Spurn Bird Observatory Sightings 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.
Scroll down for more detail.
Saturday, 07 March 2026
A dull day without any sun and a light F3 southerly wind. Watches 0700-0945.
The last work party day of the first winter period back at the ponds getting the site ready for the Little Terns. It was similar to the previous day for sightings with 3 Pale-bellied Brents, a Black Brant, 4 Barancle Geese, 40 White-fronteed Geese, the Egyptian Goose, 21 Whooper Swans, a Great White Egret and a Cettis's Warbler while 3 Velvet Scoters flew south over the sea.
Ringing 5 Goldcrest, 1 Wren, 1 Blackbird, 4 Chaffinch, 1 Goldfinch, 12/5 The last work party day of the first winter period back at the ponds getting the site ready for the Little Terns.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Egyptian Goose with Greylag - Harry Appleyard.
Short-eared Owl - Harry Appleyard.
Friday, 06 March 2026
Dull and overcast with occasional drizzle and a cool F4 north west wind. Watches 0645-1000.
It was abusy day around the area Wildfowl again dominated the day with 3 Pale-bellied Brents, 350 Grent Geese, 4 Barnacle Geese, 5 Pink-footed Geese, 36 White-fronted Geese and the Egyptian Goose plus 21 Whooper Swans, 55 Shovelers, 6 Gadwalls, 206 Wigeon, 66 Teal and a Tufted Duck. Also in the area 7 Avocets, a Great White Egret, 5 Chiffchaffs, 13 Goldcrests, 2 Stonechats and 93 Chaffinches.
Ringing 1 Chiffchaff
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
White-fronted Geese with Egyptian Goose - Harry Appleyard.
Goldcrest - Harry Appleyard.
Thursday, 05 March 2026
Fog to start with cleared and gave lovely blue skies with light winds making it rather pleasant. .atches 0700-0930
The day has seen two new additions to the year list with Spurns 2nd Dartford Warbler typically elusive at chapel cottage and a less elusive Egyptian Goose with the 4 Barnacle Geese in the triangle plus an increase to 6 Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler in the triangle. The usual 21 Whooper Swans were still on Easington straight.
A Caspian Gull and 4 White-fronted Geese flew south were the best of few other birds on the move.
Ringing 1 Great Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Wren, 1 Blackbird, 4 Greenfinch
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Dartford Warbler - Thomas Willoughby. Following hot on the heels of our first record in March 2023.
Caspian Gull - Harry Appleyard.
Egyptian Goose with Barnacles - Steve Exley.
Dartford Warbler - Harry Appleyard
Wednesday, 04 March 2026
A lovely bright sunny day with light winds. Watches 0700-1000.
Some light movement over sea and land included 35 Common Scoters, 2 Velvet Scoters, 5 Stock Doves, 26 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Tits, 4 Skylarks, 17 Starlings, 27 Chaffinches, 8 Linnets and 8 Siskins.
The ponds area had a Black Brant, single Pale-bellied Brent, 4 Barancle Geese, 21 Whooper Swans, 14 Avocets, a Great White Egret, 6 Chiffchaffs and 4 Stonechats..
Ringing 1 Great Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Stonechat - Harry Appleyard.
Sunday, 01 March 2026
Sunny with a stiff F6 north west wind but rather pleasant. Watches 0715-1000
The day saw maybe the first good southerly movement of Passerines including 646 Starlings (154 out east), an Alba Wagtail, 3 Rock Pipits, 48 Chaffinches, 27 Linnets and 2 Reed Buntings.
Elsewhwere it was much the same with a Black Brant, 2 Pale-bellied Brents, 840 Brent Geese, 4 Barnacle Geese, the 21 Whooper Swans, the wandering Red Kite and 2 Chiffchaff saround Kilnsea.
Ringing 1 Great Tit, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Chaffinch
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Starlings on the move - Harry Appleyard.
Short-eared Owl - Richard Taylor.
Saturday, 28 February 2026
Heavy overnight rain petered for a short while in the afternoon before more light rain. Watches 0720-1035
Wildfowl dominated the day totals returned of 2 Black Brants, 3 Pale-bellied Brents, 1631 Brent Geese, 4 Barnacle Geese, 21 Whooper Swans, 50 Shovelers, 6 Gadwalls, 405 Wigeon, 16 mallards, 52 Teal and a Tufted Duck. Other sightings saw a Red Kite wander the area and 7 Snow Buntings head south past the warren.
