Spurn Bird Observatory Sightings July 2025
With so many birders covering the Spurn area it is always helpful for us to get as many records submitted to us as possible. Please try to send in sightings on the same day so we can get them added to the log.
Scroll down for more detail.
Thursday, 10 July 2025
A hot bright and sunny day with a moderate F5 westerly wind. Watches 0630-1000 1800-1840.
A Bee-eater flying south was maybe the bird from a few days ago while a Spoonbill headed the same way but apart from 144 Little Gulls heading north there was little else moving.
The Humber again a decent selection of Waders as numbers slowy increased with 72 Golden Plovers, 125 Curlews, 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 189 Redshanks, a Spotted Redshank and 1257 Dunlin while at the ponds 160 Little Terns, 150 Sandwich Terns, 18 Little Gulls, 290 Black-headed Gulls and 10 Mediterranean Gulls.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Polite reminder for all visitors: the Little Tern colony at Beacon Ponds is extremely vulnerable to disturbance. PLEASE STAY WELL AWAY from the fenced area of beach, which is clearly signposted, and respect the wardens on duty. Up to 130 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
Warm and sunny with lightish F2 south east winds. Watches 0630-1000, 1100-1330, 1400-1500, 1740-1900.
The vismiggers saw a return of some decent movement over both land and sea including some unseasonal Hirundine movement the best being 200 Common Scoters, 9 Little Gulls, an Arctic Skua, single Puffin, 71 Large Auk sp, 46 Guillemots, a Great Northern Diver, 18 Manx Shearwaters, 361 Gannets, 389 Sand Martins, 994 Swallows, 77 House Martins and a Corn Bunting.
It was quite tough going elsewhere a Spoonbill on beacon ponds and 91 Golden Plovers, 2 Whimbrels, 52 Curlews, 620 Dunlins and a Greenshank on the Humber the best of the other sightings. It was insects which again dominated the best of the sightings with our 2nd Keeled Skimmer in churchfield and a Lesser Emperor at beacon ponds plus a Dark Green Fritillary and White-letter Hairstreak in Kilnsea
Ringing 1 Lesser Whitethroat (P), 1 Wren 2/2
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Rain overnight overcast til mid-morning clearing leaving sunshine in a moderate F3 westerly wind. Watches 0630-1000.
Increases of Waders almost overnight saw Dunlin swell to 1156 birds on the Humber and beacon ponds where 2 Spoonbills, 12 Little Gulls and 180 Little Terns were present while a Green Sandpiper flew south.
Elsewhere a Cetti's Warbler was along the peninsual while the sea was quieter with a Wigeon, 14 Little Gulls, 35 Kittiwakes, 2 Arctic Skuas, 4 Puffins, 112 Large Auk sp and 128 Gannets.
Ringing 1 Oystercatcher (p), 4 Ringed Plover (p), 31 Little Tern (P), 4 Blue Tit, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Robin, 1 Dunnock 45/7
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Golden Plover - John Hewitt.
Monday, 07 July 2025
Polite reminder for all visitors: the Little Tern colony at Beacon Ponds is extremely vulnerable to disturbance. PLEASE STAY WELL AWAY from the fenced area of beach, which is clearly signposted, and respect the wardens on duty. Up to 130 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
Some showers on and off all day with a decreasing F6 north west wind. Watches 0640-1150, 1515-1630.
There was some interest over the sea the best being 150 Little Gulls, 420 Kittiwakes, an Arctic Skua, a Puffin, 57 Razorbills, 238 Guillemots, 50 Manx Shearwaters and 205 Gannets.
There were 3 Curlew Sandpipers and a Greenshank again on the Humber and 58 Little Gulls were on beacon ponds.
Ringing 3 Oystercatcher (P), 1 Barn Owl (P), 4/2
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Little Gull - Thomas Willoughby.
Sunday, 06 July 2025
Showers or longer spells of rain admixed with sunny spells in light F2 westerly winds. Watches 0630-1000, 1100-1300, 1330-1430.
There was a nice non usual selection of species around the area including 2 Roseate Terns and 3 Curlew Sandpipers on the Humber, a Cattle Egret flew north at the warren and the Little Stint and 76 Little Gulls still on beacon ponds with also a Cuckoo and Redwing in the triangle, a Treecreeper at Kew and a Crossbill which flew west over the Humber.
There was little in the way of movement bar 368 Swifts, 36 Sand Martins, 4 Little Gulls and 11 Manx Shearwaters.
Another record for Lesser Emperor photgraphed in Kilnsea and a female Purple Hairstreak again around Kew.
Ringing 2 Barn Owl (P), 1 Treecreeper, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Dunnock, 7/6
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Roseate Tern - Harry Appleyard.
