8.00am-7.20pm

Greenish warbler
Red breasted flycatcher(a bird in the hand then two in the bush!)
Yellow browed warbler
Firecrest
2 lesser whitethroat
4 lesser Redpoll
Siskin
Hen harrier
Short eared owl(flushed from grass near beacon ponds)
24 Brent goose
20 tree sparrows
20 linnet
Kestrel
4 little egret
14 grey plover(a couple only just starting to moult)
Double figures of knot sanderling dunlin and barwit
60 curlew
Sparrowhawk coming up out of a tree with prey
Manx shearwater(ten minute seawatch!)
5.30-6.30 spent around the point.
Goldcrests everywhere
Wheatear
Redstart
Then as I was making my way round the heligoland trap clockwise found a male black redstart.great end to a great day.nice to bump into Sid and the manxbirder and it was thanks to their text alert and wheels that I caught the firecrest so thanks guys.
Also lots of roe deer and hares about.

A long but very enjoyable trip to Spurn today with the Manx Birder - of note we found the Greenish Warbler showing intermittently in a small group of hawthorn near to the Riverside hotel at both the begining and end of the day and 2 Red-breasted Flycatchers at Kew, one which was a rather small bird that had been netted and ringed.

Also of interest :- Common Redstart, Firecrest, Goldcrest, Blackcap, Yellow-browed Warbler and several Sparrowhawk sightings. Also nice to meet fellow Manc birder Chris Dorney again and for those who know him, Spurn resident Andy Roadhouse back in action after his recent spell in hospital.

I also discovered several more Spurn bushes that didn't contain a Barred Warbler

Had a trip over to Spurn today with Mr Barber - 50+ species seen including of interest 2 Manx Shearwater on a brief seawatch, several Spotted Flycatchers near Kew Villa and a Wood Sandpiper and 4 Curlew Sandpiper on Beacon Lagoons - these birds were viewed from the new Kilnsea Wetlands area where there was a single Whimbrel and 4 Greenshank on the new scrape. This is a really good new facility with a car park just off the main road into Kilnsea before the Crown & Anchor pub making access to the lagoons much easier.

Our seawatch was cut short with the news of the arrival of a Greenish Warbler at Kew Villa gardens, unfortunately in the short time it took us to get down there it had gone. The second missed warbler of the day - we had spent some time looking for the elusive Barred Warbler to no avail when we first arrived. Still no point in spoiling my 100% record of missing this tantalising species

Sunday 10/6

A few hours here with Phil Owen after twitching the Roller. Bee-eater and Common Rosefinch had been reported early doors at the Warren, but there was no sign of them when we arrived. The Bee-eater was also reported at North field and Sunk Island, so we were checking all the overhead wires, but alas no luck.

Spurn was generally quiet. A Cuckoo was found on the way to Beacon pond. At Beacon pond:

Little Tern
Sandwich Tern
Little Egret
Grey Plover
Knot
Dunlin
Ringed Plover
Red-breasted Merganser

There was a Spotted flycatcher at the Crown and Anchor car park, and that was about it, other than lots of birders checking wires !!

Cheers,

Steve.

10.00 - 18.00, Pleasantly warm with a nice easterly breeze today at Spurn with the Manx birder.

Upon arrival we went straight to the Point and immediately got onto three Golden Oriole flitting around down there. Also present was a singing Marsh Warbler but despite two lengthy sessions we were unable to do better than a very fleeting glimpse of this skulker.

Down on the triangle/canal zone we found a fourth Golden Oriole. This was a very yellow bird and gave many excellent views - there were also two Cuckoos in the same field. Although we didn't see it, a fifth Oriole was reported, making that a record count for Spurn.

Other species of interest were Common and Lesser Whitethroat, c 50 Brent Geese on the estuary and several Sandwich Tern and 10 Gannets in a line on the sea.

During the final session looking for the Marsh Warbler a couple of the local ringing lads set up their nets in the hope of finding the bird - they did manage to trap a young male Sparrowhawk which may have been the reason the Warbler was keeping its head down

One final point, there were hundreds and hundreds of the Browntail Moth caterpillars around - first time we have seen these a took heed of the warnings not to get into contact with them.

