Spurn Bird Observatory Sightings September 2026
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.
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Wednesday, 09 September 2026
Sunny spells with an increasing swinging F6 north westerly wind. atches 0630-1000, 1430-1535, 1745-1945
A late in the date superb movement over the sea saw 2 Leach's Petrels and 3 Sabines Gulls past the seawatch hut plus 10 Arctic Skuas, 4 Great Skuas, a Puffin, 38 Red-throated Divers, 7 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Manx Shearwaters and 121 Gannets.
A scatter of migrants included 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, 5 Whinchats, 2 Wheatears and a Tree Pipit.
Ringing 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Robin, 15 Tree Sparrow, 20/5 Lots of mig fest setting u done this afternoon.
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Tuesday, 08 September 2026
An increasing F6 north west wind all day with some sunny spells. Watches 0620-1000, 1820-2015
There was not a lot of change in the ponds area but it was still brilliant anyway with Pectoral Sandpiper, single Greenshank, 4 Curlew Sandpipers, the Purple Sandpiper, 3 Little Stints and Caspian Gull among the good counts of other species on offer.
The vismiggers had a varied morning of southbound traffic including 3 Pintails, 22 Teal, 3 Whimbrels, 27 Snipe, a Black Tern, single Puffin, 120 Gannets, single Great White Egret, a Marsh Harrier, 26 Swallows, 17 Flava Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 713 Meadow Pipts, a Tree Pipit and 26 Linnets.
Ringing 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Wren, 1 Meadow Pipit, 5/4 Mig fest is rapidly moving up a gear with things being organised
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Pectoral Sandpiper - John Hewitt.
Monday, 07 September 2026
An increasing F5 south west wind from a light to moderate with plenty of sunshine to be had. Watches 0620-1000, 1135-1310, 1515-1615, 1820-1950
The Pectoral Sandpiper remainws in the ponds area which also held 29 Shovelers, a Pintail, 251 Teals, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Greensjanks, 4 Curlew Sandpipers, the Purple Sandpiper, 4 Little Stints, Caspian Gull and Yellow-legged Gull.
Some movement over both land and sea produced 442 Teals, 138 Common Scoters, 18 Dunlin, 3 Little Terns, a Long-tailed Skua, 44 Red-throated Divers, a Shag, 68 Sand Martins, 186 Swallows, 125 House Martins, a Jay, just 47 Meadow Pipits and 22 Linnets. Full counts on Trektellen.
Ringing 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4/2
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Sunday, 06 September 2026
Lighter F3 north west winds today with plenty of sunny periods. Watches 0650-1100
It was another good day for the vismiggers with the autumns first Lapland Bunting south past the seawatch hut while a mobile Ortolan Bunting was arond the triangle then north while other totals included 24 Wigeons, 4 Pintails, 78 Teal, a Greenshank, 3 Arctic Skuas, a Great White Egret, single Hobby, 4 Jackdaws, 9 Rooks, 67 Swallows, 56 House Martins, 15 Tree Sparrows, 6 House Sparrows, 16 Flava Wagtails, 3 Grey Wagtails, 1379 Meadow Pipits, 90 Linnets, 3 Siskins and 3 Reed Buntings. A scatter of grounded migrants included 11 Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Pied Flycatchers, a Redstart, 2 Whinchats, 6 Yellow Wagtails and a Bullfinch.
The Pectoral Sandpiper remained at beacon ponds along with 2 Little Stints, a Purple Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, a Caspian Gull and Yellow-legged Gull.
Ringing 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackbird, 2 Tree Sparrow, 6/4
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Ortolan Bunting record shot - Harry Appleyard.
Meadow Pipit - Harry Appleyard. A good south bound movement today.
Saturday, 05 September 2026
Lengthy sunny spells with a stiff F6 north west wind. Watches 0620-1000, 1545-1720
The rarest bird of the day was a juvenile Black-necked Grebe showing well on beacon ponds where the Pectoral Sandpiper remained plus 5 Pintails, 104 Teals, 13 Little Grebes, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank, single Ruff, the Purple Sandpiper, 2 Little Stints, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 Short-eared Owls.
