Spurn Bird Observatory Sightings 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.
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Wednesday, 31 December 2025
A lovely winters day with blue skies and a hard overnight frost, light F3 north westerly winds. Watches 0800-1000.
Sightings from the last day of the year included 15 Snow Buntings south over the warren, 6 White-fronted Geese in the triangle, a ringtail Hen Harrier blogging and 22 Whooper Swans on Easington straight. Other bits included a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Goldeneye, single 2cy Mediterranean Gull and 40 Black-tailed Godwits around the wetlands while 2 Cetti's Warblers were in the triangle.
Over the sea a Great Northern Diver flying north was the highlight.
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White-fronted Geese - Charlotte Foote.
Wednesday, 31 December 2025
The end year review 2025. The year was a slow burner and it was mainly a late arrival of good birds in October and November ‘saving’ the year. To that end the list is somewhat smaller than usual but also now that some species like Cattle Egret and Glossy Ibis have quickly moved onto the ‘regular’ list. The spring which is traditionally our time was below par with some nice but small arrivals of common migrants. The autumn saw Kilnsea wetlands dry up so passage Wader were down in numbers but beacon ponds still chipped in nicely with a record group of 3 White-rumped Sandpipers. There were several good arrivals of migrants between August and October while the Vis miggers in general had a poor spring but much better for some species in the autumn. Lastly a flock of 7 Lesser White-fronted Geese part of an influx from the continent were Spurns first but ultimately from the reintroduction scheme so not added to the list for now.
The year ended on a poor 253 species and had just one addition for the Spurn list. We had to wait till October for our 1st Black-faced Bunting present for three days, The 2nd Eastern Black Redstart showed well at the point, while in the spring our 5th Melodious Warbler was singing at the potato fields quickly followed next day by our 6th Eastern Subalpine Warbler in the same area with an Isabelline Wheatear late in the year during the mini purple patch, a record autumn with three birds saw our 10th-12th Humes Warblers, the 13-14th Pallid Swifts included a spring bird, the 14th White-tailed Eagle a cracking wild juvenile which flew south over the Observatory with a flock of Common Buzzards and lastly the 20th Kentish Plover a superb male on beacon ponds. Compare this to the ‘usual’ list of rarities in the 2024 roundup!
It was quite a decent year for scarce birds seen during the year, expected birds missing though included Bewick’s Swan, Slavonian Grebe, Montagu’s Harrier, Citrine Wagtail, Great Grey Shrike, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Bluethroat but again included some not seen in previous years. Notable birds were 5 Cory’s Shearwaters, 2 Great Shearwaters, several Leach’s Petrels, 15 Glossy Ibises including a flock of seven, 6 Cattle Egrets, 12+ Tundra Bean Geese, a very showy Dotterel, single Stone Curlew, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, 2 Temminck’s Stint, 3+ White-rumped Sandpipers, a juvenile Red-necked Phalarope, 2 Grey Phalaropes, ‘several’ Common Cranes, 4 Quails, 6 Nightjars, 9 Bee-eaters, 3 Golden Oriole, 3 Turtle Doves, a Hoopoe, 5 Ravens, 3 Shore Larks, a Richard’s Pipit, an Olive-backed Pipit, a male Grey-headed Wagtail, just 2 Red-rumped Swallows, a Nightingale, 3 Marsh Warblers, 4 Barred Warblers, an Icterine Warbler, 4 Dusky Warbler, better numbers of Yellow-browed Warblers, 5 Pallas’s Warblers, a Greenish Warbler, 7 Wood Warblers, 6 Red-backed Shrikes, 4 Wrynecks, 2 Rosefinches, several Hawfinches, 2 Ortolan Buntings, single Serin and 4 Little Buntings. (All sightings and totals need to be ratified and accepted). Happy Birding in 2026.
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Black-faced Bunting - Thomas Willoughby.
Eastern Black Redstart - Thomas Willoughby.
Glossy Ibis - Ian Smith.
Palllas's Warbler - Martin Standley.
Pallid Swift - Harry Appleyard.
Olive-backed Pipit - Thomas Willoughby.
Isabelline Wheatear - Thomas Willoughby.
Red-necked Phalarope - John Hewitt.
White-rumped Sandpiper - John Hewitt.
Dotterel - Nathaniel Poffley.
Bee-eater. Thomas Willoughby.
Kentish Plover - Neil Hunt.
Eastern Subalpine Warbler Thomas Willoughby.
Melodious Warbler - Simon Jump.
Tuesday, 30 December 2025
A lovely winters day with blue skies and a cold F2 north east wind. Watches 0805-0850, 1305-1510.
A fantastic flock of 42 Russian White-fronted Geese were in the area, a flock of 10 Snow Buntings were at beacon ponds with 50 Black-tailed Godwits on Kilnsea wetlands. A Chiffchaff was at Kew and 12 Whooper Swans on Easington straight. Over the sea a Little Gull and 119 Guillemots were noted.
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White-fronted Geese - Charlotte Foote.
