Birding highlights at Spurn Bird Observatory – April 2003

 

Main movements and falls, etc. ( with unusual species and races in bold )

 

1st     Southerly passage ;  Sand Martin 4.                  Grounded migrants ;  Jack Snipe 1, Redwing 9, Fieldfare 6, Goldcrest 2, Chaffinch 4.   An adult / sub-adult male PALLID HARRIER flew south past the Warren at 15.00 and returned north, it was later seen near Easington and then followed its original path again at 18.00.

 

2nd    Grounded migrants ;  Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1, Goldcrest 2.      Seabirds ;  Gannet 2, Kittiwake 20.       General ;  Greylag Goose 1, Teal 2, Sparrowhawk 1, Peregrine 1, Merlin 1.

 

3rd    Grounded migrants ;  Wheatear 2, Chiffchaff 2.      General ;  Greylag Goose 1, Teal 2.

The male PALLID HARRIER flew south past the Bluebell at 06.50.

 

4th     Visible migration ;  Meadow Pipit 8 (NW).                   Grounded migrants ;  Common Snipe 1, Fieldfare 1, Redwing 7, Goldcrest 7, Chaffinch 1.        General ;   Sparrowhawk 2.

 

5th     Visible migration ;  Curlew 1 out (NE), Mistle Thrush 1.     Grounded migrants ;  Meadow Pipit 70, Wheatear 1, Ring Ouzel 1, Redwing 1, Chiffchaff 3, Goldcrest 11, Goldfinch 1.

Seabirds ;   Red –throated Diver 5, Diver sp 8, Fulmar 1, Little Auk 1 picked up on road at 2200.

General ;  Teal 11, Eider 1, Common Scoter 5, Goldeneye 1, Kestrel 7, Water Rail 1.

 

6th     Grounded migrants ;  Redstart 1 (1st of year ), Redwing 1, Black Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 2, Goldcrest 7.       Seabirds ;  Red-throated Diver 6, Fulmar 1, Gannet 2, Kittiwake 11, Auk sp. 5,

Little Auk 1 released.           General ;  Wigeon 17, Common Scoter 79, Linnet 140.

 

7th     Grounded migrants ;  Wheatear 1, Goldcrest 3.

 

8th     Grounded migrants ;  White Wagtail 1, Wheatear 1, Redwing 1, Chiffchaff 2, Goldcrest 7, Brambling 1.                      General ;  Brent Goose 109, Pale–bellied Brent Goose 2, Linnet 180.

 

9th     Grounded migrants ;  Wheatear 1, Fieldfare 1, Willow Warbler 1 ( 1st of year ), Goldcrest 1, Linnet 270.

 

10th   Grounded migrants ;  Wheatear 1, Goldcrest 3.

 

11th   Grounded migrants ;  Sand Martin 1, Flava Wagtail 1, Stonechat 1, Wheatear 2, Fieldfare 5,l Redwing 1.    Visible migration ;  Knot 15 (S), 9 Curlew and 19 Turnstone out (E), Greenfinch 4, Linnet 24 and a Goldfinch all south.    General ;  Peregrine 1, Water Rail 1.

 

12th   Grounded migrants ;  A Water Rail was found dead on the peninsula, Sand Martin 1, Swallow 1 ( 1st of year ), Wheatear 4, Song Thrush 3, Redwing 2, Chiffchaff 6, Willow Warbler 7, Goldcrest 5.

General ;  Brent Goose 242, Eider 1.

 

13th   Southerly passage ;  Marsh Harrier 1, Swallow 3.       Grounded migrants ;  Meadow Pipit 120, White Wagtail 1, Black Redstart 1, Wheatear 4, Fieldfare 1, Redwing 5,  Song Thrush 8, Grasshopper Warbler 1, Blackcap 1 ( 1st of spring ), Chiffchaff 5, Willow Warbler 2, Goldcrest 8.  

General ;   Pintail 7.

 

14th   Southerly passage ;  Marsh Harrier 1, Lapwing 2, Sand Martin 1, Swallow 17.    

