Spurn Bird Observatory Sightings August 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.
Saturday, 09 August 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 200 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
Mostly bright and sunny with a stiff F5 westerly breeze. Watches 0630-1000, 1750-2030.
Waders generally dominated the day with an incredible record 3 White-rumped Sandpipers the days highlight on beacon ponds along with 3 Curlew Sandpipers, 9 Avocets, a Lapwing and a Common Sandpiper with canal scrape hosting 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Snipe, single Greenshank and a Ruff with 220 Sanderlingson the nearby Humber. Beacon ponds also held 2 Roseate Terns, a Black Tern, 1016 Common Terns, 385 Little Terns, 26 Little Egrets and a wandering Red Kite. Some southerly movement of Waders also brought 20 Knots and 57 Sanderlings.
Some Passerine interest came in the form of 15 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 22 Reed Warblers, a Treecreeper, single Black Redstart oppsite the Obs, a Wheatear and a Crossbill.
Ringing 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Swallow, 5 Willow Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler, 17/5
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Black-tailed Godwits - Harry Appleyard.
Snipe - Tate Lloyd.
Friday, 08 August 2025
Sunny and pleasant with a light F4 westerly breeze and just the odd light shower. Watches 0630-1000, 1750-2030.
The adult White-rumped Sandpiper was again on beacon ponds along with 9 Avocets, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Black Terns, 230 Little Terns, a Roseate Tern, 100 Little Gulls, 17 Little Egrets and single Red Kite and a Marsh Harrier. Canal scrape also still had a few bits with ad and juvenile Water Rails, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Snipe, a Greenshank and single Ruff with a Yellow-legged Gull nearby on the Humber.
The evening roost movement had 3 Black Terns, 11 Arctic Terns and 2661 Common Terns (plus the Roseate Tern from ponds).
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Ruff - Harry Appleyard.
Black-tailed Godwit - Tate Lloyd.
Thursday, 07 August 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 200 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
The odd heavy shower but mainly sunny today with a stiff F5 westerly brezze. Watches 0630-0900 1800-2020.
There were several bits of interest during the day with a Glossy Ibis which arrived from the north lingering for a while then headed off south, presumably the same White-rumped Sandpiper again at beacon ponds where the 2 Roseate Terns and Curlew Sandpiper were again present along with 331 Little Terns, 25 Little Gulls and 34 Mediterranean Gulls and a Long-tailed Skua south which was first seen at Withernsea. Also over the sea 5 Arctic Skaus, 14 Razorbills, a Sooty Shearwater and 3 Manx Shearwaters and the evening roost movement having a Black Tern, 30 Arctic Terns and 2040 Common Terns..
Canal scrape attracted a few Waders with 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Snipe, a Greenshank and 2 Ruff.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Black-tailed Godwit - Tate Lloyd.
Ruff - Tate Lloyd.
Glossy Ibis - Thomas Willoughby.
Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Sunny spells and some showers with a decreasing F6 north west wind. Watches 0530-1000, 1730-2000.
The adult Caspian Gull and Yellow-legged Gull were present again off the Riverside while at beacon ponds 2 Curlew Sandpipers, another good count of 382 Little Terns, a Black Tern, 25 Little Gulls and a Short-eared Owl.
Passerine interest was again limited to 7 Willow Warblers, single Goldcrest, a Wheatear, 4 Crossbills and 3 Corn Buntings.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Caspian Gull - Thomas Willoughby.
Tuesday, 05 August 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 200 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
Not as wild as yesterday and getting better as the day wore on some rain and some sun in strong F7 north west winds. Watches 0555-1000, 1200-1300, 1745-2000.
There was some movement over the sea in the morning albeit modest which saw a Cory's Shearwater head south plus 29 Common Scoters, 14 Oystercatchers, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Turnstones, 10 Knot, 38 Sanderlings, a Black Tern, 60 Arctic Terns, 839 Common Terns, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 Fulmars and 67 Gannets. There was little overland movement though 6 Tree Pipits flew south with 3 Crossbills mobile in area.
The beacon ponds area held 24 Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff, 320 Little Terns, maybe the same 2 Roseate Terns, 25 Little Gulls and a Merlin.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Whitethroats - Harry Appleyard.
Monday, 04 August 2025
A wild day with a F9 westrly storm coming through with some rain attached. Watches 0630-1000, 1750-2030.
The day saw another great total of 340 Little Terns at beacon ponds where a Curlew Sandpiper, 150 Sandwich Terns and 25 Little Gulls were also present.
There was some light movement including 850 Swifts the first movement of signifance in several weeks while Waders trickled through the toatl of 24 Whimbrels was the best count. The evening Tern roost movement saw 12 Arctic Terns and 1634 Common Terns and 5 Arctic Skuas lingered offshore.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Sunday, 03 August 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 200 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
Sunny spells and some showers with a stiff F5 north west breeze. Watches 0630-1000 1830-2000.
The day after the annual BBQ at the Obs with the threat of rain a quick clean up followed by some lethargic birding producing a juvenile Caspian Gull blogging around the area, 2 Curlew Sandpipers and 100 Little Gulls at beacon ponds
Ringing 7 Willow warblers, 3 Reed Warblers, 1 Wren, 11/3 Day after the annual BBQ, with most people really lethargic while some grounded migrants included 41 Willow Warblers, a Tree Pipiot and single Crossbill.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Saturday, 02 August 2025
Cloudy start brightening up later with a light dropping wind. Watches 0630-1000.
The sea had a nice array of species on offer but no big numbers with 2 Teal 2 Tufted Ducks, 111 Common Scoters, 28 Oystercatchers, a Whimbrel, 25 Redshanks, 14 Sanderlings, 184 Arctic Terns, an adult Pomarine Skua, single Puffin, 2 Fulmars, 3 Sooty Shearwaters and 2 Manx Shearwaters.
The Humber had the Little Stint again where there were also 2 Green Sandpipers and a Ruff plus an adult Caspian Gull, juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and an Osprey. Passerine wise a Treecreeper at the Obs, Whinchat in the triangle. Wheatear at beacon ponds and mobile Cuckoo and Tree Pipit.
Just outside the area the Stone Curlew was still present at Skeffling and 2 Ravens here also.
Ringing 1 Willow Warbler, 1/1 AGM today then committee meeting followed by the annual BBQ
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Caspian Gull - Thomas Willoughby.
Yellow-legged Gull - Thomas Willoughby.
Friday, 01 August 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 190 birds are present in the colony and can be viewed well from the flood bank.
Mainly cloudy with the odd glimpse of the sun, with a stiffish F5 northerly wind. Watches 0630-1000, 1730-1930.
Ther first 2 Sooty Shearwaters of the autumn flew north past the seawatch hut plus a Manx Shearwater and 126 Gannets while the Humber had 98 Little Gulls blogging, a Greenshank, single Spotted Redshank, 2500 Dunlin and a Little Stint. Passerines were few in numbers but 18 Willow Warblers were counted and a Red Kite wandered the area.
Ringing 1 Oystercatcher (p), 5 Avocet (p), 2 Ringed Plover (p), 9 Little Tern (p), 17/4
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
