Sightings

Tuesday, 31 December 2024

The end of year review 2024 Yet again we had some fantastic rarities with Waders topping the events in the summer and #migfest having a bumper filled weekend along with a good array of scarcities. The year also saw a fantastic array of Birds of Prey and brilliant numbers of Scandinavian migrants in September but on the the downside the Vismig was relatively poor but a crazy flock of 41 Great White Egrets in/off were a sight to behold.

The year saw an unexpected 1st Black-winged Pratincole gracing Kilnsea wetlands area for the day in July and yet another added to the large wader list. Further sightings saw some other quality Waders with the 2nd Least Sandpiper and Stilt Sandpiper (July and August respectively) both showing well while our 3rd Gull-billed Tern was the first to be seen by more than just a couple of observers, our 4th Collared Flycatcher was very popular especially being a male, a singing Iberian Chiffchaff in churchfield was one for the purists and a Purple Heron flew south. The 5th ‘Feas type’ Petrel  was reward for the seawatchers while a drake  American Wigeon would seem likely to be the returning bird from 2023, the 7th-8th Green-winged Teals both drakes as all the records have been, the 7th-9th Pallid Harriers drew some admiring attention especially a stunning juvenile in October, the 9th Red-crested Pochard, our 10th Citrine Wagtail continued the pattern of almost one per year while the 10th-11th Humes Warblers were both well watched and heard to call,  our 12th American Golden Plover lingered for three weeks, our 14th Glossy Ibis, the 15th-16th Cattle Egrets, the 17th Tawny Pipit was in Easington but the first since 2012 while a Blyth’s Reed Warbler singing on the Obs garden was maybe last year’s returning bird, the 18-19th Arctic Warblers both very showy continuing the upward trend in records, the 20th-21st White-rumped Sandpipers and finally the 21st Red-flanked Bluetail continues the regular records of this fantastic ‘Sibe’. An adult male 'Siberian' Stonechat at the narrows awaits confirmation to species level. 

It was yet again good for scarce birds seen during the year, expected birds missing though included Tundra Bean Goose, Mandarin, Common Crane, Slavonian Grebe, Temminck’s Stint, Great Grey Shrike and Serin but as usual included some not seen in previous years. Notable birds were 3 Bewick’s Swans, 6 Cory’s Shearwaters, several Leach’s Petrels, 2 Bitterns, 2 Rough-legged Buzzards in the spring, 3 Honey Buzzards, 3 Montagu’s Harrier included an adult male, a male Red-footed Falcon, a Stone Curlew and Dotterel which flew south,  2 Pectoral Sandpipers, 3 Grey Phalaropes, 3 Quails included 2 watched flying in/off, a Corncrake, 3 Nightjars, 4 Bee-eaters, 2 Golden Orioles included a cracking adult male, a single Turtle Dove was a poor return, 3 Shore Larks, 4 Richard’s Pipit with a spring bird in April, 2 Grey-headed Wagtails, 2 Bluethroats, 2 Red-rumped Swallows both in the late autumn, 4 Marsh Warblers, upto 11 Barred Warblers, 3 Icterine Warblers, 2 Dusky Warbler, a Raddes Warbler, 4 Pallas’s Warblers, good numbers of Yellow-browed Warblers with our earliest ever and regular double figure day counts, 2 Greenish Warblers, a Wood Warbler, 14 Red-breasted Flycatchers with an dapper adult male, 11 Red-backed Shrikes, 11 Wrynecks, 7 Rosefinches a nice strawberry jam red male the best of them, a big influx of Hawfinches, an Ortolan Buntings and 4 Little Buntings. (All sightings and totals need to be ratified and accepted).  Happy Birding in 2025.

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.

Monday, 30 December 2024

Watches: 0730-1000, 1200-1325.  The best of the days sightings were the usuals from the ponds area including 11 Shovelers, 350 Wigeons, 80 Teal, 3 Pochards, a Goldeneye, 43 Lapwings and 30 Black-tailed Godwits. 

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.

Sunday, 29 December 2024

At last the weather broke the fog replaced by blue skies and sunshine with a brisk south westerly.  A Hawfinch flying north was a surprise for the time of year while a Corn Bunting wandered the area. Late afternoon 8 Whooper Swans dropped onto Kilnsea wetlands The ponds area also held 21 Mute Swans, 185 Wigeons, 152 Teal, 3 Pochards plus the hybrid, 2 Tufted Ducks, 3 Goldeneyes, a Mediterranean Gull and 163 Common Gulls. 

Some light movement over the sea produced 30 Pink-footed Geese, 23 Wigeon, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 35 Red-throated Divers and 2 Gannets. 

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.

Saturday, 28 December 2024

Another day of thick fog but some breaks allowed some extra sighings during the day the ponds area having 186 Wigeons, 5 Shovelers, 2 Gadwalls, a Pochard plus a Ferruginous x Pochard hybrid, 2 Goldeneyes, 2 Jack Snipes and 2 Short-eared Owls. 

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.

Wednesday, 25 December 2024

Blue Skies saw a lovely sunny day with very light north westerly winds. Watches 0730-0930.  Christmas day saw few observers out and about the sea producing a Velvet Scoter and Great Northern Diver while around the ponds area 2 Gadwalls, 11 Little Grebes and a Short-eared Owl plus a Woodcock by the warren gate.

Ringing 1 Dunnock 

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.

Tuesday, 24 December 2024

A cool cloudy day again with some light rain and a light westerly.  Much quieter than the previous day the best being the Black Brant and Pale-bellied Brent with the Brent Goose flock on holderness field, a Great Northern Diver over the sea with a Woodcock arriving in/off. Other sightings mainly from the ponds area included 200 Wigeon, 120 Teal, 4 Goldeneyes, 14 Little Grebes, 59 Black-tailed Godwits and a Short-eared Owl. 

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.

Sunday, 22 December 2024

After and cold and breezy but sunny start the day clouded over with the F4 westerly again.  Watches: 0730-1000.  The day saw little change yet again a Little Gull over the sea the pick of the day with 40 Pink-footed Geese and 38 Red-throated Divers the best of the rest. 

The ponds area chipped in with the usuals in 220 Brent Geese, 200 Wigeon, 131 Teal, a Goldeneye, 67 Lapwings and 48 Black-tailed godwits with a Peregrine hunting the area, 2 Stonechats at the warren and Chiffchaff at the sewage works. 

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.

Thursday, 19 December 2024

Overnight heavy rain gave way to a dull and cloudy start to the day clearing to dry and sunny later with a moderate westerly.  Watches: 0730-1000, 1225-1525. The highlights from a day of slim pickings included 50 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Whooper Swans, 2 Eiders, a Fulmar and 178 Red-throated Divers south over the sea and 146 Brent Geese, 66 Lapwings, 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Greenshanks and 300 Redshanks on Kilnsea wetlands.

Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.