Grounded migrants ;  Swallow 20, Yellow Wagtail 3, Blue-headed Wagtail 1, Black Redstart 2, Wheatear 10, Fieldfare 3, Redwing 2, Chiffchaff 1, Willow Warbler 2, Goldcrest 2, Siskin 4.

Seabirds ;  Great Northern Diver 1, Common Tern 2 out ( 1st of year ).  General ;   Brent Goose 260, Pintail 1, Whimbrel 3 (1st of year ).

 

15th   Visible migration ;  33 Bar-tailed Godwit out (E), southerly passage included Sand martin 20, Swallow 32, Jackdaw 3, Rook 3, Goldfinch 11, Siskin 1, Linnet 15.      Grounded migrants ;  Yellow Wagtail 1, Redstart 2, Wheatear 17, Fieldfare 3, Redwing 2, Mistle Thrush 1, Sedge Warbler ( 1st of year ), Whitethroat 1 (1st of year ), Blackcap 4, Chiffchaff 7, Willow Warbler 13, Goldcrest 1.

Seabirds ;  Little Gull 2 out (E), Common Tern 11 out (E).

 

16th   Southerly passage  ;   Marsh Harrier 1, Sand Martin 3, Swallow 27, Yellow Wagtail 2, Rook 5, Chaffinch 1.               Grounded migrants ;  Sand Martin 20, Swallow 4, House Martin 1 (1st of year), Tree Pipit 1 ( 1st of year ), Yellow Wagtail 1, Robin 11, Black Redstart 1, Wheatear 6, Ring Ouzel 2 , Redwing 3, Grasshopper Warbler 1 ( 1st of year ), Sedge Warbler 2, Whitethroat 6, Blackcap 3, Chiffchaff 2, Willow Warbler 9, Goldcrest 1.                    Seabirds ;   Little Gull 5 out (NE), Black Tern 1 out (E) ( 1st of year ),    General ;  Teal 3, Eider 1, Avocet 3.  

 

17th   Southerly passage ;  Sand Martin 4, Swallow 20, Jackdaw 2, Goldfinch 2, Siskin 1.

Grounded migrants ;   Sand Martin 20 , Swallow 10,  Yellow Wagtail 2, Stonechat 1, Wheatear 2, Fieldfare 2, Song Thrush 7, Redwing 1, Sedge Warbler 2, Whitethroat 2, Blackcap 3, Willow Warbler 15, Pied Flycatcher 1 (1st of year).               General ;  Wigeon 6, Merlin 1, Whimbrel 1, Greenshank 1.

 

18th   Southerly passage ;  Grey Heron 1, Sand Martin 9, Swallow 1, Goldfinch 42.

Grounded migrants ;  Swallow 20, Yellow Wagtail 1, White Wagtail 1, Robin 18, Black Redstart 1, Redstart 1, Wheatear 2, Ring Ouzel 1, Fieldfare 7, Song Thrush 14, Redwing 7, Sedge Warbler 3, Whitethroat 3, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 2, Willow Warbler 6, Goldcrest 4, Coal Tit 1 ( continental race ), Brambling 2.       Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Kittiwake 1, Little Tern 1 (1st of year ).     General ;  Greylag Goose 2, drake Long-tailed Duck on Humber, Common Scoter 6, Water Rail 1, Little Ringed Plover 1 (1st of year), Whimbrel 1.

 

19th   Visible migration ;  Greylag Goose 2 out (E), Bar-tailed Godwit 17 out (E), Merlin 1, Brambling 1, Goldfinch 5 all south.     Grounded migrants ;  Whinchat 1 (1st of year), Song Thrush 2, Redwing 1, Sedge Warbler 1, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 2, Willow Warbler 1.     Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Cormorant 4, Shag 1, Kittiwake 3.       General ;  Pintail 4, Shoveler 2, Common Scoter 1, Ruff 3, Whimbrel 2, Spotted Redshank 1.

