JULY BIRD SUMMARY

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Always an interesting month, mainly for waders, this year suffered a bit from a lack of westerly winds, but still had more than it’s fair share of excitement.

3^rd a willow tit was seen, a rare bird at Spurn these days on a very typical date. 7^th a great spotted woodpecker was seen, another species rarely seen at Spurn and again at a typical time of year. 8^th 4 black-tailed godwits, 600 swifts and 175 sand martins flew south. 9^th a female Scaup was on the Humber, seemingly a very odd time of the year but Scaup are always seen here in mid July for some reason. 4500 swifts and 350 sand martins flew south. 10^th with the wind picking up from the north 34 Manx shearwaters, 12 artic skuas and a black tern flew south offshore and 200 swifts flew north west. 11^th still with strong northerly winds 60 fulmars, 30 Manx shearwaters, 152 gannets and 8 artic skuas flew north, and 35 Shelduck flew out east in the evening. 12^th the first warm day for ages encouraged quite a few whitethroats to go in the point heligoland trap for water, and brought a male Subalpine warbler with them. It was in primary moult so was presumably here for a while, and despite not being seen since could still be present. 100 sand martins flew south during the day and 32 Shelduck flew out east in the evening, and finally just before dusk a little Egret dropped on to the Humber. 13^th the first south west winds for ages encouraged a bit more passage with 73 oystercatchers, 87 dunlin, 12 black-tailed godwits, a hobby, 700 sand martins, 35 swallows and 8 yellow wagtails flying south. 14^th the first willow warbler of the autumn was seen. 15^th strong northerly winds again and 48 fulmars, a sooty shearwater, 23 Manx shearwaters, a storm petrol, 138 gannets, 405 kittiwakes flew north with a further 40 Manx shearwaters and 57 oystercatchers flying south. 16^th offshore 4 sooty and 39 Manx shearwaters flew north. A little Egret dropped into a field in the afternoon, 53 Shelduck flew out east and a few more migrants were seen – 2 cuckoos, a wheatear and a willow warbler. 18^th a marsh harrier hunted over the Humber. 19^th 46 black-tailed godwits, and 22 redshanks flew south offshore, 125 sand martins and 100 swallows also flew south and 28 Shelduck flew out east. 20^th a slightly early tree pipit was seen. 21^st a little ringed plover was seen, 77 oystercatchers, 40 Whimbrel flew south offshore. 22^nd a male Scaup was offshore in a flock of about 300 common scoters, 60 oystercatchers flew south offshore, as did a superb adult long-tailed Skua and a very early short-eared owl was hunting over the Saltmarsh. 23^rd 2 Scaup were offshore and another little ringed plover was seen. 24^th 58 oystercatchers flew south offshore and an adult roseate tern was on the Humber. 26^th an early pintail was on the Humber and offshore 182 oystercatchers, 62 knot and 36 Sanderling flew south. 27^th 300 swifts, 60 sand martins and 300 swallows flew south. 28^th an excellent day – 200 swifts, 80 sand martins, 600 swallows and 12 yellow wagtails flew south, a marsh harrier flew north and a Pomarine Skua was on the Humber, but the highlight of the day was a stunning adult white-winged black tern which drifted slowly south offshore at 0630. 29^th 2 marsh harriers, 148 oystercatchers, 37 Sanderling and 340 swallows flew south, grounded migrants increased to 4 willow warblers and a pied fly catcher and 60 little gulls flew north in the evening. 30^th offshore 291 oystercatchers, 22 knot, 60 Sanderling, 26 Whimbrel, 18 redshank and 26 turnstones flew south. 2 little ringed plovers were on the Humber, a Pomarine Skua drifted south and 250 swallows flew south. 31^st 101 oystercatchers, 90 Sanderling, 200 Whimbrel flew south offshore, a little ringed plover was on the Humber again and 115 swifts, 80 sand martins and 400 swallows flew south.

MONTHLY MAXIMA FOR THE HUMBER IN JULY