Ringing 2 Great Tit, 2 Chaffinch
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Friday, 27 February 2026
Light rain most of the day letting upm for short periods with a light F3 south west wind. Watches 0715-1000
There was still a Black Brant and 2 Pale-bellied Brents on Easington straight among 770 Brent Geese along with a Barnacle Goose and 21 Whooper Swans. A small arrival brought 3 Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest and 2 Siskins to the peninsula while some southerly movement included 12 Barnacle Geese, 2 Skylarks, 3 Alba Wagtails, 14 Meadow Pipits, 42 Chaffinches.and a Goldfinch.
Ringing 1 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Blackbird
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Barnacle geese - Harry Appleyard.
Thursday, 26 February 2026
Dull and damp being wet in the afternoon with a brisk F5 south west wind.
Sightings from the today included a Barnacle Goose and 21 Whooper Swans on Easington straight, Tufted Duck and 4 Avocets on Kilnsea wetlands, a Merlin blogging the area, 2 Chiffchaffs (beacon lane, sewage works), a Mistle Thrush and 20 Pintails south over the sea.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Wednesday, 25 February 2026
A bright sunny spring like day with light F2 south west winds. Watches 0830-1000
There were now 2 Black Brants on Kilnsea wetlands (which had been suspected for a while) along with a Pale-bellied Brent and 3 Barnacle Geese. The 20 Whooper Swans were still on Easington striaght, 20 Pintails off sammys, a Mediterranean Gull on the Humber, single Chiffchaff at Kilnsea wetlands while 1700 Starlings will no doubt be on their way over the sea back to the continent imminenetly.
Ringing 1 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Blackbird, 1 Chaffinch
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Black Brant with Dark-bellied Brents - John Hewitt.
Two Black Brants - John Hewitt.
Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Sunny periods and mild in the F4 south west wind. Watches 0715-1000.
There was little birding today with observers busy at beacon ponds creating a new hide. Up in the ponds area good though numbers of wildfowl were present with 1264 Brent Geese, a Black Brant, 2 Pale-bellied Brents, 12 White-fronted Geese, 18 Whooper Swans, 38 Shovelers, 2 Gadwalls, 364 Wigeon, 122 Teal, a Pochard and single Tufted Duck while 6 Snow Buntings were also present.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
White-fronted Geese - Dave Constantine. .
Monday, 23 February 2026
A mild, sunny day with a moderate south westerly. WEBS COUNT. Watches: 0715 - 1000
There was a small increase in birds on the move with 2 Ravens the highlight as they U-turned at the warren heading back north over Easington. The day also saw a Ring-necked Parakeet head north while also moving 79 Pink-footed Geese, 62 Wigeon, single Eider, 131 Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, 13 Red-throated Divers, 4 Jackdaws, 6 Skylarks and 2 Meadow Pipits.
Other sightings saw the Whooper Swan flock still present, a Short-eared Owl in clubleys, 2 Stonechats at the point and 6 Snow Buntings at chalk bank.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Raven - Paul French.
Sunday, 22 February 2026
Breezy, some cloud but with sunny spells. Watches: 0715-1000.
A fantastic flock of 109 White-fronted Geese flew north west but otherwsie a Barnacle Goose still in the triangle and the Stonechat still in Clubleys.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Barnacle Goose - Dave Constantine.
Saturday, 21 February 2026
Dull start, mainly cloudy, mild, some rain. Watches: 0730-1000.
The weekend saw a work party at Beacon Ponds so thank you to all who turned out, so ultimately there were few sightings with a Barnacle Goose and 2 White-fronted Geese in walker butts with the usual Whooper Swan flock on Easington straight.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Friday, 20 February 2026
A cold westerly wind, misty start with rain later. Watches: 0715 - 1000.
The best of todays sightings saw 5 Scaup fly south over the sea and 7 Snow Buntings blogging. There was again a Goose presence with 27 Barnacle Geese (11 in off) and 34 White-fronted Geese (16 in off) plus 17 Whooper Swans on Easington straight and a Tufetd Duck on beacon ponds.
Ringing: 1 Blackbird
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Russian White-fronted Geese - Dave Constantine.
Thursday, 19 February 2026
Cloudy all day but not quite as cold as yesterday, Watches 0720-0940.
Little change again Geese featuring well with 4 Tundra Bean Geese, 11 Barnacle Geese, 16 White-fronted Geese and 420 Brent Geese with the 19 Whooper Swans still on Easington straight and a Tawny Owl in Easington.
Use the archive navigation to see more sightings.
Tundra Bean Geese - Dave Constantine.
Tundra Bean Goose - Dave Constantine
Page 1 of 5
