver, 6 Gannet, a Little Egret in the Triangle before heading NW, 67 Wigeon (49 S), 31 Common Scoter S, a Peregrine over the Humber, a Jack Snipe, 3 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 1 Meadow Pipit (Clubley’s), 1 Stonechat, 41 Blackbird and 4 Song Thrush, whilst along Easington Straight the Little Owl was on the hay bales.

A much improved day weather wise with plenty of sunshine, although it was still windy from the SW, a few new birds around with 45 Pink-footed Geese S, 6 Wigeon (Humber), 5 Grey Partridge (Church Field), 96 Lapwing (16 Walker Butts, 80 u-turned back N), 1 Snipe, a Stock Dove (Triangle), 11 Wood Pigeon, 36 Blackbird, 10 Redwing, a Goldcrest (Point) and 50 Starling (Walker Butts).

Still windy with a force 5 W all day with drizzle at first slowly petering out but remaining cloudy, little in the way of highlights with 5 Red-throated Diver, 47 Mallard (Humber), around 200 Herring Gull feeding on the tide line, 30 Blackbird, 5 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing (Kilnsea Road) and a Blackcap (Point). North of the area at Sammie’s a Kingfisher was in the dyke near the riding School.

With relentless winds touching gale force again very few birds of note with the exceptions being 8 Red-throated Diver, 37 Mallard, a Purple Sandpiper came in and landed near the Narrows, 226 Common Gull, a Lesser Black-backed Gull S, 2 Stock Dove (Church Field), 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Stonechat, 1 Redwing (Little Hedge) and a Goldcrest (Point).

With gale –storm force winds all day and torrential rain until mid-morning, not the ideal conditions for birding, a few interesting records at sea but little on land.

At sea 8 Red-throated Diver, an unusual large amount of Fulmars with 80 N and 3 S, a Gannet N, 4 Cormorant, 1 Common Scoter, 8 Kittiwake and a few Auks. Whilst elsewhere there were 60 Golden Plover, a Stock Dove and a Redwing (Point).

With the wind being relentless in its strength making birding just hard work very few birds of note were observed but at least there was some sunshine for a change!

Highlights today were 11 Red-throated Diver, 3 Common Scoter S, a Peregrine on the Humber, 5 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), 2 Stock Dove S, 30 Blackbird, 7 Redwing and a Blackcap at the Point.

A difficult day for birding with strong winds followed by heavy showers or longer periods of rain making life very unpleasant.

Of note today were a Water Rail (Canal), 1 Snipe, 7 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), a Stock Dove (Triangle), 1 Stonechat and 6 Redwing (Kilnsea Road).

A day that deteriorated with rain by midday and strong westerly winds making any serious birding impossible.

The only birds of note were 20 Red-throated Diver, a Pink-footed Goose went south, 38 Golden Plover (Humber), 5 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 2 Stonechat, 41 Blackbird and 7 Redwing along Kilnsea Road.

Very little again today in a day that started bright with sunny spells but becoming very windy with rain.

Highlights today were 110 Brent Geese, 3 Eider N, a Water Rail in the ditch at Fourways, a Little Owl in the box in Church Field, 2 Stonechat and 2 Redwing. Along Easington Straight the other Little Owl was on the hay bales.

Another mild day with light rain in the afternoon in a force 2-3 SSW wind of note today were a Peregrine hunting the Humber, a Jack Snipe and a Snipe (Salt Marsh), 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, a Blackcap (Point), a Goldcrest and a Goldfinch at the Warren.

A sunny day with lighter winds but still very mild but little in the way of bird life with 70 Brent Geese, 42 Sanderling, 6 Black-tailed Godwit (Walker Butts), 3 Stonechat, 36 Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, a Blackcap (Point) being the only birds of note.

The dull dreary weather continues with rain although the odd bright spell in the afternoon in a strong force 7+ wind making birding difficult with little of note recorded except 2 Red-throated Diver, 2 Grey Geese came in and were probable Bean Geese but poor views were had, 2 Wigeon, 23 Kittiwake N, a Stock Dove and 4 Redwing.

Rain at first petered out but full cloud cover remained with a strong W-SW wind, a few new birds were found but little at sea.

Birds of note were the Pink-footed Goose was on the Humber, 20 Brent Geese, 13 Wigeon (Humber), 4 Teal in, a Goosander went out, 4 Sparrowhawk, a Woodcock (Wire Dump), 9 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Stonechat, 46 Blackbird, a Fieldfare (Chalk Bank), 6 Redwing (Kilnsea Rd).

A cloudy day with little of note anywhere.

At sea 5 Red-throated Diver and a Razorbill whilst on land 2 Water Rail (Canal Scrape/Kilnsea Road ditch), 10 Black-tailed Godwit, a Stonechat (Old Scrape), 43 Blackbird, 1 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, a Goldfinch (Kew) and a Lesser Redpoll at Southfield Farm. Whilst along Easington Straight the Little Owl was on the hay bales.

A very sociable time meant some people missed the bright start to the day which clouded up by midday with a strong W wind, a few birds on the move at sea but hard to find any grounded birds.

. At sea 12 Red-throated Diver, 7 Gannet N, 3 Goosander came in, a Lapwing came in, a Little Gull N, 450 + Herring Gull S, 4 Guillemot and 8 Razorbill.

Whilst on land the only birds of note were the Pink-footed Goose (Walker Butts), 6 Wigeon (Humber) and 2 Twite S.