(co finder of the Mugamaki Flycatcher a few years ago)

1991! I bet we all wish that was just a few years ago!!
That brings back great memories of me (age 14) calling birdline northeast (sorry if those new to birding have no idea what im talking about there!) and then very quickly with my brother setting off in thick fog to see a bird, without, if i'm honest neither of us at the time knowing what it would look like.
Arrived on site to find just 3 other birders (think Mick Turton and John hewitt were 2 of them) and then seeing the bird still in thick fog chasing round the treetops and actively feeding as only truly wild birds can!.
Cracking autumn arrival (as is going on over there right noe) and you really can't beat being there when the birds are turning up and masses of common migrants are at your feet and even stopping traffic at some points!!

well, day off tomorrow but due to other commitments have to make do with a few hours round Pennington looking for a scarce passerine, or two.

Hi all,

Just a shout, anybody going to Spurn for the shrike from Manchester maybe this weekend (if it's still there!), would anyone consider taking along an extra passenger, I'd be happy to share fuel costs?

Please PM me if you're going and wouldn't mind the extra birder along?
Cheers
Tanmay

after robs big list I am going to keep this as brief as I can
spent a few days at spurn arriving Saturday afternoon, returning home Monday evening, I actually stayed in withernsea. an enjoyable day with rob creek on sunday, glad you enjoyed yourself. I myself bagged 93 species over the 3 days but bagged 84 species on Monday, all birds seen. 6 lifers for me...

masked shrike, best views were on Monday when I managed some ok pics.
barred warbler, red breasted flycatcher, yellow browed warbler, excellent views of these birds.
sooty shearwater & pomarine skua, thanks to the sea watchers for these birds

the rest of the birds are pretty much mentioned by rob but can add brent goose, tree pipit, Mediterranean gull, hobby, bonxie, red throated diver, common scoter. birds I actually did not see were.. olive-backed pipit, hen harrier, wood warbler & great grey shrike.

an excellent trip & several other Manchester birders seen throughout my visit.

Sunday 7.50am - 6.30pm in the quality company of Steve Burke.

(Also good to put a face to the name of Austin Morley...nice to meet you and Alan)

A fantastic day that produced 5 Lifers, 10 Waders, 6 Gulls, a Flycatcher trio, a whole host of quality migrants and a total of 82 Bird species for me along with 4 Mammal species to boot!

-Barred Warbler - LIFER
(Worth the wait for this sighting)
-Masked Shrike - LIFER
(Good job locating this one Steve)
-Red Breasted Flycatcher 1 LIFER
(A gorgeous bird this one)
-Sooty Shearwater - LIFER
(Thanks to the sea watchers for this one)
-Garden Warbler - 3 LIFER
(Again nice one Steve, 2 in migrant hedge, 1 close up at Canal Scrape)

