Sightings

Saturday, 31 December 2022

The year 2022 may not live in the memory for too long with relatively few big rarities (for our high standards) and instead filled with what have become expected species, poor visible migration except for a few special days, no big arrivals until late in the year, but good numbers and variety of scarcities kept a bit of momentum going with Migfest enjoying a bird filled weekend.

The highlight of the year left it till late October being our 1st Eastern Yellow Wagtail for a few days at Kilnsea wetlands, while a stunning Masked Wagtail and Spanish Wagtail our first records of each of these sub species, our 2nd Brown Shrike but a smart adult type in the spring, the 5th Pallid Harrier a female graced Migfest, our 9-10th Citrine Wagtails which were seen together by the riverside hotel also during Migfest, the 9-12th Pallid Swifts typically late in the year, the 11-12th Cattle Egrets at each end of the year, our 13-14th Blyth’s Reed Warblers, a spring singing bird and a typical autumn record, the 16th Arctic Warbler in canal hedge, the 16-17th Red-flanked Bluetails, while our 17-20th White-rumped Sandpipers graced the area with the first multiple sighting when two were off the Warren, a Bonelli’s Warbler not heard to call on beacon lane was not put to species level and a female Western Subalpine Warbler was maybe the 2nd confirmed while the review is continuing.

Local listers had a welcome ‘get back’ with a lingering Black Guillemot the 15th record and another Nuthatch with 2 Ravens our 15-16th which seem to be becoming more regular, 2 Green Woodpeckers which were most sought after for some, while a Willow Tit was another welcome grip back as it undergoes a drastic decline nationwide.

It was yet again good for scarce birds seen during the year, again expected birds were missing from the list and some not seen in previous years. There were at least 12 Red-rumped Swallows (9 in the spring with another 3 in the autumn) taking us over 100 records of this increasing Hirundine. Other notable birds were 6 Cory’s Shearwaters, (inc a late bird in November), 20 Spoonbills, 5 Honey Buzzards (spring and autumn), a Rough-legged Buzzard, 2 Black Kites, 3 Temminck’s Stint, with a long staying juvenile in September, 3 Red-necked Phalaropes, together on beacon ponds, 3 Grey Phalaropes, a showy Stone Curlew, 4 Quails, 4 Nightjars, 5 Bee-eaters, just a single Golden Oriole, 4 Turtle Doves, 2 Hoopoes, 6 Wood Larks, 3 Shore Larks, an Olive-backed Pipit, just 2 Barred Warblers inc one long stayer, 3 Icterine Warbler, 1 Dusky Warbler, 4 Pallas’s Warblers, a return of decent numbers of Yellow-browed Warblers, 2 Red-breasted Flycatcher, 3 Red-backed Shrikes, a Great Grey Shrike, 6 Wrynecks, 2 Serin and 3 Little Bunting. (All sightings and totals need to be ratified and accepted).  Happy Birding in 2023.

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Thursday, 29 December 2022

Sunny but with a breezy F7 south westerly.  A quiter day overall with no watches done during the day the best being 11 Snow Buntings and a Purple Sandpiper at beacon ponds with other noteable counts of 17 Shoveler, 2 Goldeneyes and 60 Black-tailed Godwit.

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Tuesday, 27 December 2022

Mainly cloudy the odd glimpse of sun and a cold F5 south westerly. Watches 0735-1005.  Post Christmas days celebrations have seen more observers out in the field with some decent sightings including a Lapland Bunting heading south, the elusive Bearded Tit again along the canal. the 44 Whooper Swans on Easington straight, a Jack Snipe on Kilnsea wetlands, Purple Sandpiper nearby on Easington lagoon and 128 Black-tailed Godwits on the Humber while the sea chipped in with 154 Red-throated Divers.

Ringing 1 Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, 7/3 plus a Swedish ringed Fieldfare

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Monday, 26 December 2022

Bright and sunny with a cold F5 south westerly. Watches 0735-0945.  Out of the blue the 3 Shore Larks made a welcome re-appearance at beacon ponds, the 40 Whooper Swans still nearby on Easington straight and a Woodcock in north field and a Blackcap at Kew.

Over the sea 3 Velvet Scoters took top billing with an Eider, 3 Goldeneye, 31 Red-throated Divers and 4 Fulmars for backup.

Ringing Blackcap 1, Blackbird 2, Redwing 4, Chaffinch 1, Goldfinch 1, 9/5
 

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Saturday, 24 December 2022

Watches 0740-1000. There was little change from the previous few days, the 43 Whooper Swans still gracing the area, a Purple Sandpiper on beacon ponds. 90 Black-tailed Godwits on Kilnsea wetlands and a good count of 6 Short-eared Owls in the area.

The sea had small numbers of birds on the move the best being 6 Goldeneyes, 64 Red-throated Divers, 6 Gannets and a Shag.

Ringing House Sparrow 2, Fieldfare 1, Redwing 3, 6/3

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Thursday, 22 December 2022

A mild day with light rain and a F2 south westerly. Watches 0730-0845. There were much fewer Thrushes about but 2 Waxwings were in churchfield, presumably the birds from Easington a few days previously. There were flocks of 20 Snow Buntings and 40 Yellowhammers on the north side of the gas terminal and the flock of 42 Whooper Swans still on Easington straight.

Elsewhere a Jack Snipe was at beacon ponds, 5 Woodcocks around the area and Short-eared Owl and Chiffchaff in the triangle.

Ringing Waxwing 1, Fieldfare 2, Redwing 20, 23/3

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Wednesday, 21 December 2022

Cloudy with sunny spells and a moderate F5 south westerly. Watches 9730-1000, 1410-1530. It was a good day of movement with lots of Thrushes dropping in from high (new arrivals or drifting down coast?) with totals of 1940 Fieldfares, 870 Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrushes plus 2 Great White Egrets and 123 Red-throated Divers.

Other noteable sightings included a Bearded Tit along the canal, 2 Snow Buntings at easington lagoons and 5 Woodcocks around the area.

Ringing Blackbird 4, Fieldfare 9, Redwing 51, 64/3

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Monday, 19 December 2022

Cloudy with glimpses of sun and a F6 SW wind. Watches 0730-1245.

There were several noteable sightings for the day a Bittern which after landing on the saltmarsh flew back north maybe landing along the canal, an impressive flock of 126 Barnacle Geese on Easington straight and a Scaup over the sea. The sea was more lively for Wildfowl with 10 Shoveler, 37 Wigeon, 2 Mallard, 2 Pintail, 164 Teal, a Goldeneye, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 61 Grey Plover, 5 Knot, 71 Dunlin, 60 Red-throated Diver and a Shag. 

There were still decent numbers of grounded migrants 815 Redwing, 220 Fieldfares, 65 Blackbirds and 5 Song Thrush plus 5 Short-eared Owls, 19 Snipe and 3 Woodcocks.

Ringing Fieldfare 2, Redwing 12, 14/2

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Sunday, 18 December 2022

Cold and frosty again, cloudy with a F4 south westerly. Watches 0730-0945, 1100-1430.  Some more movement over the sea a Red-necked Grebe and 93 Barnacle Geese the stand out sightinhgs plus 4 Great Crested Grebe, 27 Red-throated Diver and 28 Gannets.

Easington straight still held 38 Whooper Swans with 710 Redwings, 375 Fieldfares and a Blackcap still in the area.

Ringing Blackbird 2, Fieldfare 1, Redwing 49, 52/3

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