Three days staying at the Obs. Just too late for the Wrynecks and the Pallid Harrier but there was still a fair bit to see with plenty of passage including lots of 'Flava' wagtails, Wheatears and Marsh Harrier. I just caught a glimpse f a Red Rumped Swallow but not as good as I'd have liked. Plenty common migrants back in as well with Lesser and Common Whitethroats plentiful.

John Barber wrote:

---

Just a shame Sid didn't see the Pallas's and I missed the Yellow Browed - but you can't win them all.

---

John I did see the Pallas's not quite as well as you tho'

A great day at Spurn / Easington.

Enjoyed the chase around for the warblers. Just a shame Sid didn't see the Pallas's and I missed the Yellow Browed - but you can't win them all.

Worst part of the day were the road works on the west bound M62 near Leeds. They held us up for half an hour on a relatively quiet Sunday afternoon, heaven knows what it will be like during the week - and the works are ongoing for the next two years - so beware

Phylloscopus, phylloscopus where for art thou phylloscopus?

For my second visit of the month, this time with John Barber for company we had an interesting but challenging day over at Spurn and surrounding areas, warbler chasing.

After a look around the pub car park at Kilnsea we learned early on that two of our target birds had been seen near the Easington gas plant amongst a very mobile flock of Long-tailed Tits but despite a good search we couldn't find the flock.

We then heard that the birds had moved over to the Easington cemetery area. We arrived there to find a sizeable group of birders peering into the undergrowth on the opposite side of the road to the cemetery - luckily John was able to get onto the Pallas's Warbler for reasonably good views whereas I only managed a rear end sighting

A little further down the road we both were able to watch a Firecrest preening - but where had the Pallas's gone?

With the coming of the rain we decided to head for the shelter of one of the hides. The rain didn't last that long so we headed down to Spurn point where 3 Woodlarks had been reported. These turned out to be Skylarks !!!! ....and as there was little else down there we returned to our warbler hunt back at the cemetery - the Tit flock with the warblers in tow was not there but had just been seen at the gas plant !!

On Vicars Lane I was lucky enough to get good views of the Yellow-browed Warbler but John only managed brief rear end views as the flock moved on again - and that was that, time to go home as it was by now quite late in the day.

As well as our target birds we had a total of 54 species and John had two life-time firsts with the Pallas's and the Firecrest.

So apart from the journey home, which took three hours we had a good birding day.

A full day at Spurn today in glorious sunshine from dawn to dusk. But the weather was a bit 'too nice' for the birds - very quiet indeed but I did manage:
1 Pallas' Warbler - Church yard (same bird ringed yesterday)
1 Firecrest - I initially missed it earlier in the day but it was caught, ringed and released at Kew late in afternoon for a small crowd of about 10 people. A beautiful bird close up. The warden said it weighed 6.3g ! - apparently this is fat for a Firecrest so building up its reserves for migration.
c.350 Pink feet in 4-5 skeins south
9 Whooper Swans landed at Beacon Ponds
5 Red-throated Divers
1 Common Scoter
2 Chiffchaff
2 Blackcap (m & f)
2 Goldcrests
1 Sparrowhawk
small passage of Skylarks - one bird even singing in the sunshine!
good numbers of Tree Sparrows
a few Redpoll
small no.s of Redwing and Fieldfare

56 species in total

Also: 2 Porpoise, 2 Grey Seal, 1 Hare and lots of Red Admirals + 1 Comma butterfly

Yes, I remembered that today

Mike Chorley wrote:

---

Other sightings on the appropriate thread.

---

Sorry Mike, there is no 'appropriate thread' as the wildlife forum is purely for GM county sightings

It was a real dawn chorus. The birds were singing we are the mods. We are the mods. We are. We are. We are the mods

Nick Isherwood wrote:

---

Dennis atherton wrote:

---

A flock of 10 ish common scooters at sea.

---

There weren't any Mods on them was there??

---

Very pleasant day today, if a little quiet compared to some. Group total of 76 species, with highlights as Sid and Dennis, plus

1 Curlew-Sandpiper (Canal Scrape)
1 Chiffchaff (Crown & Anchor)
1 Brambling over Canal Scrape and out over the Humber.

Nice to meet Manky birders old and new

Other sightings on the appropriate thread.

