Sightings

Thursday, 29 May 2025

Overnight rain slowly petered out giving only a late glimpse of the sun and strong F6 north westerly winds. Watches 0615-1000.  

The showy Dotterel continued to perform in the sheep field for those that endured the walk with the 2 Little Stints still on Kilnsea wetlands where 5 Mediterranean Gulls and the Spoonbill was also still lingering and a Great Northern Diver just offshore. 

Some movement over the sea produced a Pintail, 4 Teal, 4 Tufted Ducks, 15 Common Scoters, 17 Razorbills, 63 Guillemots, 123 Large Auks sp, a Red-throated Diver and 26 Gannets,. 

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Monday, 26 May 2025

 A very windy F7 north westerly with some light showers and the odd sunny spell. Watches 0630-1200. 

The day saw two more welcome additions to the year list with a typically very showy Dotterel at chalk bank then in the sheep field and later a Honey Buzzard heading norh west over the point. There was little else on the move exept for 2 Canada Geese, 3 Egyptian Geese pausing on Easington straight, a Great Crested Grebe, 9 Jackdaws, a Red Kite, 28 Swallows, 16 House Martins and 6 Chaffinches with 3 Whimbrels heading off east. The day saw few grounded migrants with a Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Flava Sp the standouts. 

The ponds area remained busy having a Pale-bellied Brent, 5 Barnacle Geese, 3 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 38 Avocets, a Golden Plover, a Greenshank, 31 Sanderling, 110 Dunlin, 10 Sandwich Terns, a Kittiwake, 30 Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, a Caspian Gull, single Spoonbill and 3 Little Egrets among all the usuals. 

Ringing 1 Song Thrush, 1/1

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Sunday, 25 May 2025

A very windy F6 south westerly with overnight rain, long sunny spells and some showers through the day. Watches 0615-1000, 1400-1530.  A return to south westerly winds albeit a bit late in the spring did bring a Bee-eater which whizzed through on its way south. The blustery conditions were maybe too much for most species with just 14 Swifts, a Red Kite, 7 Jackdaws, 2 Sand Martins, 104 Swallows, 23 House Martins, a Grey Wagtail and 5 Chaffinches. Following on from yesterday another 10 Grey Plover flew out east. 

The Spoonbill was still present on Kilnsea wetlands with also 2 Shovelers, 2 Wigeon, 10 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 26 Avocets, a Greenshank, 60 Dunlin, 83 Little Terns and a Mediterranean Gull here with a Hobby mobile around the area. 

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Saturday, 24 May 2025

Overnight rain petered out early morning remaining mostly cloudy with an increasing F5 NW- westerly wind. Watches 0620-1000

A lovely breeding plumage Cattle Egret spent the day in the triangle with the cows and sheep flying off south late in the day. Eslewhere the Spoonbill was again on Kilnsea wetlands with a Little Stint nearby on beacon ponds. A small influx of Passerines saw a Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaffs and 6 Spotted Flycatchers recorded. 

It was a better day for vismig despite being so late in the spring with a drake Pintail, 2 Tufted Ducks, 13 Common Scoters, 41 Swifts, 5 Kittiwakes, 2 Red-throated Divers, a Great Northen Diver, 3 Marsh Harriers, 2 Jackdaws, 17 Sand Martins, 678 Swallows, 151 House Martins, 5 Alba Wagtails and 34 Chaffinches while the late afternoon exodus at high tide saw 230 Grey Plover, 11 Bar-tailed Godwits, 110 Knot and 2 Dunlins head off east. 

Ringing 1 Tree Sparrow (p), 8 Blue Tit (p), 9 Great Tit (p), 18/3

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Thursday, 22 May 2025

Overnight rain petered out early morning becoming bright and sunny with a nagging F3 north easterly wind  Watches 0620-0950. 

Sightings from today included a Nightjar showing well at chalk bank, a singing Firecrest on Humberside lane, a male Black Redstart at the point, 2 Whaetaers along the peninsula, a Ring Ouzel along the canal and a Siskin singing in the Obs garden. Elsewhere a Caspian Gull and Spoonbill on Kilnsea wetlands with the Black Brant nearby on Easington straight among 350 Brent Geese. 

On the move 4 Redthroated Divers, a Great Northern Diver, a Fulmar and 32 Gannets the best past the seawatch hut with a Hobby and 28 Swallows heading south. and a Cuckoo at Sammys. 

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Wednesday, 21 May 2025

A bright sunny day with the odd cloudy spell with the nagging F4 north east wind persisting. Watches 0630-0815, 1100-1200, 1800-1900.  Again the day saw few migrants but still a Golden Oriole singing at kew eventually flew off north and a Bee-eater at the north end of Kilnsea after a while flew off south. The few common migrants involved 3 Chiffchaffs, a Redwing and 2 Spotted Flycatchers. Along with the Bee-eater there were some other quality birds on the move with a summer plumage Red-necked Grebe heading north as did a Great Northern Diver and Red Kite while a Hen Harrier flew south. 

In the ponds area 300 Brent Geese remained with a Spoonbill, 4 Little Gulls, a Snipe and single Black-tailed Godwit also. 

Ringing 5 Blue Tit (P), 1 Wren, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Song Thrush (P), 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 9/5

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Tuesday, 20 May 2025

 A lovely sunny day albeit with the nagging cool F2 north east wind still holding on. Watches 0630-0715, 0915-1000.  The mini piurple patch continues with a lovely male Eastern Subalpine Warbler in the chalk bank to middle camp area giving good views with a male Red-backed Shrike in same area while fewer back up species with just 6 Chiffchaffs, a Redwing and 3 Spotted Flycatchers around the area. Presumably the same Temminck's Stint re-aopeared on Kilnsea wetlands after no sign yesterday while also here a Pale-bellied Brent, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, single Caspian Gull and 4 Spoonbills.

