Birding highlights at Spurn Bird Observatory – June 2003

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

1st                    Southerly passage;  Hobby 4, Swift 45, Sand Martin 2, Swallow c800, House Martin 222, Flava Wagtail 2, Goldfinch 13.             Grounded migrants ;   Tree Pipit 1, Black Redstart 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1.             Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Gannet 14, Little Gull 3, , Kittiwake 12, Sandich Tern 20, Common Tern 6, Guillemot 3, Razorbill 1.

2nd                  Southerly passage ;  Grey Heron 1, Little Egret 1, Hobby 5, Swift 131, Sand Martin 11, Swallow 706, House Martin 407, Yellow Wagtail 1, Goldfinch 15, Reed Bunting 4.

Grounded migrants ;  Black Redstart 2, Chiffchaff 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1.

Seabirds ;  Gannet 19, Cormorant 4, Shag 1 (S), Kittiwake 14, Sandwich Tern 9, Commic Tern 13, Guillemot 1.         General ;  Greenshank 1.

3rd                   Southerly passage ;  Swallow 60. House Martin 60.          Grounded migrants ;  Cuckoo 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1.  Seabirds ; Cormorant 10, Arctic Tern 2.

4th                   Southerly passage ;  Swift 45, Swallow 80, House Martin 50 , Goldfinch 5.

Grounded migrants ;  Cuckoo 2, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Garden Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 2, Spotted Flycatcher 1.      Seabirds ;  Gannet 2, Mediterranean Gull 2, Kittiwake 14.

5th                   Southerly passage ;  Canada Goose 56, Hobby 2, Lapwing 24, Wood Pigeon 14, Swift c350, Skylark 4, Sand Martin 3, Swallow 150, House Martin 200, Flava Wagtail 1, Chaffinch 3, Goldfinch 11.       Grounded migrants ;  Quail 1 at the Narrows, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.          Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Gannet 6, Cormorant 9, Mediterranean Gull 2, Sandwich Tern 42.

6th                   Southerly passage ;  Grey Heron 2, Swift 15, Swallow 30, House Martin 35.

Grounded migrants ;  Spotted Flycatcher 1.    General ;  Marsh Harrier 1 (N), Grey Partridge 2.

7th                   Southerly passage ;  Grey Heron 7, Marsh Harrier 1, Swift 15, Swallow 50, House Martin 10.

Seabirds ;  Gannet 2, Mediterranean Gull 1, Sandwich Tern 8.

8th                   Southerly passage ;  Swift 30, Swallow 40, House Martin 50, Goldfinch 5.

Grounded migrants ;  Turtle Dove 5, Reed Warbler 1.       Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Gannet 2, Sandwich Tern 8, Little Tern 7.

9th                   Southerly passage ;  Grey Heron 3, Swift 10, Bee-eater 1 at 10.20 and possibly the same bird at 12.45, Chaffinch 8, Goldfinch 3, Siskin.

Grounded migrants ;  Blyth’s Reed Warbler 1 singing at the Warren was caught and ringed, Chiffchaff 2, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Siskin 1, Common Rosefinch 1 singing briefly at the Warren early morning.                     Seabirds ;  Mediterranean Gull 2, Common Tern 2, Arctic Tern 7, Auk sp 7.

10th                 Southerly passage ;  Buteo sp. 1, Hobby 1 (N), Swift 272, Swallow 40, House Martin 25, Flava Wagtail 1, Goldfinch 3.              Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Gannet 12, Mediterranean Gull 1, Kittiwake 3, Sandwich Tern 16, Little Tern 7, Guillemot 2.

General ;  Greylag Goose 5, Whimbrel 5.

11th                 Southerly passage ;  Swift 163, Sand Martin 5, Swallow 20, House Martin 40.

Grounded migrants ;  Bluethroat 1 was caught and ringed at the Point.

Seabirds;  Kittiwake 2, Sandwich Tern 9, Little Tern 14.

12th                 Southerly passage ;  Wood Pigeon 50, Turtle Dove 1, Swift 500, Sand martin 1, Swallow 25, House Martin 18, Goldfinch 2.                        Seabirds ;  Fulmar 4, Gannet 4, Cormorant 17, Kittiwake 105, Sandwich Tern 15, Common Tern 1, Little Tern 6, Guillemot 5.

General ;  Little Egret 1 in off and then (N), Canada Goose 13 (S).

13th                 Southerly passage ;  Marsh Harrier 1, Wood Pigeon 16, Swift 300, Sand Martin 2, Swallow 30, House Martin 15.        Seabirds ;  Fulmar 2, Gannet 3, Sandwich Tern 30, Common Tern 1, Little Tern 13.

14th                 Southerly passage;  Swift 45, Lesser Redpoll 1.    Grounded migrants ;  Chiffchaff 1.     Seabirds ;  Red-throated Diver 1, Fulmar 12, Gannet 24, Mediterranean Gull 1, Kittiwake 38, Auk sp 5, Guillemot 3, Razorbill 8.            General ;  Wigeon 1, Gadwall 2, Teal 2, Tufted Duck 1, Eider 28, Common Scoter 12.