...Alot of these migrants were seen together in one location
-Pied Flycatcher -2
-Spotted Flycatcher -4/5
-Redstart -approx 8/9
-Whinchat -approx 12+ seemed to be everywhere
-Stonechat -3
-Wheatear -approx 4/5
-Blackcap -3
-Chiffchaff -2
-Whitethroat -1
-Goldcrest -1
-Redwing -1
-Mistle Thrush -2 together in a Hawthorn
-Song Thrush -1
-Skylark -approx 4/5
-Meadow Pipit -quite a few at various locations
-Pied Wagtail -only 2 that I saw
-Grey Wagtail -1 in yard opposite Cr&Anc
-Jack Snipe -2 (not seen these since I was a youngster)
-Common Snipe -1 constantly harassing the Jack's
-Dunlin -in large numbers
-Golden Plover -100/200
-Ringed Plover -many
-Redshank -quite a few knocking around
-Oystercatcher -quite a few far out
-Curlew -3
-Knot -3
-Turnstone -not counted, on the beach rocks in the company of a lone...
-Great Black-backed Gull
-Lesser Black-backed Gull -few patrolling around
-Herring Gull -not too many
-Common Gull
-Black-headed Gull -quite numerous
-Little Gull -not sure on numbers, out towards the rigs
-Guillemot -1 swimming off coast, 6 fly-pasts
-Gannet -1 juv off coast, 3/4 adults out
-Manx Shearwater -1 out towards rigs
-Cormorant -1 over near Canal scrape
-House Sparrow -good numbers around
-Tree Sparrow -various numbered small groups
-Linnet -good number knocking around
(Especially near Crown & Anchor and Wetlands Hide)
-Goldfinch
-Greenfinch
-Reed Bunting -maybe 5 or 6
-Chaffinch -not many, maybe 4
-Raven -1 over the car on approach to Cr&Anc
-Carrion Crow -good number around
-Jackdaw -quite a few over into the fields on approach
-Jay -1 flew over approach road near Cr&Anc
-Marsh Harrier -massive specimen patrolling the mud flats
-Common Buzzard -1
-Kestrel -approx 7/8
-Sparrowhawk -3
(1 of which was a quite large female hunting along the mud flats, a Goshawk was reported day before which turned out to be a very large female Sparrowhawk)
-Little Egret -approaching 15/20
-Grey Heron -1
-Shelduck -large numbers
-Teal -quite a few from Wetlands hide
-Pintail -2 female at Wetlands hide great spot Steve
-House Martin and Swallow -30/40 joint total

A lot of USUALS around including water birds and garden birds especially Robin.
Also Dunnock, Blackbird, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Starling, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Mute Swan, Coot, Moorhen, and Mallard making up 81 bird species...

Also 4 Mammal species sighted including...
Plenty of Rabbit, a Grey Seal infront of Seawatch hide and a Field Vole heard loudly in the grass and just saw back of it, likely to be that as it was using a tunnel network in the grass above ground that is classic behaviour.

No.82 in the birds came in the form of a Grasshopper Warbler of some kind that had landed near the Olive-backed Pipit favoured location, we just knew it was a Locustella that came over the radio in the Seawatch hide. Steve and I had a walk over to see if we could see it but didn't hold out much hope in seeing a tiny bird in a large area of reed and marshy habitat. But to our horror people were pushing past us and jumping down into the location where it was seen to join an already formed sweeper line to flush it out. 3 times they did this with sticks and mono pods, me and Steve just looked at each other in dismay! The bird was flushed twice and the 3rd time it disappeared so they were unsuccessful.

Also this happened a little earlier walking past the masses trying for the Olive-backed Pipit, a couple of guys were in the low trench trying to flush it. A couple of birds did fly out, they were Meadow Pipits that I saw, so I dipped in the O-b-P.

It also happened whilst trying for the Firecrest and Wood Warbler at Kew Garden feeding station, just about to snap a close up Blackcap when someone walked through purposely to flush stuff to the other side of the hedge to waiting photographers!

First time at Spurn for me, won't be the last either, a beautiful wild place teaming with special species but I'm sorry...I'm afraid I didn't agree with flushing tactics just for a tick! For conservation purposes yes!
Will be back here soon.



-- Edited by Rob Creek on Tuesday 23rd of September 2014 09:18:58 PM

Having seen the Kilrenny Masked Shrike in 2004, then a first for Britain, I hadn't planned any rushing over to Spurn to catch up with the latest one (third for Britain) but as I had previously arranged a trip over on Sunday this bird would be a big bonus! I stuck to previous timings and had a leisurely wake up and drive over, only arriving at 11am!

The viewing area off the road between the Blue Bell & Crown & Anchor was already rammed full, with more folk arriving all the time in states of mild panic at the prospect of a lifer, however by kneeling on the floor with my scope I was able to get cracking views of the shrike from the front of the crowd, and even managed a few reasonable digiscoped shots of it. The bird was feeding well, taking several Migrant Hawker dragonflies as I watched it at pretty close quarters. One nice difference from the Scottish bird was a patch of peach colour on one of its rear flanks (funny that it was only on one side!?). Nearby a Redstart (the first of many) and a Wood Warbler were seen feeding, and later we added Pied Flycatcher to complete the 'Oak Wood Three'!

