June 2010

Migration watch 05.40 – 11.00. Warm and sunny with some cloudy periods and fog rolling in during the evening, light variable winds with an onshore breeze in the afternoon.

Only 41 Swift moved south today and the only other birds of note were 4 Red-throated Diver S, 2 Little Egret, 1 Hobby S, 1 Little Ringed Plover S, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Puffin, 1 Cuckoo, a Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff.

Migration watch 05.30 – 15.00. Cloudy with some long sunny spells, and a few showers in the morning.

Another good day for Swift passage with 5000 moving south along with 21 Sand Martin, 12 Swallow and 20 House Martin. The only other birds of note were 2 Gadwall, 96 Gannet, 2 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Snipe, 5 Whimbrel and a Turtle Dove.

Migration watch 06.10 – 18.00. Another warm and sunny day with clouds building in the evening, a light force 2 W-SSE wind.

A Marsh Tit was seen at post 48 during the morning, otherwise the main feature of the day was Swift passage when 3768 flew south by early afternoon then stopped, other birds on the move were 3 Gadwall in, 8 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew + 2 in, 1 Redshank, 2 Stock Dove, 8 Sand Martin, 15 House Martin, 1 Grey Wagtail. Other birds of note included 3 Little Egret, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Blackcap and a Chiffchaff.

The first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year was seen.

Another lovely warm summer’s day with a force 2 SSE wind inducing some Swift passage with the highest count of the year so far a few other birds were noted so all in all note a bad day. Migration watch was 0430-1500

Best sightings were 3 Canada Geese on the Humber, 3 Teal S, 1 Tufted Duck S, 250 Common Scoter, 8 Red-breasted Merganser S, 4 Grey Heron (1 S), 6 Oystercatcher S, 120 Knot, 120 Dunlin, 54 Curlew (12 S, 3 in), 1 Greenshank and 1 Green Sandpiper (Humber), 2 Med Gull, 3 Little Gull (Humber), the Glaucous Gull blogging, single Common and Roseate Tern at Chalk Bank, 3000 Swift S, 6 Sand Martin S, 3 Yellow Wagtail S, 3 Mistle Thrush, 1 Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Blackcap.

A nice bright sunny day with a force 1-3 E-SE wind, sea watching lasted from 0500-1600 and all areas were well checked.

Highlights today were a Tufted Duck S, 128 Common Scoter, 2 Manx Shearwater S, a Little Egret and 4 Grey Heron on the Humber, 41 Golden Plover, 7 Knot S, 250 Dunlin, 3 Whimbrel, 54 Curlew (3 S), a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank, 16 Redshank (3 S), 12 Turnstone, 2 Med Gull, 2 Little Gull, the Glaucous Gull blogging, 24 Common Tern, 300 Swift S, 4 Yellow Wagtail (3 S), a Stonechat, 4 Mistle Thrush, 3 Blackcap and a Chiffchaff.

With the wind swinging back to the northern sector a quiet day was had with a sea watch from 0620-0730 and all areas checked.

Of note were 2 Eider on the sea, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron S, 3 Oystercatcher S, 25 Golden Plover, 38 Sanderling, 36 Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and 15 Redshank on the Humber, a 1st summer Med Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the gull flock, a Cuckoo (Point), 38 Swift blogging, the juvenile Stonechat (Canal Scrape), a Grasshopper Warbler singing near the Lighthouse, 2 Blackcap, and a Spotted Flycatcher at Middle Hedge.

Similar to yesterday with some passage some new birds and plenty of warm sunshine, migration watches started at 0640 until 1500.

Highlights today were 3 Little Egret, a Greenshank and a Yellow-legged Gull (Humber), 50 Sandwich Tern, a Cuckoo (Triangle), the Barn Owl (Clubley’s), 1600 Swift S, 45 Sand Martin S, a Black Redstart and a Reed Warbler at the Warren, 2 Blackcap and the bird of the day was a Spoonbill S at 0810.

More glorious sunny weather with a light WNW veering SW wind, migration watch was 0600-1100.

A good day for the time of year with 1 Eider S, 3 Little Egret and 6 Grey Heron on the Humber, a Marsh Harrier and a male Montague’s Harrier S, 13 Grey Plover, 3 Lapwing, 42 Dunlin, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel S, 35 Curlew plus 7 came in, 13 Redshank, a Little Gull and 2 Yellow-legged Gull on the Humber, 1509 Swift S, 52 Sand Martin and 11 House Martin S, 3 Yellow Wagtail and a Grey Wagtail S, a Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Siskin S, a Corn Bunting blogging and the bird of the day in the Churchyard was a Nuthatch.

