January 2009

Another very cold day with a strengthening easterly wind from 4-6-7 in a generally sunny day with some cloud cover.

The month finished well with a species we didn’t record last year, when a Bean Goose first seen over Easington landed in Walker Butts before continuing south.

Another first of the year was a Little Gull which flew south, other birds moving south were 5 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 18 Red-throated Diver, 12 Fulmar + 1 N, 11 Gannet, 5 Black-headed Gull, 31 Herring Gull, 12 Kittiwake + 2 N, 3 Auk sp and 6 Guillemot. A Stonechat and Fieldfare were the only passerines reported.

Bitterly cold in a fresh SSE wind, cloudy with some sunny spells.

Over the sea were 4 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Teal, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Diver and 9 Herring Gull while there were 2 Fieldfare at the Point.

A cold fresh SE force 4 wind, on a day with hazy blue skies.

A variety of ducks were on the move south over the sea; 44 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 19 Teal, 1 Eider + 4 N, 7 Common Scoter + 65 N, 2 Goldeneye and 3 Goosander N.

Other birds moving south over the sea were 16 Red-throated Diver + 12 N, 1 Gannet, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Lesser B.B.Gull, 22 Herring Gull, 11 Great B.B.Gull, 2 Auk sp, 9 Guillemot and 6 Razorbill. The only passerines of interest were 3 Stonechat along the peninsula.

Rain petering out early morning, remaining cloudy with a sea fret moving in and very light winds.

Over the sea were 33 Wigeon and 1 Goosander, while elsewhere there were 2000 Golden Plover and 22 Lapwing on the Humber, 2 Rock Pipit in the saltmarsh, and a Stonechat. At Beacon Ponds a Little Egret was seen.

A bright sunny start clouding over later in the afternoon in an increasing 3-4 W wind.

A skein of Pink-footed Geese were heard over the Humber but not seen, 1 Eider, 2 Red-throated Diver and 19 Black-headed Gulls were seen over the sea.

The only other sightings were 10 Stock Dove, 5 Chaffinch and a Yellowhammer all in Church Field, while a Spotted Redshank was seen at Beacon Ponds.

Rain at first petering out by mid-morning, and remaining dull and cloudy in a cold wind.

The only birds of note were seen over the sea – 1 Wigeon, 8 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Diver and 5 Gannet.

Bright and sunny in a cold SW force 3 wind also a frosty start.

Over the sea were 2 Eider, 12 Common Scoter, 7 Red-throated Diver, and 75 Herring Gull S. Other birds seen included 5 Lapwing 1 Woodcock, 1 Skylark south, 2 Stonechat, 1 Fieldfare, 5 Goldfinch and a Snow Bunting at the Point.

A poor start with full cloud cover and rain, clearing later in a force 4-3 W-NW wind.

A very quiet day and the only notable birds were 1 Water Rail, 11 Lapwing and 2 Goldfinch.

Heavy rain clearing by midday in a strong westerly wind.

Again most activity was over the sea, 9 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 4 Eider, 71 Common Scoter, 16 Red-throated Diver, 4 Gannet, 1 Cormorant, 1 Lapwing in off, 9 Kittiwake and 19 Auk sp. A Fieldfare was in North Field but very few other passerines seen.

A bright and sunny day albeit with a cold SW wind force 1-2.

Over the sea were 5 Eider, 49 Common Scoter, 50 Red-throated Diver, 9 Black-headed Gull and 1 Guillemot. The only other birds of note were 86 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Rock Pipit and 2 Stonechat.

Bright and sunny in a stiff SW wind birds of note today were 3 Wigeon and 5 pintail S, 44 Red-throated Diver, a Little Egret blogging the 1st of the year, a Water Rail (Fourways), 8 Snipe, 3 Kittiwake S, 4 Sky Lark (Clubley’s), 3 Stonechat, a Redwing (Triangle) and a Goldfinch (Warren).

A very dull day all round with rain most of the morning and strong winds of note were 80 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), 53 Ringed Plover (Middle Camp), 50 Sanderling, 6 Wood Pigeon (Church Field) and a Stonechat (Warren).