Next we headed up the road and after a bit of a wait added a cracking Barred Warbler to the daylist, the battery on my camera running out scuppered any pictures of that one though! After lunch we caught up with a cute Red-breasted Flycatcher, on our third attempt that day for this species, I just love this species but still yearn to see one with a red breast Walking along the Canal Zone path we joined a large throng of birders looking for the Olive-backed Pipit, it had been seen to fly into a specific area so everyone stood back & waited. A short time later the reward was the bird popping out onto the path before flying distantly over the fields to land by the concrete pillboxes. What Dave says about that 2 second view to ID it, was applicable in this case too Wheatears, Stonechats & a Whinchat perched on the fences here in a mini Chat-fest.

A stroll to the seawatching hide for a short seawatch was productive with a couple of Sooty Shearwaters seen along with Litle Gulls, Gannets and a Red-throated Diver. On the drive to Sammy's Point we too stopped to take in the Peregrine by the road, showing fabulously a few yards away plucking its prey, which has been IDed on Facebook as a Kestrel Can't confirm that ID though!! Sammy's Point was the only slight disappointment as a search for a Yellow-browed Warbler there failed as the weather closed in a bit. Willow Warbler, Goldcrest and Siskin were seen there though.

A cracking day but a search for a Fish & Chip shop that was open on Sundays failed miserably, despite calling in at least 7 towns/villages with chippies, but all were closed!! Any info on chippies near Spurn that open on Sundays would be greatly appreciated

And congratulations to forum member jonathon platt for finding the shrike.well done mate.

-- Edited by chrisdorney on Sunday 21st of September 2014 08:41:28 PM

My second visit to Spurn this month yesterday Wednesday the 16th, this time with long-time-no-see Richard Hargreaves, John Barber and Dave Hugeston. The weather was not kind to us with persistent mist all day, along with occasional periods of drizzle, preventing sea and estuary views. We spent some time looking for the Red-breasted Flycatcher for Dave's life list with no luck. As part of the search we headed off walking toward the Point crossing the washed out area of road as one had been reported close to the new refuge shelter. This shelter has been provided should people get stranded by the high tide. There are notices showing the tide times and heights so anyone thinking of walking to the Point should have a look at these.

During the day a good selection of species was noted including Firecrest, Redstart(several), Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wryneck, Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Lesser and Common Whitethroat, Song Thrush (several), Chiffchaff, Tree Pipit and a lone Redwing. No sign for me of the reported Yellow browed Warbler in any of the locations where I have seen them in previous years. So apart from the weather and a long journey home we had a good day

-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 18th of September 2014 04:02:51 PM

Great day out at Spurn today, 66 species seen.

Highlights included:
Red-breasted flycatcher
Great grey shrike
Firecrest
Wryneck
Ring ouzel
Redstart
Wood warbler
Pied flycatcher
Yellow wagtail
Whinchat
Siskin
Greenshank
Curlew sandpiper
Bar-tailed godwit.

Plus a weasel right up a tree chasing great tits (without any luck)

-- Edited by Holly Page on Monday 15th of September 2014 09:40:08 PM

-- Edited by Holly Page on Monday 15th of September 2014 09:41:00 PM

All the same birds mentioned on Saturday on show again today.
Only addition was a distant fly by Caspian gull
nice to bump into lots of familiar faces including some Gm birders. You know who you are ;)