More glorious sunshine with a light variable wind some light passage today with a watch from 0655-1015.

Of note were 9 Grey-lag Geese S, 73 Common Scoter, 1 Fulmar N, a Little Egret on the Humber, a Marsh Harrier u-turned, 22 Golden Plover (Humber), 1 Lapwing S, single Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel and Redshank on the Humber, a Yellow-legged Gull (Humber), 19 Sandwich Tern (16 out), 23 Common Tern out, 224 Swift, 10 Sand Martin and 16 House Martin S, a juvenile Stonechat at Canal Scrape car park, a Reed Warbler (Warren), c1000 Starling mostly juveniles blogging about with some going south off the Point.

A Ringlet butterfly was the 1st of the year.

Lovely summer weather with clear blue skies and a light E wind very little new around just a few birds at sea with watches being 0710-0910.

Notable sightings were 10 Canada Geese that were sat on the sea before heading out E, 125 Common Scoter, 6 Red-breasted Merganser S, 3 Fulmar N, 1 Manx Shearwater N, 91 Gannet (87 N), a Shag N, 9 Lapwing S, a Whimbrel in, 13 Kittiwake N, 4 Swift S, a Blackcap (Kew), and the usual 2 Chiffchaff.

A dull cloudy day that brightened up as the day wore on with a decreasing force 4-1 N wind, sea watching was the best today with most of the day covered.

Highlights were a Shoveler in, 25 Common Scoter, 47 Fulmar N, 88 Manx Shearwater N, 354 Gannet (323 N), a Little Egret (Humber), 4 Whimbrel (Humber), 5 Bonxie N, 2 Little Gull N, 70 Black-headed Gull 100 LBB Gull and 3 Yellow-legged Gull on the Humber, 62 Kittiwake N, 58 Guillemot, 84 Razorbill (82 N), a Stock Dove blogging, 2 Blackcap (Warren/Kew), 3 Chiffchaff (2 Kew).

Also at sea a Dolphin sp. was seen but not well enough to ID to a species

An awful day with a force 5-6 N wind and showers in the morning some heavy, a few birds at sea but little else found. Sea watches were all day from 0630.

Of note were 4 Eider S, 95 Fulmar (77 N, 18 S), 68 Manx Shearwater (34 N, 31 S), 623 Gannet (241 N, 382 S), 2 Lapwing came in, along with 5 Curlew, a Bonxie N, 38 Guillemot, 68 Razorbill (61 N), a Puffin N, a Turtle Dove blogging and single Blackcap and Chiffchaff were at Kew.

Back to cloudy cool days with an increasing N wind reaching force 4 by the late afternoon a few good birds seen early on with sea watches being 1030-1250.

Highlights of the day were a Cory’s Shearwater S at 0725 whilst everyone was watching an Osprey eat a flat fish on the Humber, elsewhere of note 22 Common Scoter N, 7 Manx Shearwater S, 55 Gannet, a Little Gull N, 27 Kittiwake, 13 Sandwich Tern, 28 Razorbill, 6 Puffin (2 N, 4 S), 32 Swift S and the 2 usual Chiffchaff.

Clear blue skies at last summer may be here but still a nagging N wind holding on. Sea watches were 0735-0945 with all areas looked at.

Of note today were 42 Common Scoter (25 N, 17 S), 9 Fulmar (8 N), 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Dunlin and a Whimbrel S, a Yellow-legged Gull on the Humber, 105 Kittiwake N, 8 Razorbill and 2 Puffin N, a Barn Owl and a Cuckoo (Triangle), 1 Swift, 8 Swallow S and 2 Chiffchaff.

An Avocet was seen heading towards Beacon Lagoons from over Kilnsea.

A very quiet day but at least there was plenty of warm sunshine, sea-watches took place between 0640-0910.

Of note were 4 Teal S, 40 Common Scoter N, 5 Fulmar N, 2 Manx Shearwater N, 148 Gannet (119 N), a Grey Heron blogging, 3 Golden Plover and a Whimbrel (Humber), the Glaucous Gull blogging, 2 Grey Partridge, 4 Swift.