Dennis atherton wrote:

---

A flock of 10 ish common scooters at sea.

---

There weren't any Mods on them was there??

Yes indeed, a really nice day today at Spurn and good birds from the start. When Mrs O, the Manx birder and I arrived at the Crown & Anchor car park the first bird we picked up was one of the Yellow-browed Warblers immediately followed by an overflying Marsh Harrier. Then similar birds to Dennis. Total list of 48 species minimum including the Red-backed Shrike, Scaup, Jack Snipe and several late Swallows. Luckily I had picked up the Snipe from the path above the canal looking down toward the scrape hide since, despite the valiant efforts of Messers Raynor and Chorley with encouragement from Riggers a view from the hide of the two largely hidden, but occasionally bobbing birds in the reeds proved beyond my capabilities

On the way home we called in at the pub car park for a final look and a few more pictures of the Yellow-browed Warbler -

Nice to chat to the other Manc birders we met.

Good day at spurn today. Highlights were. Muliple sightings of red backed shrike around canal scrape hide. Also 2 jack snipe there. Yellow browed warbler at anchor pub car park. Also high numbers of siskins and a tree full of gold crests there. Round and about was Merlin 3. short eared owl 2. Barn owl 2. Rock pipit. Scaup at pool near the toilets. A flock of 10 ish common scooters at sea. 5 cheeky GM birders asking had i found any good ditches for ditching in . They know who they are

Yep, you should all walk to the point instead and find all those great birds you avoid when driving past

Anyone thinking of going to Spurn in the near future should be aware that the road to the point has been closed because of damage caused by recent high tides and repairs won't be started for a few days.

23/04/11
another scorching day hotter than the sahara
4 shorelark
lots of whitethrote
meadow pipits
tree pipit
skylarks
2 yelllow wagails
linnets
1 winchat
knot
dunlin
little tern
bar tailed godwits
oytercatchers
turnstone
finches
2 whimbrel
curlew


-- Edited by Gary Gorner on Tuesday 26th of April 2011 05:34:07 PM

Three days staying at the obs, two of which had the stronest winds I've ever experienced over there, were surprisingly productive considering its nearly mid November. Highlights:

Over 4000 Starlings in off the sea
Pallas's Warbler
Red-necked Phalarope, a month later than any recorded here before
Glaucous Gull - a Juvenile/1st Winter type flying less than 10ft away, at eye level in front of the seawatching hide
Little Auk
Snow Buntings on the beach
Pomarine Skua
Bonxie

Plus, plenty of duck movement yesterday including Wigeon, Teal, Common Scoter, Commom Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Divers etc etc etc.

Loads of waders including Black and Bar tailed Godwits, Ringed, Golden and Grey Plovers, Knot Sanderling etc etc.

All nicely rounded off with a visit to Hollingworth on my way home for a look at the Pied Billed Grebe!

Mike Chorley wrote:

---

Glad you're not a doctor, Matt. That was my ARM I inadvertantly rubber with toothpaste - and it worked!

As for you, brotha Dennis - honeyed words next time we meet

---

Well it looked like your leg!! Ooooer missus!!

You wore shorts on your arms?

Glad you're not a doctor, Matt. That was my ARM I inadvertantly rubber with toothpaste - and it worked!

As for you, brotha Dennis - honeyed words next time we meet

Dennis atherton wrote:

---

You know i am only messing, its a good job they werent honey buzzards or we would have to come up with another line of honey jokes instead, the rough legs were too easy to pun with,



Yo Dennis (didn't kno yu wuz a brutha!)

Any more cracks about my 'rough legs' and you WILL need to think about my 'connection rate'

Anyway, how do YOU know they're rough

---

Dennis

I can confirm that Chorley Cakes legs have indeed been rough since 1996 since he mistook toothpaste for after sun in Seahouses after a sunny trip to the Farne islands whilst wearing shorts!!

You know i am only messing, its a good job they werent honey buzzards or we would have to come up with another line of honey jokes instead, the rough legs were too easy to pun with,



Yo Dennis (didn't kno yu wuz a brutha!)