Monday, 29 December 2025
Another dull dreary day with colder temperatures and a cold F4 north east wind. Watches 0730-1000.
A nice flock of 20 Snow Buntings flew north over the warren, 16 White-fronted Geese blogged rthe area and a Pale-bellied Brent was on Easington straight with 15 Whooper Swans.
Bits moving over the sea included 85 Wigeon, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Mediterranaean Gull.
Ringing 1 Blackbird
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White-fronted Geese and Black-tailed Godwits - Charlotte Foote.
Sunday, 28 December 2025
A dull and overcast most of the day with a cold F3 north east wind. Watches 0730-1000.
There were 9 Tundra Bean Geese on Easington straight along with 6 of the 26 White-fronted Geese present in the area while 3 Barnacle Geese were still in the triangle. There was also 14 Whooper Swans again on Easington straight.
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Saturday, 27 December 2025
Mainly cloudy and dull feeling damp in a cold F5 north east wind. Watches 0730-1000.
A nice flock of 20 Russian White-fronted Geese were in the triangle with the 3 Barnacle Geese while on the Humber single Greenshank and 50 Black-tailed Godwits. Kilnsea wetlands held 12 Shovelers, 347 Wigeon and 125 Teal while 2 Woodcocks were in churchfield.
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White-fronted Geese and Barnacle Geese - John Hewitt.
Friday, 26 December 2025
A lovely sunny day without a cloud in the sky but with a dip in temperature and a cold F3 easterly wind. Watches 0730-1000.
The 7 Tundra Bean Geese were still present on Easington straight with the 16 Whooper Swans and 3 Barnacle Geese blogged the area. The few bits moving over the sea included 65 Wigeon, 40 Teal, an Eider and single Goldeneye.
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Barnacle Geese - John Hewitt.
Thursday, 25 December 2025
Sunny spells with a cold F5 north east wind. Watches 0745-0945.
Our first taste of the Goose influx into the area saw 7 Tundra Bean Geese and 4 Russian White-fronted Geese along the 80 Brent Geese, 140 Greylag Geese and 16 Whooper Swans on Easington straight.
Over the sea 12 Eiders, a Velvet Scoter and single Great Skua were the best of not a lot.
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Tundra Bean Geese - John Hewitt.
Wednesday, 24 December 2025
Mainly sunny with a cold F4 south east wind. Watches 0730-1010.
The best of todays sightings included a Great Skua over the sea, 16 Whooper Swans, a Pale-bellied Brent, 120 Greylag Geese, 7 Pink-footed Geese on Easington straight, 10 Shovelers, 390 Wigeon and 194 Teal mainly on beacon ponds plus 3 Eiders and 3 Red-breasted Mergansers on the HUmber.
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Whooper Swans - John Hewitt.
Tuesday, 23 December 2025
Mostly sunny with a moderate F5 south easterly breeze. Watches 0715-0900 1245-1525.
The sea saw most of the days action with 22 Teal, 10 Eiders, a Velvet Scoter, 9 Common Scoters, 5 Goldeneyes, a Kittiwake, single Great Skua, 357 Guillemots and 15 Gannets.
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Monday, 22 December 2025
Mainly sunny with a moderate south easterly breeze. Watches 0730-1240.
Some movement over the sea brought 5 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 3 Tufted Ducks, 15 Eiders, 110 Common Scoters, 4 Goldeneyes, a Great Crested Grebe, single Great Skua, 92 Guillemots and 10 Gannets.
The 16 Whooper Swans remained on Easington straight with Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Goldcrest were in the triangle.
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Sunday, 21 December 2025
A bright start clouded up later on with a light southerly wind. Watches 0720-1220.
There was little happening around the area bar a Velvet Scoter south over the sea, the 16 Whooper Swans still on Easington straight, a Coal Tit and Golldcrest at greenfield bungalows with Cetti's Warbler, 19 Long-tailed Tits and a Chiffchaff in the area.
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Saturday, 20 December 2025
Sunny spells after thick fog in the morning slowly cleared with a F4 south westerly wind. Watches 0715-0945, 1340-1510.
The Red Kite was still wandering the area while Tree Creeper was unusual for the time of year while 14 Whooper Swans were on Easington straight.
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Friday, 19 December 2025
Bright and sunny most of the day with lighter F4 south west winds. Watches 0730-1000.
There was just a single White-fronted Goose in the area along with 450 Brent Geese, 120 Greylags, 2 Pink-footed Geese and 16 Whooper Swans while a Red Kite wandered the area before appearing to go south.
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Thursday, 18 December 2025
Staying dull with rain by the afternoon and a stiff F6 south west wind. Watches 0730-1000.
The 5 White-fronted Geese were mobile around the area and the 16 Whooper Swans still on Easington straight while on Kilnsea wetlands 30 Lapwings, 32 Black-tailed Godwits and a Stonechat. The sea was quiet the best being 5 Eiders and 132 Red-throated Divers.
Ringing 1 Blackbird
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