Whilst most of the interest was at Beacon Lagoons with 2 Avocet, 4 Grey Heron and a Little Egret.

The first Meadow Brown butterflies were out along with an Emperor dragonfly just to finish the day off.

Remaining bright and sunny at last albeit with a nagging N wind reaching force 3 at times, little moving at sea so very few watches done.

A few odd birds around with the best of it being 4 Grey Partridge roaming, 3 Little Egret including a juvenile, 2 Grey Heron (1 S), 13 Eider out, 31 Lapwing NW, a Whimbrel, 5 LBB Gull and 2 Yellow-legged Gull (Humber), a Cuckoo (Warren), 3 Stock Dove S plus 1 in Church Field, 3 Swift S, the 2 usual singing Chiffchaff, a pair of Bullfinch went N passed the Warren and not seen again.

Much better weather being bright and sunny albeit in a cool N wind, sea-watch times were 0635-0830 little around of note.

Notable sightings were 14 Common Scoter (12 N), 14 Fulmar (13 N), a Manx Shearwater N, 156 Gannet (132 N), 18 Kittiwake and 23 Sandwich Tern N, 75 Razorbill (72 N), a Cuckoo and Barn Owl (Triangle), 7 Swift S and 2 Chiffchaff.

Sunnier spells with some rain in the afternoon in a force 2 W-SSE wind.

Sea-watches were 0700-1045 birds of note were 12 Common Scoter N, 5 Great Crested Grebe S, 2 Manx S plus 1 out, 44 Gannet N, a Hobby blogging, 154 Razorbill (140 N, 14 S), 2 Puffin N, 274 Swift S, 16 House Martin S, a Reed Warbler (Church Field), 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Rook S with the main highlight being another 2 Spoonbill N an adult and an immature this time.

A much better day with plenty of welcomed sunshine in a gusty N wind reaching force 5 plus some more birds around.

Sea-watches were 0645-1015 and 1800-1845 birds of note today were 2 Grey-lag Geese blogging, 302 Gannet (287 N), 2 immature Spoonbill flew north past Chalk Bank hide before settling on the Humber tide line, 48 Grey Plover out, 2 Whimbrel (Humber), the 1st summer Glaucous Gull blogging, 93 Kittiwake N, 261 Razorbill N, a Puffin N, a Turtle Dove (Church Field), 2 Swift (Point), 9 Swallow S, a Reed Warbler (Church Field), a Blackcap (Churchyard), 2 Red-backed Shrike (Triangle area).

Remaining dull and overcast until late in the evening when the sun finally appeared with a decreasing NE-E wind.

Sea-watches were 0735-1035 with sightings being 24 Common Scoter S, 7 Fulmar N, 7 Manx Shearwater N, 198 Gannet (176 N), 79 Guillemot (78 N), 10 Razorbill and 9 Puffin N.

Little elsewhere except single Cuckoo and Swift blogging, 12 Swallow S, the Marsh Warbler at the Point, 2 singing Chiffchaff and a Spotted Flycatcher (Point).

More poor weather today with early morning drizzle petering out but remaining overcast most of the day with a stiff force 4-5 NE-N wind.

Sea-watches were 1330-1600 with notable sightings being 3 Fulmar N, 2 Manx Shearwater N, 38 Gannet, 31 Guillemot N, 29 Razorbill (25 N), whilst the main highlight was a Marsh Warbler in half song at the Point.

At Sammie’s an adult Yellow-legged Gull was on the Humber mud.

No migration watches today due to thick fog hampering all birding activities with a force 2-3 E-NE making it feel rather chilly.

All that was of note were 8 Brent Geese on the Humber, a Little Egret and a Greenshank (Humber), 3 Sandwich Tern out, 2 Cuckoo (Triangle), 2 Chiffchaff (Point/Kew), and a Willow Warbler (Warren). Whilst at Sammie’s a party of 4 Mistle Thrush were seen.

Migration/sea-watches 06.30 – 09.00, plus some short spells thereafter. A day of more or less constant rain until the evening then becoming slightly brighter in a force 2 W-E wind.

Little of note except 31 Common Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwater S, 93 Gannet, 6 Sandwich Tern (5 S), 63 Razorbill, a Puffin N, single Stock Dove and Cuckoo (Triangle), 1 Swift and 6 Swallow S, 3 Chiffchaff.