Great day at Spurn yesterday. Only my second ever visit. Preparations well under way for the Migration Festival, with plenty of birders about with radios. I parked up just beyond the Crown & Anchor, near to Cliff Farm and within 10 minutes was on to the fantastic Wryneck which was sat on the top of one of trees in the garden. First lifer of the day! It later came down onto the rocks along the seafront giving fantastic views. Just on the mud next to where it was showing and in amongst the Dunlin and Redshank was a Curlew Sandpiper. Next, was a walk of only 20 yards or so up the road towards the point, where, after a lot of hard work, I also managed to pick up the juvenile Barred Warbler in one of the roadside hedges. Second lifer! These hedges were alive with migrants. In the 10 minutes I stood there, I'd seen two male Redstarts, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Whitethroat. I then decided to walk up the cliff edge path behind Cliff Farm. Here I saw, amongst the many Meadow Pipits, 3 Whinchat. I also got slightly clearer views of the Barred Warbler, as the back of the hedge which it favoured could be seen from this path, albeit, distantly. I walked up to the hide at Canal Scrape (I think it's called?) Here I had a female Redstart, a Willow Warbler and a female Pied Flycatcher all in the same bush over the back of the scrape and all in the same scope view at the same time. Also present was a Snipe. I then decided to walk back up the road back towards Kilnsea. Along the way, I had another two, really close, female Pied Flycatchers, doing what they do best, from a fence along the roadside as well as another female Redstart. I also had another Whinchat. I then walked up to the Kilnsea Wetlands. Highlights being a juvenile Little Stint and another Curlew Sandpiper. Walking back up the road towards the Crown & Anchor again, I spotted two Wheatear in the ploughed fields then walked back up to just near the barrier to the point and had a quick scan through the wader flocks. Lots of Bar-tailed Godwits, with one or two still in stunning summer plumage. Similarly, a smaller Grey Plover flock, also some summer plumages individuals. Also present were Redshank, Turnstone, Dunlin, Little Egret and Curlew. I also saw my last male Redstart of the day here. No time for any sea watching and, no doubt I still missed loads of other stuff too (apparently, there had been two Wrynecks and 4 Barred Warblers in the vicinity that day) but still a brilliant day, resulting in two lifers. And there aren't many days like that in UK birding for me nowadays!

-- Edited by Patrick Earith on Saturday 6th of September 2014 09:03:07 AM

had a little 4 day holiday on the east coast, visited spurn on 3 occasions (my first ever visit to here) on sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday, surprised I didn't bump into you tim
my best day being Tuesday when I got 3 lifers within 30 mins, the first being a WRYNECK as I was walking up the path along the canal scrape on my way to kew villa, one of the wardens was waving me over as he had just found it sat on a post, got my scope on it whilst the chap called others on his walkie talkie. then at kew villa within 10 minutes I was watching a COMMON ROSEFINCH & ICTIRINE WARBLER
other highlights on the Tuesday amongst the 65 species seen.......

at least 6 pied flycatchers ( doubled that on the Wednesday)
8 whinchats ( at least 12 on the Wednesday)
1 cuckoo
2 garden warblers
30-40 yellow wagtails
4 wheatears
11 little gulls ( 3 on Wednesday)
4 artic skuas, 1 pale phase
swallows, sand martins & house martins all around
willow warblers & whitethroats were all around
3 whimbrel
3 green sandpipers
good numbers of knot on the estuary
also dunlins, bar tailed godwits, redshanks, ringed plovers, golden & grey plovers.
several little egrets around

I did manage to get another brief view of the ictirine warbler on Wednesday.

overall a great trip with 4 lifers, the arctic skuas were lifers also.
I did manage 2 bonxies at flamborough head on Monday with manx shearwaters, but dipped twice on the barred warblers, never mind.

A day trip to Spurn yesterday in glorious weather with a light easterly breeze - perfect

On the estuary at low tiide:
Golden Plover 100s in the heathaze with
Dunlin 100s
Ringed Plover 100s
Redshank 100s
Curlew 50+
Black-tailed Godwit 1 on the beach at Spurn

Pied Flycatcher I saw 10 for the day but there were many more present
Willow Warbler 3 or 4
Whinchat 1
Kestrel 1
Swallows everywhere
but best of all I found my own WRYNECK about 500m north of the lighthouse but with no other birders about was the only observer - the rest had gone to Sammy's Point for one there

