June 2009

The month ended miserably with thick fog giving poor visibility most of the time. Highlights on the 28th were 2 Hobby (1 S, 1 Triangle), single Green, Wood and Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Gull (Humber), 98 Swift S, 2 Crossbill (1 South Field Farm, 1 S), with another 21 in and over Easington and a female at Kilnsea.

Whilst the 29th saw a Gadwall (Canal Scrape), the Hobby (Triangle-S), 7 Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Yellow-legged Gull (Humber), 138 Swift and 25 Sand Martin S and 2 Yellow Wagtail (Clubley’s). The last day of the month heralded 2 Tufted Duck S, 500 Swift S, a new juvenile Stonechat, 2 Wheatear (Middle Camp) and a Spotted Flycatcher (Rose Cottage).

On the insect front 2 Small Skipper were the 1st of the year on the 28th along with a good count of 71 Painted Lady, migrant moths trapped on the 29th were 37 Diamond-back Moth, 15 Silver Y and a European Corn-borer and on the 30th a Hummingbird Hawkmoth was at the Point.

A misty start became much foggier as the day wore on and some light drizzle in the evening, a light E wind for most of the day.

A good days birding considering the time of year. An Icterine Warbler was found in a mist-net at Kew late afternoon and is the latest ever spring record. A fine male Crossbill around the Blue Bell mid-afternoon I hopefully the start of a summer invasion. A Wood Sandpiper on Canal Scrape in the afternoon was the pick of the waders which also included 5 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and 2 Whimbrel.

Other birds of note seen included 47 Common Scoter, 1 Eider, 1 Fulmar, 12 Gannet, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 16 Little Gull, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Cuckoo, 12 Swift south, 1 Siskin.

North of the area there were 7 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egret and 2100 at Beacon Ponds while 46 Little Gulls flew out east from there.

The Orache Moth was caught again overnight as well as 70 Diamond-back moths.

A typically quiet late June week, with a few waders moving south offshore and numbers starting to build on the Humber, Swift passage was very light with unfavourable conditions, the best count being 480 on 22nd. Gull numbers also built up on the Humber, with 2 Little Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 200 Lesser B.B.Gull, and 2 Yellow-legged Gull. A juvenile Wheatear was seen on 24th and 25th and a couple of Grasshopper Warblers were singing again. A Hobby flew south on 24th, a Green Sandpiper was seen on two days in the week and a Little Stint was at Beacon Ponds on 26th.

The highlight of the week went to a moth – Orache Moth, which was trapped on 26th and again on 27th, it is the first for Yorkshire and only about the 20th for Britain.

Highlights from this week were mainly Swift passage although a few new arrivals appeared so all in all a typical mid-June week.

Two Hobby were blogging on Monday along with 87 Swift S, whilst on Tuesday 9 Mute Swan (Humber), 120 Common Scoter went N, 9 Lapwing (S), 3 Curlew came in, a Greenshank (Clubley’s), 2 Little Gull (S), an adult Yellow-legged Gull (Humber), 3 Cuckoo, 108 Swift (S) along with 6 Sand Martin and a Siskin.

Wednesday 17th the best day for passage of the week with a blustery SW wind and occasional showers heading south were (unless stated) 11 Grey Lag Geese, 3 Wigeon plus 2 u-turned, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Hobby, 5 Lapwing, 8 Dunlin came in, 4 Curlew plus 1 in, 2 Redshank plus 3 in, 23 Sandwich Tern, 17 Razorbill, 5200 Swift, 3 Sand Martin, 6 Swallow and 29 House Martin. Elsewhere of note 3 Yellow-legged Gull were on the Humber and 4 Little Egret were at Beacon Lagoons.

Thursday was a much windier day from a more western direction therefore less passage with 2 Shoveler, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Grey Plover, 13 Lapwing plus 16 in, 5 Curlew plus 4 in, 33 Wood Pigeon 1200 Swift, 17 Swallow, 26 House Martin and 70 Starling all south. The brief highlight was a red singing Common Rosefinch at the Warren for a short while before it flew of N calling, also of note today were 3 Fulmar S, 6 Manx Shearwater N, a Whimbrel, 3 Yellow-legged Gull (2 S, 1 Humber) and 20 Razorbill (12 N).

A blustery day for Friday with some heavy showers with the best of the sightings being a Canada Goose S, 2 Little Egret and 5 Grey Heron (Humber), 10 Lapwing S, 103 Bar-tailed Godwit, an Arctic Skua out, 454 Swift 9 Sand Martin and 12 House Martin S, a Spotted Flycatcher (Point), with the bird of the day being a male Honey Buzzard S at 11.30.

Little of note for Saturday with 7 Grey Heron, 2 Cuckoo, 550 Swift S being about the best.

Brief highlights from this week included

Tues 9th - Male Red-backed Shrike canal area in the eve, garden warb, reed warb and chiff chaff at warren, hobby and cuckoo sth at warren, 2 little egret on humber n 3 heron in triangle.