Any more cracks about my 'rough legs' and you WILL need to think about my 'connection rate'

Anyway, how do YOU know they're rough

Dennis atherton wrote:

---

Yo Riggers,

You will never get that High Gm listing if you are sneaking off to spurn you can count them rough legs you know int GM, Even if Mike chorley does have rough legs himself, but thats only 2 rough legs and i dont want to think about the connection rate there

---

Yo Dennis (didn't kno yu wuz a brutha!)

Any more cracks about my 'rough legs' and you WILL need to think about my 'connection rate'

Anyway, how do YOU know they're rough



P.S. Sandwiched this in between dawn & dusk at Elton so we didn't go as far as either the warren or the point this time.

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Monday 18th of October 2010 10:54:41 PM

Nick/Mike

Thanks for the replies - we also knew of the padlocks and peered over the gate but we reckoned you would need to be lucky to see anything inside. So I guess anything in the trees near the road would best be viewed from the opposite footpath.

I am also not too happy about folk actually wandering around other folks resting places looking for birds - seems disrespectful.

-- Edited by sid ashton on Monday 18th of October 2010 10:43:58 PM

Hi Sid.

Kilnsea Chruchyard was padlocked on Sunday. There's a notice saying that the church is now no longer in use, so maybe they're trying to limit the chance of maintanence problems.

Mike

Sid

RE: Kilnsea Churchyard

To be honest I dont know. Because the church yard is so small, if there is something of note in there, I try and keep out and watch from the road. I do recall some years ago trying to go round the field at the back for a glimse of some rarity but patience has always proved the best bet. I've had decent views of Barred and Yellow Browed, amongst others, just by viewing from road. Of the group that was watching early on Sunday its was only the birders with cameras and huge tele lens that looked like they were itching to go in, one or two had a sneak up to the gate but, to be fair, all remained a respectful distance lined up on the far side of the road. This was probably because the bird was in the trees a the front and front side of the church. It may well have been different if it had gone around the back!

I never feel easy going into any churchyard, not even for a rarity !!!!!

Just relaying a message from the Spurn Bird Obs website for the good of all birders visiting the area:

NOTE - could people visiting Sammy's Point and going inside the horse paddocks please make sure that they shut all gates behind them, birdwatchers have been leaving gates open and we do not want our access to the area taken away, thank you

Yo Riggers,

You will never get that High Gm listing if you are sneaking off to spurn you can count them rough legs you know int GM, Even if Mike chorley does have rough legs himself, but thats only 2 rough legs and i dont want to think about the connection rate there

Mike Chorley wrote:

---

Up to us leaving at 3 p.m. there were 5 Rough-legs through today (we managed 3)

---

Spurn Website reports 4 Rough legs not 5 as we were told. On the positive side, our connection rate has increased from 60% to 75%.

Nick Hilton wrote:

---

Dennis, probably passed you sometime today !

Red Breasted Flycatcher (Kilnsea Churchyard on arrival at 9am !....

.....Brambling (small numbers Kilnsea Churchyard)

---

Nick is the Kilnsea churchyard open on Sundays? - it has been locked up on our last two non-Sabbath day visits and viewing from outside was not good.

Yep, very illusive, what about the waxwing? did you get that one, less illusive than an atherton

Mike Chorley wrote:

---

Up to us leaving at 3 p.m. there were 5 Rough-legs through today (we managed 3)

Other highlights were the flycatcher, the starling and the Jack Snipe, but failed to locate any Athertons

---

Up to us leaving at 3 p.m. there were 5 Rough-legs through today (we managed 3)

Other highlights were the flycatcher, the starling and the Jack Snipe plus another in flight along the canal, but failed to locate any Athertons

Other sightings on the wildlife forum



-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 17th of October 2010 09:15:06 PM

stuartherring wrote:

---

i notice on spurns website that the first waxwings have been seen localy is this early and is this an indication of a bad winter to come

---

No and no

Hi Nick,

Yep probably did, small world as the saying goes, a super day today, some nice rarities passing through, the sun was out, no better way to spend a sunday,

Well done for catching the flycatcher, i missed that one

Dennis, probably passed you sometime today !