Migration/sea-watches 07.15 – 09.15, plus some short spells thereafter. Another overcast day with heavy showers or longer spells of rain in a light W wind veering E wind.

Yet another quiet day with 3 Fulmar (2 N), 5 Manx Shearwater N, 89 Gannet, 7 Cormorant (6 Chalk Bank), a Shag on the sea, a Little Egret (Humber), a Puffin N, 3 Cuckoo (Triangle), 3 Swift, 18 Swallow and 9 House Martin all S, a Yellow Wagtail (Point), 2 Reed Warbler (Church Field), 2 Chiffchaff, and a Spotted Flycatcher (Wire Dump), with the first Painted Lady butterfly’s of the year being seen being noteworthy.

Migration/sea-watches 07.00 – 10.00, plus some short spells thereafter. Overcast with rain by early morning in a W veering N wind.

Very little of note apart from a Common Rosefinch briefly seen at the Warren and a few birds at sea with 2 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 6 Teal and 5 Eider all S, 11 Fulmar and 26 Manx Shearwater S, 341 Gannet (324 S), 2 Kittiwake and 19 Razorbill S, elsewhere 29 Brent Geese including 1 pale-bellied bird, a Golden Plover (Narrows), 2 Whimbrel, 2 Swift S, 5 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler (Canal Hedge) and 2 Spotted Flycatcher (Wire Dump) were about it.

Migration watch 05.30 – 09.30. Warm and sunny with heavy clouds building in the afternoon and an impressive thunderstorm in the evening, a light to fresh SSE wind.

The Red-backed Shrike was still at post 33 showing well for most of the day, an Osprey flew north late morning and the only migrants seen were 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and aWillow Warbler.

On the move (south unless stated) were 3 Barnacle Geese, 5 Mallard, 45 Common Scoter, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Fulmar, 2 Kestrel, 1 Little Gull, 25 Swift, 2 Sand Martin, 150 Swallow, 25 House Martin, 2 flava Wagtail and 9 Goldfinch.

Migration/sea-watch 07.15 – 11.35. Bright and sunny all day with a fresh 2-4 SE wind.

One of the two Golden Orioles remained from yesterday although again elusive and in the evening a Red-backed Shrike appeared at post 33. The only other migrants were 2 Cuckoo, 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff.

Other birds of interest were 25 Common Scoter, 2 Fulmar, 3 Manx Shearwater, 4 Little Egret, 1 Hobby, 46 Grey Plover out, 25 Knot out, 50 Sanderling, 1 Little Gull, 1 Glaucous Gull and 19 Common Tern.

No migration watches. Clear blue skies all day except for 5/8 cloud cover for a few hours mid morning, a light to fresh SE wind.

A day of mainly scarcities and very few common migrants. An Osprey flew north mid-morning, while at the Point there was at least one Golden Oriole, a Common Rosefinch was seen briefly early morning and evening, a late Firecrest was singing there, in the evening a Bluethroat was showing well on the burnt out area behind the heligoland trap.

Also a Red-backed Shrike was reported there mid-afternoon. Two Avocets flew over the Point in the morning as did two Little Egrets, while other birds of notes seen were 38 Brent Geese, 4 Eider, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Barn Owl, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Spotted Flycather.

No migration watches. SE 2-3, mainly blue skies but thick fog rolling in from time to time.

The Red-breasted Flycatcher was still being elusive at the Point and a Common Rosefinch flew north over the Warren early morning before singing briefly at Kew then returning south over the Warren. The only other migrants were 3 Cuckoo, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Other birds of any note were 125 Brent Geese and 2 pale-bellied flew out east, 1 Hobby, 12 Sanderling, 1 Glaucous Gull.

Sea-watch 06.15 – 07.30. Cloudy all day with light rain from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, fog rolling in during the evening, a light force 2 SE wind.

At last a few decent birds to look at, an Icterine Warbler was found early morning at the Point where it sang on and off all day, a Red-breasted flycatcher was also found at the Point early morning but was a bit more elusive during the day. 3 Red-backed Shrikes appeared a male and a female at post 63 and a female at post 37 and a Marsh Warbler was trapped at the Warren. There were also more common migrants – 1 Cuckoo, 50 Swallow S, 25 House Martin S, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 13 Spotted Flycatcher.

Other birds of note were 2 Shoveler, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 57 Razorbill and 1 Puffin.