At least it was bright and sunny in a cold force 3 SW wind with the highlights today being 25 Red-throated Diver, a Merlin blogging, 53 Ringed Plover (Middle Camp), 32 Lapwing S, 50 Sanderling, 100 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Stonechat, 4 Fieldfare, 3 Song Thrush, and a Goldfinch (Warren).

A cold dull windy day a few birds at sea but little else with 6 Wigeon S, a Pintail in, 2 Eider and 10 Common Scoter S, 30 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe S, 3 Fulmar S, 117 lapwing S.

Elsewhere of note were a Water Rail (Canal), 3 Snipe, a Woodcock (Clubley’s), a Meadow Pipit, 4 Rock Pipit, 3 Stonechat and 2 Fieldfare.

Another cold dull day with just some light interest at sea with 20 Common Scoter S, a Goldeneye S, 24 Red-throated Diver, a Black-throated Diver close in on the sea, a Gannet S, 35 Guillemot (32 S), a Razorbill S, whilst on land the only birds of note were 2 Fieldfare, a Redwing and 2 Snow Bunting (Point).

North of the area a Hen Harrier was quartering Long Bank.

A misty day with full cloud cover and a moderate S wind a few birds at sea with 2 Wigeon, a Teal, a Scaup, 2 Eider all S, 56 Common Scoter, 2 Gannet N, 49 Auk sp. S, 72 Guillemot (71 S).

Elsewhere a Merlin (Narrows), a Snipe, 3 Wood Pigeon and 3 Meadow Pipit (Wire Dump), 14 Fieldfare was notable.

An excellent day at sea with a winter record Fulmar count with some of the birds being of the “blue” form.

. A rather cold day with some snow showers in a cold force 3 E wind. Of note were 2 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall (Canal), 17 Red-throated Diver (10 N), 322 Fulmar (278 N, 44 S) of which at least 19 were “blue”, a Snipe, 2 Woodcock (Lighthouse/Canal Scrape), a Bonxie N, 7 Kittiwake, 5 Guillemot and a Razorbill, 3 Stonechat, a Fieldfare (Point) being the best of the rest.

A cold raw day with a heavy overnight frost and a high temperature -1 and a force 3 NW all day.

Highlights of the day were 2 Wigeon and 2 Teal (Canal Scrape), 4 Lapwing (Triangle), a Jack Snipe (Salt Marsh), 3 Woodcock, a Spotted Redshank (Humber), 2 Guillemot S, 4 Stock Dove (Church Field), 6 Sky Lark (Clubley’s), 8 Stonechat, a Goldcrest (Point) and 2 Snow Bunting (Borrow Pit).

A very mild and still day with no wind, cloudy with the occasional sunny spell.

At sea 1 Shelduck,10 Common Scoter, 7 Black-headed Gull, 51 Herring Gull, 16 Great B.B.Gull and 9 Guillemot all flew south, while 204 Red-throated Diver flew north.

Other birds seen included a dead Water Rail at Wire Dump, 1 Merlin, 4 Woodcock at the Point, 1 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing.

Overcast all day with a fresh SW wind and showers on and off all day being more persistent in the afternoon.

The only birds of note today were 5 Teal S, 3 Shoveler on Canal Scrape, 2 Eider N, 1 Common Scoter S, 12 Red-throated Diver, 38 Herring Gull S, 27 Great B.B.Gull S and 1 Guillemot on the sea.

A cloudy day with a light shower around mid-day in a breezy SW 4-5 wind.

Most activity was over the sea including a very unseasonal (for Spurn, our birds are all mid-summer)adult Yellow-legged Gull S, also 3 Pink-footed Geese, 6 Scaup all S, 52 Red-throated Diver, 1 Lesser B.B.Gull N, 156 Herring Gull (111 N, 45 S), 70 Great B.B.Gull S, 1 Guillemot N, 1 Razorbill S.

Other birds seen included 6 Lapwing, 6 Common Snipe, 6 Woodcock, 245 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Stonechat, 1 Fieldfare and 1 Linnet.

Some sun to start but then clouding over and a heavy frost all day with the temperature not getting above -1.5.

1 Pink-footed Goose came in, 1 Wigeon S, 1 Gadwall on Canal Scrape, 2 Eider N, 16 Red-throated Diver, 3 Lesser B.B.Gull (2 S, 1 N), 99 Herring Gull S, 28 Great B.B.Gull S, 1 Guillemot S, 2 Stonechat, 1 Fieldfare and 1 Redwing.