An Icterine Warbler was present in the Kew Villa garden in a plum tree. I didn't see it after an hour's vigil but a Garden Warbler was there along with 4 Red Admirals, numerous Speckled Woods and Whites and Migrant Hawkers

Anyone going should be aware that the road has simply gone and Spurn is now an island cut off at high tide. It looks very unlikely to be rebuilt across 500m of wet sand and only RNLI Land Rovers are allowed across. The reason there were rather few birders there is you have to walk and it's 3.5 miles from the Observatory car park to the point so a 3 and a half hour, 7 mile round walk even if you don't spend long searching but it makes it gloriously wild with no cars. The iconic telegraph poles have all been cut down too. I found the Wryneck at 4pm and called it to BirdGuides but with high tide due at 6.30pm I doubt anyone else went to look for it.

Had two and a half days last week. No major rarities but plenty common migrants around. Fantastic scope filling views of male and female common redstarts, ring ouzels, cuckoo. Really nice to see loads of waders in breeding plumage too.

An incredible day at Spurn today. I've never seen so many birds, I was spoilt for choice on what to look at through the bins. Highlights were:-

My first Barred Warbler on the lane near Cliff Farm.
My first Dusky Warbler behind Cliff Farm. Only very brief views of this as it was really elusive.
Several Mealy Redpolls - opposite Rose Cottage and Sammy's Point.
Two, possibly three Great Grey Shrikes down the point. Due the road being shut down the point I took my bike which turned out to be better than walking.
Loads of Bramblings at the point.
Quail near the big hedge - bumped into Simon Warford and Melanie Beckford here too.
Hundreds of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs - every bush seemed to have at least three. The variation in Chiffchaffs was really good to see, ranging from some quite yellow looking birds to some very dark ones.
Thousands of Redwings, Blackbirds, a few Fieldfares - they were absolutely everywhere you looked.

I missed out on one or two birds but I wasn't too bothered as there was that much to look at.

Beacon Lane

Great Snipe showing to about 1 metre
1 Snow Bunting
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Wheatear

After the big fall of migrants here over the weekend I thought I may have missed the boat with most of them. Thankfully, there were still plenty of birds around for today's visit with John Barber for company.

We arrived at six this morning to thick fog and mist which didn't fill us with much hope and after a couple of hours birding down the point we'd only managed a Whinchat and a couple of Wheatears. By 9 am things got better as the fog started to lift and the birds became more active. After checking in at the obs we learned of a Wryneck showing down near the Crown & Anchor pub. We got down there and a few birders were already gathered. The bird was a little elusive but showed itself on and off for ten minutes or so before disappearing again. A walk down the shoreline southwards here then produced the goods with a few Whinchat, a couple of Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher and a cracking Red Backed Shrike. We watched it for a while as it flit around. It caught a bee at one point and ate it full view before relocating to a tree with a male Redstart for company. Back near the pub the Wryneck was down on the beach playing hide and seek in the boulders.

After this we moved up the point to find the Red Breasted Flycatcher near the wire dump. The bird had been reported half an hour previously so hopes were high. After twenty minutes looking and only two Spotted Flycatchers and a fly by Red Backed Shrike on show, a warbler popped up into view. One birder immediately called Icterine and the bird showed for us for about ten minutes on and off before disappearing. A cracking bird to see and much less yellow than the one I saw in Majorca in May.

Making our way back to the car I immediately spotted a flycatcher low down in a bush. Got the bins on it and saw it was the Red Breasted flycatcher we'd initially been looking for. We then 'chased' it around the bushes for the half an hour as it lead us a merry dance. A look for the reported Barred Warbler at the end of the point proved fruitless so we then decided to get some lunch and go back to see the Wryneck again. This turned out to be a great decision as the Wryneck was now giving unbelieveable views as it fed on the verge in front of the pub literally yards from passing cars and photographers. This had to be the most photogenic bird I've ever seen as it was completely unphased by all the activity around it. Definitely now one of my most favourite birds!

Overall today we managed 56 species and personally I scored 3 lifers. Highlights were:

Wryneck
Icterine Warbler
Red Breasted Flycatcher
Two Red Backed Shrikes
Juvenile Cuckoo
Redstarts
Pied Flycatchers
Spotted Flycatchers
Whinchats
Whimbrels
Garden Warblers
Lesser Whitethroats

Don't think I was. Only started seawatching from around 11ish. Dipped!

Craig Higson wrote:

---

Must have overlapped somewhere Henry! Were you staying in the Obs?

---

Yep, but don't remember bumping into you. Were you at the log?
Henry.

26-27/10/2012 - A busy couple of days with some remnants of the fall earlier on in the week still present and productive seawatching:

8 Little Auks
2 Long-tailed Ducks
7 Scaups
2 Goldeneyes
1 Pintail
23 Eiders
2 Red-breasted Mergansers
25+ Red-throated Divers
1 Canada Goose
28 Pink-footed Geese
7 Dark-bellied Brent Geese
2 Sooty Shearwaters
1 Pomarine Skua
1 Arctic Skua
10+ Bonxies
1 Merlin
2 Woodocks
2 Jack Snipes
2 Ruffs
1 Purple Sandpiper
4 Swallows
3 Waxwings
200+ Redwings
300+ Fieldfares
200+ Blackbirds
1 Ring Ouzel
100+ Robins - also quite a few dead unfortunately
2 Blackcaps
20+ Chiffchaffs
30+ Goldcrests - a few desperately pottering around the beach
3 Tree Sparrows
c100 Bramblings
15 Twites
7 Snow Buntings

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Sunday 28th of October 2012 09:49:21 AM

I've just seen that Steve. Typical eh? A day took early!

Made my first ever visit to Spurn on Saturday with fellow birder John Barber. As it was my first trip we decided to make it a two dayer by staying over in the rather excellent B & B of Westmere Farm at Kilnsea.

We arrived at the point at around 8.40 on Saturday morning and headed straight to the end for a wander around to see what was about. John has been many times before and remarked that it seemed a little quiet. The weather had not been great of late for any heavy migration but with a nice bright morning we had a good hunt around anyway. News of a Little Auk off shore had John twitching straight away as he was still to see one of these but the term 'a needle in a haystack' flew to mind given the size of the area. After a wander of an hour or so we returned to the car with only Greenfinches, Reed Buntings, Blackbirds, Linnets, Wrens, Stonechats, Robins, Goldcrests and Tits to our tally really. Some very migration was also noted with mostly Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and the like.

Further back down the point we checked out another area where I found a really nice and obliging Rock Pipit on the beach. Whilst a look along the Humber shore produced Curlews, Redshanks, Sanderlings, Turnstones and a few Grey Plovers.

After this we had a quick look over at the canal scrape before heading up to Kilnsea Wetlands. The pools were fairly quiet with only a few mixed gulls and Brent Geese of note. The pool nearest the sea also had three Little Grebe on it too. A Short Eared Owl fresh in off the sea here was the best sight as it got some grief off a Crow. Back towards the car park we caught sight of another Short Eared Owl across the main road before we noticed what was probably the original bird heading our way, with Crow still in tow. Fortunately for us it flew straight towards us and gave us views down to two metres as it flew straight over our heads. Other birds in this area were some fairly large flocks of Golden Plover circling around looking for places to land.

John's advice was then to go and check out the trees in Kilnsea chruchyard and the Crown & Anchor pub. This proved a little fruitless though with only a couple of Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff on show. We then headed over to Sammys Point for lunch and a quick look before heading over to the trees at the Easington Gas terminal. Here we found a nice mixed flock of tits and after much pishing managed to worm out a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff. No other warblers present though!

We then received news of a Yellow Browed Warbler down on the point so we headed back down there to look for it. Unfortunately after much hunting around by us and about another twenty birders no sight or sound of the bird could be found. We did manage to find several Goldcrests, a Blackcap and a one eyed Willow Warbler though!!