Spurn (Easington Lagoon to Point Dunes - 0900 - 1715)
Highlights (all singles):
Red Breasted Flycatcher (Kilnsea Churchyard on arrival at 9am !)
Rough Legged Buzzard (Wire dump)
Redpoll, Mealy (Point dunes)
Red Throated Diver (flying north)
Rose Coloured Starling (Easington garden)

Was on a roll with the R's but couldn't wish up a Red Flanked Bluetail (see that went to Norfolk instead !!!)

Others of note;
Waxwing (1)
Snow Bunting (11)
Little Egret (4)
Wheatear (1)
Eider (one close in male, small numbers going north)
Sanderling (8)
Gannet ( 3 juvs small numbers moving south)
Brambling (small numbers Kilnsea Churchyard)
Tree Sparrow (ditto)
Whooper Swan (single flying south)
Brent Geese (60+)
Water Rail (single Canal scrape)
Swallow (8 flying south)

65+ species

Also around, but missed myself;
Bearded Tit (Canal scrapes)
Jack Snipe (Canal scrape)
S E Owl (over Point Dunes)

Other than the usual sightings of lots of redwing, feildfare, siskin, goldcrest were 2 brambling, nice flock of golden plover, large flock of brent geese, but the best birds of the day were 2 rough legged buzzards, 1 rose coloured starling and like Stu mentioned, 2 waxwings, 1 mealy redpoll, also a merlin shooting through


Out of interest today they ringed and released a red brested flycatcher

-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Sunday 17th of October 2010 06:52:25 PM

-- Edited by Dennis atherton on Sunday 17th of October 2010 11:20:52 PM

i notice on spurns website that the first waxwings have been seen localy is this early and is this an indication of a bad winter to come

Big numbers of birds around Spurn yesterday during my visit with the Stockport group.

2 Male Bramblings around the Borrow Pit area were almost within touching distance and gave us great views along with Goldcrest, Siskin, Yellowhammer, Common Snipe and Stonechat.

I don't think I've ever seen so many Dunnocks in one place at a time, they seemed to be everywhere.

Lots of Redwings with the odd Fieldfare thrown in, Common Snipe, Egyptian Goose, Stonechat and Yellowhammer also spotted around the Borrow Pit area with the Roe Deer also seen

A quick couple of seawatches resulted in Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Common Scoter, Red Throated Diver, Kittiwake, Gannet and Sooty Shearwater.

A great afternoon!!

Spurn today 08.00 - 16.00 mostly cloudy with some light drizzle but also good spells of sunshine for our second trip to Spurn this month. A last minute decision yesterday saw myself and Ms O join the thousands of other road users on the M62 at 06.00 this morning - where were they all going to at that time of day?

As we drove into Kilinsea we noticed huge numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare in the fields and in the Crown & Anchor car park many Siskin and Goldcrests feeding. A couple of the Goldcrests were rather smart looking males with their orange crests. At Kew Villa we were invited to the ringer's hut where the guy was quite exited to have netted a Coal Tit - quite rare over there apparently - we also saw a couple of Lesser Redpoll being ringed.

Next stop Borrow Pit where the one-eyed Lapland Bunting was still present along with an Egyptian Goose. On the way to the Canal Scrape hide we noticed a young Roe Deer grazing in the meadow towards the sea. From the hide we watched a Jack Snipe posing for the cameras.

Then to the Point - on the way out we picked up a couple of House Martins with a small group of Swallows. A big number of Brent Geese were on the river as well as the same variety of waders as last week. At the Point every bush seemed to contain Redwings and Starlings and there were several Bramblings, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

A final stop at Sammy's Point resulted in the one disappointment of the day in that we could not find the reported Long-eared Owl. All in all a smashing day's birding - not with the rarities of recent weeks but the sheer numbers of birds was amazing.

P.S. - for those who may be interested the Spurn Observatory web site should be up and running again within a couple of days.













-- Edited by sid ashton on Friday 15th of October 2010 12:17:05 PM

Late post from Sunday.....another wonderful day at Spurn.