 

20th   Grounded migrants ;  Wryneck 1 in the Sheep Field, Wheatear 5, Song Thrush 5, Redwing 3, Fieldfare 2, Sedge Warbler 1, Whitethroat 2, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1, Willow Warbler 8, Goldcrest 2, Brambling 1, Siskin 1.      Seabirds ;  Gannet 1.

 

21st   Southerly passage ;  a GOSHAWK flew south  at 14.00, Marsh Harrier 1, Goldfinch 40, Linnet 70, Siskin 5.           Grounded migrants ;  Wryneck 1, Sand Martin 10, Swallow 19, Rock Pipit 1, Flava Wagtail 4, Black Redstart 2, Wheatear 7, Ring Ouzel 2, Fieldfare 2, Song Thrush 10, Grasshopper Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 3, Lesser Whitethroat 3 (1st of year), Whitethroat 5, Blackcap 12, Chiffchaff 11, Willow Warbler 13, Goldcrest 6, Pied Flycatcher 1.      General ;  Wigeon 2, Pintail 2, Water Rail 1, Black –tailed Godwit 1, Little Gull 27 out (E).

 

22nd  Southerly passage ;  Buteo sp 1, Merlin 1, Lapwing 1, Swift 1 (1st of year), Sand Martin 7, Swallow 38, Meadow Pipit 11, Flava Wagtail 1, Alba Wagtail 3, Rook 9, Carrion Crow 41, Chaffinch 3, Greenfinch 1, Goldfinch 70, Linnet 350, Reed Bunting 2.      Grounded migrants ;  Long-eared Owl 1, Short-eared Owl 1, Wheatear 2, Ring Ouzel 1, Fieldfare 3, Song Thrush 5, Sedge Warbler 3, Lesser Whitethroat 3, Whitethroat 5, Blackcap 13, Chiffchaff 3, Willow Warbler 18.     Seabirds ;  Cormorant 5, Arctic Skua 1 out east (1st of year), Commic Tern 12 out east.          General ;  Teal 17, Gooseander 1, Water Rail 1.

 

23rd  Southerly passage ;   Green Sandpiper 1, Stock Dove 2, Red-rumped Swallow 1 at 10.55, Sand Martin 4, House Martin 9, Flava Wagtail 12, Jackdaw 4,  Rook 25, Carrion Crow 17, Goldfinch 100,  Yellowhammer 2, Corn Bunting 1.

Grounded migrants ;  Great-spotted Woodpecker 1 at the Warren, Sand Martin 30, Yellow Wagtail 1, White Wagtail 1, Black Redstart 2, Whinchat 2, Stonechat 1, Wheatear 4, Fieldfare 2, Song Thrush 9, Redwing 4,   Grasshopper Warbler 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Whitethroat 12, Blackcap 6, Chiffchaff 4, Willow Warbler 9, Goldcrest 1.        Seabirds ;  Kittiwake 3, Sandwich Tern 2, Arctic Tern 33 out (E), Little Tern 5.       General ;  Brent Goose 73, Wigeon 1, Pintail 2,  Common Scoter 2, Hen Harrier 2, Water Rail 1, Whimbrel 9, Greenshank 1.

 

24th   Southerly passage ;  Sparrowhawk 2, Merlin 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Swift 1, Swallow 4, House Martin 3, Flava Wagtail 1, Goldfinch 16.

Grounded migrants ;  Black Redstart 2, Redstart 1, Whinchat 2, Wheatear 3, Fieldfare 2, Song Thrush 3, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Whitethroat 9, Blackcap 4, Chiffchaff 2, Willow Warbler 1,  Goldcrest 1, Goldfinch 15.             Seabirds ;  Red-throated Diver 1, Great Crested Grebe 1, Gannet 4, Cormorant 3, Little Gull 1, Sandwich Tern 4.                 General ;  Wigeon 1, Teal 2, Common Scoter 2, Common Snipe 6, Whimbrel 25, Barn Owl 1.

 

25th   Southerly passage ;  Hen Harrier 1 male, Swallow 55, Greenfinch 22, Goldfinch 100, Siskin 2, Linnet 80.