Wed 10th- Ortolan (prob male) warren before flew off nth, Male Red backed Shrike still showing well canal scrape area all day, 2 spot fly (rose cottage, sammys), yellow wag triangle, green sand canal scrape, siskin warren and point, 3 chiffs (warren, pt, beacon lane), 4 manx sth, waders on humb 2 grey plover, 9 curlew, 6 dunlin, 200 barwit, 1 whimbrel

A bright warm sunny day at least with little of note except 2 Grey Heron, a Common Buzzard u-turning back N high, a Hobby blogging, 2 Lapwing, 80 Bar-tailed Godwit and 6 Whimbrel (Humber), 4 Chiffchaff and 2 Jackdaw went S.

A dull day all round with it being mainly cloudy with some heavy showers late on in a cool force 5 NNE wind of note were 27 Fulmar, 47 Gannet (42 N), a Grey Heron (Borrow Pit), a Marsh Harrier S, a Cuckoo (Triangle), a Tree Pipit (Wire Dump), a Blackcap (Kew), a Willow Warbler (Warren) and a Siskin at the Warren and then S.

Sea-watches 07.30 – 10.30, 14.00 – 15.55. A cool cloudy day with some sunshine, dominated by a fresh E-NE wind.

A Marsh/Icterine Warbler gave one snatch of song early morning at the Warren but wasn't seen or heard again and the only other migrants were a Swift north and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Over the sea were 4 Sooty Shearwater N (the earliest ever record), 1 Barnacle Goose S, 6 Teal S, 2 Common Scoter S, 1 Red-throated Diver N, 30 Fulmar N + 47 S, 6 Manx Shearwater N, 322 Gannet N, 35 Lesser B.B.Gull S, 1 Kittiwake S, 3 Commic Tern N, 155 auk sp S, 4 Guillemot S, 42 Razorbill S.

A few more waders were on the Humber, 11 Grey Plover, 30 Dunlin, 185 Knot, 9 Sanderling, 192 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Whimbrel and 7 Turnstone.

Sea-watches 07.05 – 09.15, 17.15 – 18.45. Broken cloud and sunny spells, a still start with a fresh SE-E wind picking up in the afternoon.

Only slightly better than yesterday and lets hope that these easterlies and forecasted rain can bring down a few birds this weekend. Over the sea were 1 Red-throated Diver N, 36 Fulmar N, 7 Manx Shearwater N, 365 Gannet N, 32 Sandwich Tern N, 1 Common Tern S, 43 auk sp N, 1 Puffin N.

The only other birds of note seen were 1 Grey Heron, 4 Whimbrel, 32 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, 1 Barn Owl, 12 Swift S, 1 Siskin at Point.

Sea-watch 07.30 – 09.30. Cloudy with some sun early morning, a force 2 NW wind.

A pitiful days birding, the only birds noted were 19 Fulmar N, 103 Gannet N + 48 S, 3 Grey Heron S, 8 Kittiwake N, 16 Auk sp N, 5 Razorbill N, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Siskin S.

Sea-watches 07.10 – 09.30, 15.10 – 15.30. A cloudy day with some long sunny intervals, a freshening northerly wind.

A Marsh Warbler was found singing at the Point north of the VTS tower, but the only other migrants seen were 2 Cuckoo, 35 Swift S, 2 Chiffchaff and a Siskin.

Over the sea were 8 Eider S, 1 Common Scoter N, 4 Red-throated Diver, 36 Fulmar, 10 Manx Shearwater N, 84 Gannet N + 30 S, 2 Kittiwake N, 17 Auk sp N + 30 S, 9 Guillemot N, 4 Razorbill N.

The only other birds of note seen were 54 Brent Geese + 1 pale-bellied and 5 Whimbrel on the Humber.

Migration/sea-watches 05.00 – 06.00, 07.00 – 09.15. Another warm and sunny day until late afternoon when it started to cloud over but still leaving sunny spells, a light NNE wind.

The few birds on the move (south unless stated) were 5 Canada Geese, 15 Brent Geese out, 50 Common Scoter, 6 Fulmar, 7 Gannet, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Whimbrel out, 70 Swift, 1 Sand Martin and a Siskin.

Other birds of note seen during the day were 4 Little Egret, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher. At Beacon Ponds there was a Hobby, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Little Gull and 1 Arctic Tern. The only migrant moths caught were 4 Silver Y's.

No migration watches. Hot and sunny all day with a light NNE wind.

Very few birds about even the Humber is void of waders again. The few birds seen included 52 Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver N, 3 Fulmar, 1 Manx Shearwater N, 1 ring-tail Hen Harrier S, 1 Grey Plover on the Humber, 1 Whimbrel out, 4 Lapwing S, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Kingfisher on Canal Scrape, single Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher.