September Sightings Roundup

September started brilliantly in moderate easterly winds, with plenty of passage over the sea and a good arrival of passerines on the land too.

A Sabine’s Gull and Cory’s Shearwater flew south offshore, while a Storm Petrel was loafing close in off Beacon Ponds before suffering its demise in the breakers, while on land there was new Red-backed Shrike along the Canal, a Red-breasted Flycatcher and Rosefinch at the Point and a total of three Wrynecks recorded in the area. There were also 52 Pied Flycatchers, 38 Redstarts, 27 Whinchats and 116 Wheatears.

The 2nd provided more good birding, with new arrivals being two Wrynecks (plus a hanger on from day before), Greenish Warbler in Church Field, Barred Warbler at Middle Camp and Grey-headed Wagtail at the Point. The 3rd produced southbound Cory’s Shearwater and Honey Buzzard, while singles of new Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike and Greenish Warbler were in Easington, while a lingering Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck was still in the Triangle, and the Greenish Warbler was still in Church Field, which hung on until the 6th. A quieter day on the 4th, although a smart and informative juvenile ringtail Harrier flew south, allowing good views and images to be taken by some, revealing its identity to be a Hen x Pallid Harrier hybrid. A dark adult Pomarine Skua flew north over the sea in the evening too. A fantastic day seawatching in a strong northerly on the 5th was hampered mostly by poor visibility, with fog coming and going all day, although most birds passed in the last 90 mins of light when the visibility improved greatly. The end of day totals included a Red-necked Grebe, two Roseate Terns, a Long-tailed Skua, 10 Puffin, 44 Sooty Shearwaters, 118 Manx Shearwaters and four Balearic Shearwaters all north, the latter being a joint highest count for the Observatory. A Rosefinch was also found in the Canal Bushes. During the final day of Migfest preparations on the 6th, with the event starting that afternoon, plenty of good birding was being had with 6 Sooty and a Balearic Shearwater north over the sea, while a new immature female Pallid Harrier cruised about the area, a Bee-eater was hawking insects over Easington Straight, three new Wrynecks were in the area, an Icterine Warbler at Chalk Bank, an adult male Red-breasted Flycatcher at the Crown and Anchor and a Red-backed Shrike appeared in the field with the newly arriving Migfesters! Plus a good scattering of commoner migrants too, with the highest count of Spotted Flycatchers recorded since 10th September 2002, with a minimum of 47 seen in the area. A foggy first full day of Migfest hampered spirits and birding somewhat, but the good birds kept coming. Three Quails were seen in the area, two coming in-off the sea and another flushed along the Peninsula, a Storm Petrel flying south past the seawatching hut, the Pallid Harrier continued its weekend performance, a Wood Warbler, an Ortolan Bunting, the stunning adult male Red-breasted Flycatcher in the Crown car park and Migfests first ever Yellow-browed Warbler! The 8th was a Wryneck bonanza, as six were seen between the Point and Sammy’s. The autumn’s first Fieldfare was at the Narrows whilst a Dotterel and another Honey Buzzard flew south. 

More autumn firsts on the 9th with flocks of Pink-footed Geese flying south and out on the Humber, there was some also excellent birds over the sea with juvenile Sabine’s Gull, a Black-throated Diver and Cory’s Shearwater, while a male Red-footed Falcon flew south-east out to sea in the evening. The first Jack Snipe of the season was on Borrow Pit on the 12th, and 157 Sooty and a Balearic Shearwater flew north in the afternoon. A Cattle Egret in the Triangle on the 14th ended up u-turning at the Warren before returning back to Walker Butts. A Glossy Ibis flew north on the 15th, briefly alighting on Beacon Ponds. On what was a very quiet seawatch on the 17th with only one Manx Shearwater and Fulmar otherwise, a Fea’s type Petrel flew north past the seawatching hide at 08:00hrs but was unfortunately not picked up by others further up the coast. Two Black-throated Divers flew south that morning too. Light north-easterlies brought in a few new migrants including six southbound Great White Egrets, two Yellow-browed Warblers, a Rosefinch and a smart male Siberian Stonechat which however wasn’t identified till the following morning - while a Cory’s Shearwater and three Long-tailed Skuas flew north over the sea however the real surprise was over the land when a flock of 41 Great White Egrets presumably came ‘in-off’ and flew north west up the peninsula, landing on the Humber off Sammy’s. This being a Yorkshire record count, and presumably record migrating flock size in Britain? Yellow-browed Warblers increased to nine on the 19th, while two new Red-breasted Flycatchers were found along the peninsula and a Treecreeper was in Easington. More arrivals on the 20th, highlighted by five Red-breasted Flycatchers in the area! The two were still along the peninsula, while others at Canal Bushes, Vicar’s Lane and North Terminal Copse in Easington. A total of six Pomarine Skuas flew south in the evening. Yellow-browed Warblers again increased on the 21st to 15 birds, while a Dusky Warbler was found at the Parade Ground and two Barred Warblers were in the area with birds in Kilnsea and at Easington Lagoons. Three Red-breasted Flycatchers were still present from the previous day. A completely fogged out day on the 22nd but there was a hint of new birds in, with a Barred Warbler in the Canal Bushes. Lots of excitement on the 23rd, with a 1st year Pallid Harrier making it to the Breach before turning back north, the presumed returning American Wigeon on Kilnsea Wetlands, a White-rumped Sandpiper on Easington Lagoons, a new Red-breasted Flycatcher in the Crown car park and a Rosefinch at the southern end of the Canal, while a juvenile Sabine’s Gull fed offshore before drifting south with Little Gulls. The American Wigeon was still present on the 24th (starting its long stay into October), but a Snow Bunting was at Easington Lagoons although the star of the day was a 1st year Red-flanked Bluetail found at the Warren gate, showing on occasions in the large Hawthorns, and then later trapped and ringed. On the 25th, there were six Ruddy Shelduck recorded with four flying south and two on the Humber, an Osprey also flew south plus a juvenile Sabine’s Gull was briefly on Beacon Ponds and a Barred Warbler was in the Canal Bushes. An adult Sabine’s Gull flew south in the evening of the 26th which was the beginning of an excellent seawatch the following day when a Long-tailed Duck, a Red-necked Grebe, two Long-tailed Skuas, two Pomarine Skuas, 13 Great Skuas (the highest count of the year so far), two Leach’s Petrels and 135 Sooty Shearwaters flew past. A male Hen Harrier graced the peninsula. Fresh arrivals on a light north-westerly on the 28th were highlighted by an incredibly showy and vocal Arctic Warbler in the Canal Bushes (which hung around into October), 20 Yellow-browed Warblers in the area which was the highest count since 2020, a Quail and Hawfinch in Kilnsea, a Ring-necked Parakeet in Easington and the juvenile Pallid Harrier put in another appearance. New Firecrest and Barred Warbler in the area on the 29th but it was a quiet end to the month on the 30th for new arrivals but the Arctic Warbler and Pallid Harrier both showed well.