A cold, dull drizzly day with a light W wind.

The few birds worthy of mention were 2 Teal and a Pochard on the Borrow Pit, 1 Water Rail, 8 Woodcock, 3 Rock Pipit, 3 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing.

Cloudy but clearing in the afternoon in a light NW wind.

Very few birds of interest, just 1 Water Rail, 3 Woodcock, 1 Rock Pipit, 8 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing.

A cloudy day in a light NW wind.

34 Red-throated Diver and 31 Herring Gull S were the only birds seen over the sea and the only other birds of note were 7 Common Snipe, 4 Woodcock, 1 Skylark, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing.

Another bright and sunny day, although very cold and frosty in a light W-WNW wind.

A little more activity than the last few days particularly over the sea, 2 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall on Canal Scrape, 4 Teal, 2 Pintail, 6 Eider, 11 Common Scoter all moving at sea, 208 Red-throated Diver mostly north, 2 Fulmar N, 1 Shag S.

Grounded birds included 3 Water Rail, 1 Jack Snipe, 10 Common Snipe, 6 Woodcock, 4 Meadow Pipit, 1 Rock Pipit, and 2 Fieldfare.

An excellent day at sea with a winter record Fulmar count with some of the birds being of the “blue” form. A rather cold day with some snow showers in a cold force 3 E wind.

Of note were 2 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall (Canal), 17 Red-throated Diver (10 N), 322 Fulmar (278 N, 44 S) of which at least 19 were “blue”, a Snipe, 2 Woodcock (Lighthouse/Canal Scrape), a Bonxie N, 7 Kittiwake, 5 Guillemot and a Razorbill, 3 Stonechat, a Fieldfare (Point) being the best of the rest.

A cold raw day with a heavy overnight frost and a high temperature -1 and a force 3 NW all day.

Highlights of the day were 2 Wigeon and 2 Teal (Canal Scrape), 4 Lapwing (Triangle), a Jack Snipe (Salt Marsh), 3 Woodcock, a Spotted Redshank (Humber), 2 Guillemot S, 4 Stock Dove (Church Field), 6 Sky Lark (Clubley’s), 8 Stonechat, a Goldcrest (Point) and 2 Snow Bunting (Borrow Pit).

A calm cloudy day with some birds again at sea with a Pochard N, 3 Eider S, 34 Common Scoter, 2 Goldeneye S, 5 Goosander N, 37 Red-throated Diver N, a Fulmar S a Gannet S plus a few Auks.

Elsewhere single Sparrowhawk and Merlin were seen, a Water Rail (Canal Scrape), 15 Ringed Plover (Narrows), 15 Snipe (Triangle), 3 Woodcock, 4 Meadow Pipit (Sheep Field), 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Fieldfare (3 Sheep Field), 2 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, a Linnet (Point) were of note, whilst on the Easington Straight a Little Owl was seen.

Plenty of birds at sea although most were distant, in a cloudy day with some light showers and a strong NE wind.

At sea 20 Wigeon S, 5 Eider S, 44 Common Scoter, 3 Velvet Scoter S, 3 Goldeneye N, a Red-breasted Merganser N, 113 Red-throated Diver (63 N, 49 S), 12 Fulmar (10 N, 2 S), a Sooty Shearwater N, 136 Kittiwake (123 N, 13 S), 748 Auk sp. (745 N), 81 Guillemot (7 N, 74 S), 5 Razorbill (2 N, 3 S).

). Elsewhere of note was a Wigeon and a Water Rail (Canal), single Snipe and Woodcock, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat, single Fieldfare, Song Thrush and Redwing (Point), and 2 Snow Bunting (Blue Bell beach).

The start of a new year with plenty of sore heads so observations were on the slow side with 2 Whooper Swan on the Humber, a Wigeon and Teal blogging, 6 Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe S, a Jack Snipe (Salt Marsh), 6 Sky Lark, a Rock Pipit (Tank Blocks), 3 Stonechat 19 Fieldfare (11 came in, 4 Point/Triangle), 11 Redwing (6 Triangle) whilst at Beacon Lagoons 30 Snow Bunting were notable.