Grounded migrants ;  Tree Pipit 1, Flava Wagtail 2, Black Redstart 1, Whinchat 2, Stonechat 1, Wheatear 2, Song Thrush 1, Redwing 2, Grasshopper Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 4, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Blackcap 10, Chiffchaff 1, Willow Warbler 5, Goldcrest1.        Seabirds ;  Great Crested Grebe 1, Fulmar 1, Gannet 7, Cormorant 1.          General ;  Brent Goose 56 ( including 2 Pale-bellied ), Teal 1.

 

26th   Southerly passage ;  Marsh Harrier 2, Osprey 1 (SE) at 09.20, Sparrowhawk 2, Swift 12, Sand Martin 30, Swallow 355, House Martin 17, Flava Wagtail 4, Rook 2, Carrion Crow 34, Greenfinch 1, Goldfinch 450, Siskin 7, Linnet 204.

Grounded migrants ;  Cuckoo 1 (1st of year ), Long –eared Owl 1, Short-eared Owl 1, Tree Pipit 1, Rock Pipit 1, Flava Wagtail 11, Black Redstart 1, Redstart 2, Whinchat 1, Stonechat 1, Wheatear 15, Ring Ouzel 1, Song Thrush 6, Redwing 1, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Whitethroat 12, Garden Warbler 1 (1st of year), Blackcap 2, Chiffchaff 10,  Willow Warbler 16, Goldcrest 1.

Seabirds ;  Great Crested Grebe 1, Fulmar 1, Gannet 1, Little Gull 2,  Sandwich Tern 2, Arctic Tern 1, Black Tern 2 (1st of year).

General ;  Teal 2, Common Scoter 10, Peregrine 1, Whimbrel  9, Greenshank 2, Barn Ow1.

 

27th   Southerly passage ;  Marsh Harrier 2 + 1 in off then (N), Swift 4.          

Grounded migrants ; Long-eared Owl 1, Short-eared Owl 1, Yellow Wagtail 7, Wheatear 11, Song Thrush 2,  Lesser Whitethroat 2, Garden Warbler 1, Blackcap 2.  Seabirds ;   Red-throated Diver 1.

General ;   A Common Crane  flew north over the area at 12.00, a Dotterel was trapped and ringed in Clubley’s Field, Barn Owl 1.

 

28th   Southerly passage ;  Swift 13, Swallow 4.                  Grounded migrants ;  Yellow Wagtail 3, Wheatear 6, Willow Warbler 2.       Seabirds ;  Gannet 21, Little Tern 1.    General ;  Greenshank 2, Whimbrel 7, Barn Owl 2.

 

29th   Southerly passage ;  Sparrowhawk 4, Common Crane 1 at 11.00, Stock Dove 2, Swift 15, Skylark 1, Sand Martin 40, Swallow 700, House Martin 100, Tree Pipit 1, Meadow Pipit 37, Flava Wagtail 28, Alba Wagtail 3, Jackdaw 9, Rook 28, Carrion Crow 26, Chaffinch 22, Greenfinch 14, Goldfinch 800, Siskin 2, Linnet 750,  Yellowhammer 3.

Grounded migrants;  Short-eared Owl 1, Yellow Wagtail 4, Whinchat 2, Wheatear 31, Song Thrush 2,  Grasshopper Warbler 2, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff  2, Willow Warbler 7, Pied Flycatcher 1.

Seabirds ;  Fulmar 4, Gannet 1, Common Tern 1, Sandwich Tern 3.           General ;  Shelduck 84, Tufted Duck 3, Common Scoter 6, Little Ringed Plover 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Whimbrel 5.

 

30th   Southerly passage ;  Kestrel 2, Swift 5, Sand Martin 20,  Swallow 400, House Martin 90, Flava Wagtail 3, Rook 4, Carrion Crow 12, Goldfinch 200, Linnet 100.

Grounded migrants;  Turtle Dove 2, Whinchat 4, Grasshopper Warbler 1, Willow Warbler 4.

General ;  Tufted Duck 3, Whimbrel 4.

 

 

 

A.ROADHOUSE           SPURN BIRD OBSERVATORY TRUST