A small increase in some grounded migrants saw a juvenile Red-backed Shrike appear in corner field while other totals included 9 Willow Warblers, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, singles of Black Redstart, Redstart and Wheatear, 3 Whinchats and 7 Yellow Wagtails while the first sniif of decent south bound movment in the approach to Migfest included an Osprey, a Hen Harrier in/off and west, a Swift, 7 Sand Martins, 46 Swallows, 39 House Martins, 84 Tree Sparrows, 1125 Meadow Pipits, 2 Tree Pipits and 2 Siskins with a Pomarine Skua over the sea.
Ringing 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3/2
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Black-necked Grebe - John Hewitt.
Pied Flycatcher - John Hewitt.
Friday, 04 September 2026
A persistent nagging F5 north westerly wind from a poor direction continues with plenty of cloud about and some overnight rain. Watches 0630-0930
A lovely juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper was found at beacon ponds the same area also productive for 7 Avocets, 3 Common Sandpipers, a Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshanks, a Curlew Sandpiper, single Purple Sandpiper, 3 Little Stints, 4 Roseate Terns (which then flew south), 284 Sandwich Terns, 128 Mediterranean Gulls, a Caspian Gull, single Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Ospreys flying south together.
Again a sprinkle of grounded migrants remain including a Cuckoo, 10 Willow Warblers, 3 Reed Warblers, 5 Pied Flycatchers, a Redstart, single Whinchat, 5 Wheatears, 12 Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit.
Ringing 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Blackbird, 4/3
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Pectoral Sandpiper - Hazel Wiseman.
Thursday, 03 September 2026
Rather windy F5 north westerly and cloudy and dull. Watches 0615-1000, 1800-2005
A lack of any new easterly winds to bring in new arrivals there were still a nice selection of grounded migrants remaining around the area including a Cuckoo, 13 Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, single Goldcrest, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 7 Pied Flycatchers, a Redstart, 7 Wheatears and 6 Yellow Wagtails and likewise beacon ponds had 650 Ringed Plovers, a Common sandpiper, single Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshanks, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, 3 Little Stints and a Yellow-legged Gull.
The sea saw a bit of movement highlighted by a Sooty Shearwater flying north plus a Roseate Tern, 582 Common Terns and 8 Red-throated Divers. Full counts on Trektellen.
Ringing 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackbird, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 5 Tree Sparrow, 9/5
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Curlew Sandpiper - John Hewitt.
Little Stint - John Hewitt.
Wednesday, 02 September 2026
Less windy than the previous days remaining with sunny spells and cloudy periods. Watches 0620-0900, 1900-1950
There were still decent numbers of migrants lingering from last weeks arrivals including the female Red-backed Shrike, 17 Willow Warblers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 9 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, 3 Whinchats, 11 Wheatears, 11 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Tree Pipits.
Beacon ponds held all the same species that have been around for a while with 32 Teal, a Spotted Redshank, single Greenshank, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, 3 Little Stints and a Yellow-legged Gull while in the evening roost movement a Roseate Tern flew south.
Ringing 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Wren, 3 Robin, 8 Tree Sparrow, 3 Meadow Pipit, 36/12
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Redstart - John Hewitt.
Tuesday, 01 September 2026
A breezy day with a F4 north westerly .with sunny spells. Watches 0630-1000
The Red-backed Shrike (point) and Barred Warbler (Corner field) were still present plus 14 Willow Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 13 Whitethroover both sea and land including 6Shovelers, ats, a Tree Creeper, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 10 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, 6 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, 6 Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and 3 Siskins and beacon ponds still being superb with 5 Pintails, 57 Teal, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, single Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 5 Curlew Sandpipers, 1569 Dunlin, a Purple Sandpiper, 2 Little Stints and an adult Yellow-legged Gull.
There was some mixed but interesting movement including 6 Shovelers, 5 Swifts, 4 Snipe, 5 Wood Sandpipers,a Caspian Gull, 4 Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, 3 Red-throated Divers, a Shag, 2 Ospreys, a Marsh Harrier, 4 Rooks, 16 Sand Martins, 274 Swallows, 33 House MArtins, 36 Tree Sparrows, 5 Flava Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails and 22 Meadow Pipits.
Ringing 14 Swallow, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Tree Creeper, 5 Willow Warbler, 4 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Tree Sparrow, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Reed Bunting, 46/14
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Osprey heading south - Harry Appleyard.