We got the great, the stunner,the comic and the disabled

The Pallas's Warbler was simply WOW!!
As l found my place amongst the big birders there, l heard an orgasmic,'' Ooohh and ahhh'' from the crowd, l'd not seen it yet but as l just got my bins up to my eyes, someone else groaned....''Look at the rump on that''
It's an amazing little bird though, l thoroughly understood what they were salivating over

The Great Grey Shrike put on a fabulous little display for us,a couple of times we watched him chasing anything on the fields below where he was sitting. The gruesome in me really wanted it to catch something, but he missed.....and they lived

The Lapland Bunting was showing brilliantly. Happily feeding whilst a small crowd grew and watched him. He only had one eye but that never bothered him. Perhaps he was born with this defect ??

The Jack Snipe behaved typically and what a wonderful sight that was to see their rythmical 'bobbing'. My maturity and age wouldn't allow me to giggle out loud but inside l was laughing my head off...loved 'em

Goldcrests were abundant and within touching distance, a joy to see so closely. Far too many Redwings to count.
The house near the cafe had 36 House Martin nests, a fact that was lost on Warfy ...what's the guess-timate on how many young have fledged ?

Thanks again to Simon for another great day birding and to him and his dad for driving

Hi Simon
Yes, we probably did pass each other somewhere! Were you at the Radde's Warbler release at Kew?
I didn't get to Canal Scrape. I intended to go but heard about the Radde's so went straight there instead. I then had to go back to Sammy's car park before heading home to search for my mobile phone! Fortunately found it in the grass verge where I had parked 5 hours earlier!!!!
I was hoping for a Lapland Bunting after the recent influx and spent a lot of time searching finches and buntings but no joy. Didn't hear of any reported either.
Quick stop off in Easington church yard on way home. Trees there teeming with Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests.

Hi Steve, myself, my dad , Melanie & Simon Johnson were also there today, probably saw you somewhere! We were just down the road from Sammy's when the Pallas's was found, can never get enough of them! Similar sightings to you, so many chiffchaffs, bramblings and goldcrests all over the grass paddocks and shorelines at Sammy's and wall to wall thrushes in the triangle, of interest 2 Jack Snipe showing right in front of the canal scrape hide, continuously bobbing up and down, a confiding Lapland Bunting by the Bluebell car park that only had one eye! Glorious weather too, didnt even need my jacket!

Cracking day at Spurn today. 8.30am-5.15pm (not enough hours in the day!!)

Very large numbers of Redwings around and still arriving throughout the day. Also huge numbers of Chiffchaff and Robins and lots of Goldcrests and Song Thrushes. Every bush and field had multiple numbers of these species. Incredible amount of birds involved and a real spectacle. Lots of people as well due to the beautiful weather!

Other highlights were:

1 Radde's Warbler - caught and ringed at Kew and shown to the masses late afternoon. A lifer for me!
1 Palla's Warbler - Sammy's Point
1 Great Grey Shrike - Kilnsea
4 Shorelarks - Chalk Bank
1 Egyptian Goose - Borrow Pit
1 Short-eared Owl - Sammy's
1 Merlin - Point carpark
2 Sparrowhawk
1 Little Egret
5 Redstarts
1 Whinchat
6 Ring Ouzels
28+ Dark-bellied Brents + 1 Light-bellied with them
1 White Wagtail
1 Garden Warbler
c.10 Blackcaps
1 Whitethroat
fall of Siskins - often exhausted at your feet!
lots of Bramblings
3 Fieldfare
A few Swallows and House Martins through

Total of 70 species seen

But missed:
Little Bunting
very elusive Red-backed Shrike at point
male Hen Harrier
Hawfinch
Firecrest

-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Sunday 10th of October 2010 09:54:27 PM

-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 11th of October 2010 09:05:56 PM

Spurn website says 2 Barred Warblers at the Warren - 1 ringed, one not

They also ringed a Marsh Warbler and released it on the canal, so now I wish I hadn't gone chasing after the GG Shrike. Still you can't see them all.

Sorry to contradict Tony, but there was a definite barred warbler sighting, cos I saw it clearly in the open on top of a bush for 20 seconds or more. Even saw the ring on its leg (confirmed afterwards with warden that it had one on).

Also several stonechats seen, 1 yellow wag trying to fly over against a stiff southerly (turned back), and seven little egrets were nice. Not as good as the warbler though which was the last 'easy' UK migrant I'd never seen, (O.K. I've not seen melodious warbler either but one day, one day...)