Saturday, 05 July 2025
Polite reminder for all visitors: the Little Tern colony at Beacon Ponds is extremely vulnerable to disturbance. PLEASE STAY WELL AWAY from the fenced area of beach, which is clearly signposted, and respect the wardens on duty. Up to 130 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
A showery day with an increasing wind dropping of late on with occasional sunshine. Watches 0615-1030 1430-1600.
The day again saw some movement but no big numbers again though a Bee-eater wandered the area before heading south. Also moving 1720 Swifts, an Arctic Skua, a Hobby, 130 Sand Martins, 32 Swallows, 6 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Siskins.
There were 3 Curlew Sandpipers on the Humber with the ponds area having a Little Stint, 46 Black-tailed Godwits, 122 Sandwich Terns, 194 Little Terns, 34 Little Gulls and 15 Mediterranean Gulls.
A White-letter Hairstreak was at Kew again.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Bee-eater - Harry Appleyard.
Friday, 04 July 2025
Rain in spells and some showers rather windy F6 westerly. Watches 0620-1000, 1030-1315, 1600-1900.
In a far from classic summer so far another 3364 Swifts flew south along with 329 Sand Martins, 95 Swallows and a Siskin. There was another visit to beacon ponds of maybe one of the same Roseate Terns where 60 Sandwich terns and 28 Little Gulls had gathered and 200 Kittiwakes lingered offshore. The Humber had 2 Curlew Sandpipers off the warren and 26 Black-tailed Godwits.
Ringing 1 Swallow, 6 Blue Tit, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 10/4
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Shelducks - Harry Appleyard.
Thursday, 03 July 2025
Polite reminder for all visitors: the Little Tern colony at Beacon Ponds is extremely vulnerable to disturbance. PLEASE STAY WELL AWAY from the fenced area of beach, which is clearly signposted, and respect the wardens on duty. Up to 130 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
A bright sunny start with light F2 north westerly winds which picked up later on with cloud rolling in. Watches 0630-1000.
The ponds area was the best focal point again with big numbers of birds gathering here an adult Roseate Tern the highlight plus 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Greenshanks, 200 Dunlin, 157 Little Terns, 3 Arctic Terns, 5 Common Terns, 73 Sandwich Terns, 98 Little Gulls, 400 Black-headed Gulls and 25 Mediterranean Gulls.
The best of the sea were 25 Teal, 2 Eiders, 417 Kittiwakes, 3 Puffins and 140 Gannets.
The 3rd record of Dark Green Fritillary was in Easington, a pod of 25+ Bottlenose Dolphins offshore from Easington and several Hummingbird Hawkmoths around the area.
Ringing 1 Moorhen, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting, 8/5
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Roseate Tern with Sandwich Terns - John Hewitt.
Tortoishelle, Comma, Small White and Meadow Brown - Harry Appleyard. Its been a very good year for Butterflies so far the most noteable being Commas with large numbers in the area.
Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Rain all morning brightening up in the afternoon with an increasing F6 north westerly wind. Watches 0630-1000.
The best the day saw Spurns 2nd White-letter Hairstreak and 3rd Purple Hairstreak at Kew. Birdwise it was another quiet day as the rain and wind put observers off going out with the best of todays sightings from the hides at Kilnsea wetlands and the seawatch hut. Over the sea 18 Teal, 288 Common Scoters, 51 Kittiwakes, a Puffin, 37 Manx Shearwaters and 74 Gannets while on the wetlands a Tufted Duck, 7 Black-tailed Godwits, 200 Dunlin, 3 Arctic Terns, 70 Sandwich Terns, 68 Little Gulls, 56 Mediterranean Gulls and 8 Litle Egrets with a Wheatear nearby on Easington beach.
Ringing 1 Great Tit 1/1
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
White-letter Hairstreak - Harry Appleyard.
Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Harry Appleyard. Good numbers are present in the recording area at the moment.
Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Polite reminder for all visitors: the Little Tern colony at Beacon Ponds is extremely vulnerable to disturbance. PLEASE STAY WELL AWAY from the fenced area of beach, which is clearly signposted, and respect the wardens on duty. Up to 130 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
Hot and humid to start with until it clouded over and the wind increased to a F6 north westerly. Watches 0630-1000.
In a complete change to the previous two days there were several bits of interest noteably 2 Roseate Terns visiting the ponds and a Caspian Gull in the same area. The ponds area also held 30 Teal, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper, single Greenshank, 368 Dunlin, 64 Sandwich Terns, 57 Little Gulls, 24 Mediterranean Gulls, a Yellow-legged Gull and 10 Little Egrets.
A juvenile Black Redstart was in Kilnsea while 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker blogged the area. There was more on the move including an unseasonal Goldeneye, 35 Teal, 617 Common Scoters, 5 Puffins, 54 Manx Shearwaters, a Shag and 2 Yellow Wagtails.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Black Redstart - Thomas Willoughby.
Red-veined Darter - Harry Appleyard.