The next day we awoke to heavy mist but as the light rose so the mist began to break up. Down on the point again there were a good few Redwing about feasting on the hawthorn berries. These were mixed in with good numbers of Blackbirds - all appeared to be new arrivals. A bit of light migration was evident too with fly over Siskin, Pink Footed Geese and huge movements of Wood Pigeons out over the estuary. A short sea watch by the Observatory also produced two Red Throated Divers, two Gannets, several Porpoise and a Grey Seal.

We then mooted our next move and after deciding that it appeared to be another reasonably quiet day we took off early. Our plan was to call in at Anglers Country Park on the way home to see the American Wigeon that had been present for a while.

After one hell of a delay in Hull due to roadworks we finally arrived in foggy Wakefield at around 1.30. We soon located the bird and had good views down to about 20 yards - a new lifer for both myself and John.

Despite it being on the quiet side though we managed 68 species at Spurn. I really enjoyed it over there and will definitely be returning again sometime soon.

A few shots on my flickr page for those interested.



-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Monday 22nd of October 2012 08:15:07 PM

Late entry from Saturday. Spent the day with Dave Steel, Roy Taylor (Junior and Senior) and a couple of other mates. Did a Visible Migration watch from first light at the Narrow Necks - best birds were a Little Auk at close range on the Humber side, plus an over-flying Wood Lark and few Twite and Bramblings and Swallows. At 9.00 am moved down to the Point where I managed to find a Yellow-browed Warbler among small numbers of Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. A Merlin provided additional entertainment, ringing up to try and catch incoming Meadow Pipits. It finally managed to nail one after a long chase and then dropped onto the beach to eat it. Bearded Tits and a couple of Short-eared Owls were other good records before heading off in mid-afternoon.

Cheers David

On arrival at Spurn at 9.00am it soon became apparent that it was going to be rather quiet - and so it panned out as the day went on. Very few migrants seen all day. But there is always something of interest to see at Spurn. Most activity was over the sea. Cold start but then warm sunshine all day with v.light NW breeze


My day's sightings as follows:
Main highlight were the huge numbers of Little Gulls feeding offshore - Spurn Obs website estimated 5000.
1 Sooty Shearwater
1 Bonxie
20+ Red-throated Diver
lots of Razorbill
3 Eider - all male
c.80 Common Scoter
3 Greylag - new Beacon wetlands
3 Chiffchaff - including 1 bird singing at point
1 Whimbrel - beach at Bluebell - hopping due to injured left leg!
100+ Golden Plover over
1 Spotted Flycatcher - point
3 Swallow
12+ Little Egret
20+ Bar tailed Godwit
c.50+ dark bellied Brent Geese
c.200+ Shelduck
lots of Gannets off shore
2 Coal Tit - rare here!
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - on telegraph wire near Kew - earlier seen moving north along peninsular
3 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
4 Siskin - churchyard
10+ Tree Sparrow
50+ Goldfinch
Lesser Redpoll - heard overhead only
Wader roost at high tide -good numbers of Knot, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Redshank, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Sanderling.
Also seen: Meadow Pipits, Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tit, Wren, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, alba Wagtail, Linnet, Greenfinch, 5 Mute Swan, Mallard, Common, Herring, Black-headed, Great and Lesser Black backed Gulls.

No winter thrushes at all!

Mammal sightings:
1 Common Seal - hauled out on beach by lifeboat pier
3 Grey Seal
1 Porpoise
4 Roe Deer - a point dunes and 3 Kilnsea
1 Fox - Kilnsea
1 Hare

also:
1 dead Brown Rat!
1 dead Hedgehog!

Butterflies:
6 Red Admirals
1 Comma
1 Large White

finally: c.80 Pinkfeet NE over M62 at Goole on way home.

-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Sunday 7th of October 2012 10:05:45 PM

-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Monday 8th of October 2012 07:53:39 AM

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