It was a much quieter day for the mismiggers but the same 2 Common Cranes from the previous day flew south. 

Ringing 4 Great Tit (P), 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 8/4

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Monday, 19 May 2025

 A much sunnier day with the cloud clearing and lots of blue skies but a cool F3 north east wind remains. Watches 0630-1000.  Wherever the birds are arriving from is certainly a mystery to us and it is still failing to bring any numbers of late spring migrants but the scarcities are certainly starting to appear, today seeing a singing Melodious Warbler at chalk bank to wire dump gave good views on and off. The male Red-backed Shrike remained at the point plus a Willow Warbler at the point, Black Redstart at potato fields, 3 Chiffchaffs, 6 Spotted Flycatchers and 3 Garden Warbler around the area and a Tree Pipt and Corn Bunting at the warren. 

On the move 2 Common Cranes gave amazing views as they headed south eventually heading west up the Humber and a Black Tern headed out east over the breach 

Ringing 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting, 2/2

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Sunday, 18 May 2025

Continuing with the cold cloudy theme, with little change from the F4 north east wind. Watches 0630-1000.  Out of the blue a tiny arrival brought some quality with a nice male Red-backed Shrike the point and a singing Rosefinch to the triangle with just a Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaffs, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Wheatears and a Blue-headed Wagtail.as back up. The Temminck's Stint was still on Kilnsea wetlands as were 2 Spoonbills a Pale-bellied Brent among 182 Brent Geese, the Purple Sandpiper, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Redshanks and a Greenshank. 

The sea had good coverage in the morning with the best being 5 Arctic Terns, 39 Sandwich Terns, 31 Kittiwakes, 16 Razorbills, 124 Guillemots, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Fulmars and 114 Gannets. 

Ringing 1 Dunnock (p), 1 Chaffinch 2/2
 

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Saturday, 17 May 2025

A cold cloudy day with a stiff F5 northerly wind. Watches 0550-1000.  Not too much change with the Temminck's Stint and 2 Spoonbills in the ponds area plus 232 Brent Geese, 5 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Wigeon, 30 Avocets, 4 Little-ringed Plovers, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Common Sandpipers, a Purple Sandpiper and 71 Little Terns. Again and not unexpected there were few migrants with just a Garden Warbler, single Black Redstart and Wheatear the standouts.

It was pretty much the same over the sea with Goosander, 12 Sandwich Terns, 98 Kittiwakes, 8 Razorbills, 20 Guillemots, 449 Large Auk sp, a Great Northern Diver, 5 Fulmars, a Manx Shearwaters and 90 Gannets. 

Ringing 1 Whitethroat

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Friday, 16 May 2025

Cloudy all day with a cold F5 north wind making it rather unpleasant. Watches 0630-0950. The sea was quite busy and probably the best place to be out of the wind but no big numbers but a nice selection including 18 Eiders, 41 Common Scoters, 3 Arctic Terns, 13 Sandwich Terns, 12 Kittiwakes, 14 Razorbills, 246 Guillemots, 94 Large Auk sp, 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers, 4 Fulmars, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 46 Gannets and 5 Cormorants. 

The Temminck's Stint was still in the ponds area plus 140 Brent Geese, 2 Wigeon, 2 Common Sandpipers and 3 Spoonbills. Again there were few migrants just a Willow Warbler, single Garden Warbler and a White Wagtail for any effort put in. 

Ringing 1 Garden Warbler

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Thursday, 15 May 2025

The Temminck's Stint and 7 Spoonbills (6 flew off south later) were still present with the Black Brant, 2 Pale-bellied Brents and 120 Brents on beacon ponds with 120 Little Terns now present. The Humber had a good count of 235 Ringed Plover and a Purple Sandpiper at the warren on the mud. Migrant wise there were singles of Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear and Blue-headed Wagtail. 

Over the sea there was a bit more interest with 15 Arctic Terns, a Common Tern, 10 Kittiwakes, 89 Guillemots, 10 Razorbills, 47 Large Auk sp, 3 Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver, 3 Fulmars, 2 Manx Shearwaters and 45 Gannets. 

Ringing 1 Long-tailed Tit

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Wednesday, 14 May 2025

A bright and sunny again with an increasing F4 north east wind, cloudy at times. Watches 0500-1000, 1720-1735.  The Temminck's Stint remained giving some good views while there are now 7 Spoonbills (6 having flown south at Flamborough then Grimston) while also in the area the Black Brant and 3 Pale-bellied Brents with 249 Brent Geese, a Wood Sandpiper, 4 Little-ringed Plovers, 4 Common Sandpiper and a Ruff. 

Grounded migrants remain low but a female Red-backed Shrike livened things up a bit along with a Willow Warbler, single Redstart, a Wheatear and a Redpoll. 

Ringing 3 Sedge Warbler, 1 Chaffinch 1 Linnet, 5/3

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Tuesday, 13 May 2025

A bright and sunny day with a light  rathernorth esterly winds and quite pleasant. Watches 0630-1000.  The Temminck's Stint remained on Kilnsea wetlands along with a Spoonbill, 48 Avocets, a Greenshank and 2 Ruff plus 120 Brent Geese still remained nearby. There were very few new grounded migrants wuth just a Willow Warbler, 2 Garden Warblers, a White Watail and Wheatear in a poor spring for arrivals. On the move 160 Swallows was the top count with 5 Tufted Ducks and 5 Eider the best of very little. 

Ringing 2 Whitethroat, 1 Chaffinch, Total 3/2

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