15th                 Southerly passage ;  Hobby 1, Swift 1200, Sand Martin 2, Swallow 30, House Martin  10, Flava Wagtail 2, Starling 19.         Grounded migrants ;  Cuckoo 1, Fieldfare 1 in the Triangle, Willow Warbler 1.                  Seabirds ;  Fulmar 2, Gannet 1, Mediterranean Gull 1, Common Tern 12, Little Tern 25.    General ;  Greylag Goose 12, Bar-headed Goose 1.

16th                 Southerly passage ;  Swift 35, Sand Martin 3, Swallow 15, House Martin 11, Chaffinch 4.                    Seabirds;  Fulmar 5, Gannet 27, Cormorant 10, Kittiwake 1, Sandwich Tern 15, Auk sp 14, Guillemot 42.

17th                 Southerly passage ;  Marsh Harrier 1, Swift 30, Swallow 15, House Martin 8.

Grounded migrants ;  Blackcap 1.                     Seabirds ;  Fulmar 2, Manx Shearwater 5, Gannet 13, Yellow-legged Gull 1, Kittiwake 3, Auk sp 4, Guillemot 3, Puffin 1.        General ;  Spotted Redshank 1.

18th                 Southerly passage ;  Hobby 3, Cuckoo 1, Bee-eater 1 at 07.38, Swift 7500, Sand Martin 7, Swallow 15, House Martin 26, Goldfinch 3, Linnet 2.

Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Gannet 20, Yellow-legged Gull 4, Kittiwake 1, Sandwich Tern 43, Common Tern 1, Arctic Tern 2, Guillemot 10, Razorbill 1, Puffin.           General ;  Tufted Duck 2, Eider 4, Common Scoter 70.

19th                 Southerly passage ;  Hobby 2, Wood Pigeon 6, Swift 200, Sand Martin 3, Swallow 10, House Martin 3, Flava Wagtail 1.                       Seabirds ;  Fulmar 4, Gannet 3, Kittiwake 2, Auk sp 1 Guillemot 2.

20th                 Southerly passage ;  Swift 20.               Seabirds;  Red-throated Diver 1, Fulmar 8, Gannet 32, Manx Shearwater 2, Kittiwake 9, Auk sp 9, Guillemot 18.

21st                 Southerly passage ; Swift 9, Sand Martin 2.                     Grounded migrants ;  Cuckoo 2.                    Seabirds ;  Gannet 3, Cormorant 7.           General ;  Red-necked Phalarope 1 adult female on the Humber, opposite the Crown and Anchor.

22nd                Southerly passage ;  Swift 3625, Sand Martin 5, Swallow 10, House Martin 5.

Seabirds ;  Arctic Skua 1.

23rd                 Southerly passage ;  Swift 1700, Sand Martin 12, House Martin 20.

Seabirds ;  Fulmar 6, Gannet 15, Kittiwake 6, Auk sp 9.

General ;  Teal 45 (S), Garganey 4 (S), Avocet 2, Kingfisher 1.

24th                 Southerly passage ;  Hobby 1, Swift 120.         Seabirds ;  Fulmar 1, Gannet 10, Kittiwake 2, Auk sp 3, Guillemot 1.

25th                 Southerly passage;  Swift 600,. Seabirds ;  Fulmar 4, Gannet 18, Kittiwake 17, Common Tern 3, Sandwich Tern 130, Auk sp 23, Guillemot 9.

26th                 Southerly passage;  Swift 10.                Grounded migrants ;  Chiffchaff 1.

Seabirds ;  Fulmar 3, Gannet 5, Kittiwake 8, Sandwich Tern 50, Auk sp 1, Guillemot 8.

General ;  a Hobby was catching moths at 2200 around the lights at the Crown and Anchor.

27th                 Southerly passage ;  Swift 200. Seabirds ;  Fulmar 3, Gannet 109, Mediterranean Gull 1, Little Gull 1, Kittiwake 36, Common Tern 12.

General ;  Shelduck 151, Teal 4, Eider 14, Common Scoter 62, Hobby 1, Spotted Redshank 1, Green Sandpiper 1.

28th                 Southerly passage ;  Swift 1200, Mistle Thrush 1.                      Seabirds;  Manx Shearwater 8, Gannet 8, Arctic Skua 4, Mediterranean Gull 1, Arctic Tern 1.

General ;  Teal 23, Eider 11, Common Scoter 80, Whimbrel 8, Spotted Redshank 1, Greenshank 2.

29th                 Southerly passage ;   Hobby 1, Swift 300, Swallow 10.                       

Grounded migrants ;  Grey Wagtail  1.  Seabirds;  Gannet 10, Mediterranean Gull 1, Little Gull 3, Kittiwake 4, Common Tern 11.           General ;  Spotted Redshank 1, Greenshank 1, Common Sandpiper 1.

30th                 Southerly passage ;  Swift 250. Seabirds;  Fulmar 1, Gannet 8, Kittiwake 4, Common Tewrn 1, Auk sp 4, Guillemot 10.

Andy Roadhouse

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