Birding highlights at Spurn during June 2001
June started in spectacular fashion when a stunning Bee-eater was discovered by the Canal Scrape on the 1st. The Bee-eater soon moved to the telephone wires in Kilnsea where it performed, for nearly an hour, to an appreciative small group of admirers. Force 6 north-westerly winds on the 2nd produced a good offshore movement of seabirds, with hundreds of birds passing through. Amongst the commoner species seawatchers were able to pick out a Storm Petrel, 136 Manx Shearwaters, a Great Skua, 3 Little Gulls and 24 Puffins. In stark contrast the only noteworthy migrant was a late Redwing in Clubley’s Field, staying until the 3rd. The excellent spell of seawatching continued through to the next day when a Red-throated Diver, a Red-necked Grebe, another Storm Petrel, 63 Manx Shearwaters and Arctic and Great Skuas all moved north. The 4th was much quieter, although a Great Northern Diver was on the sea, and then on the 5th another surprise Bee-eater flew south down the peninsula pausing only briefly at the Narrows.
Raptors dominated the scene over the next couple of days with a first-summer female Montagu’s Harrier and a Hobby south on the 6th and two Marsh Harriers in the area the following day. The only other bird of any note in this period was an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the Humber. Another spell of strong northerly winds over the 9th and 10th produced yet more sea passage, with a Red-throated Diver, 116 Manx Shearwaters, single Arctic and Great Skuas and a Black Tern offshore.
Another winter visitor, a late female Brambling, was at the Warren on the 14th, with a Black Redstart at the Point on the 15th, increasing to two the following day. The 16th also produced a Hobby and two Little Gulls on the Humber. Little Gulls continued to be a feature of the next few days with a single on the Humber on the 17th, two on the 18th and three on the 19th. A second-summer Mediterranean Gull was also on the Humber on the 17th, when a female Crossbill was seen briefly at the Narrows and a single Black Redstart remained at the Point. An Arctic Skua was offshore on the 18th and a first-summer Mediterranean Gull flew south past the Narrows on the 19th. More surprising though was Spurn’s fifth Red-rumped Swallow this spring, which also flew south past the Narrows on the 19th.
Swift movement started in earnest on the 20th when 3150 Swifts moved through accompanied by a Hobby, with a further two Hobbies south on the 25th. The second-summer Mediterranean Gull was on the Humber again on the 24th with a wandering Kingfisher on the Canal and Walkers Butts the same day. South-westerly winds and overcast skies induced a staggering 12,000 Swifts to move south on the 27th. Other birds caught up in this movement included a Marsh Harrier and 3 Hobbies south down the peninsula and 4 Little Gulls south at sea. The bird of the month though was Yorkshire’s second ever Black-winged Pratincole which flew south past the Warren seawatching hide in the early evening. Swift passage continued into the next day with another 3000 south along with a female Crossbill and a Hobby south. The 29th was a bit quieter with a Little Gull on the Humber and 3 Scaup south at sea being the only birds of any note. However things picked up again on the 30th with a further 7000 Swifts south and both another Hobby and a Wood Sandpiper south. In addition a first-summer Mediterranean Gull, two Yellow-legged Gulls and a Little Gull were on the Humber. Finally the observatories eighth ever Marsh Tit was found at the Narrows where it showed briefly before moving to Chalk Bank and then Wire Dump.
Paul Massey, Spurn Bird Observatory Warden.
Spurn Bird Observatory Grape Vine
Spurn Bird Observatory - June 2001
Weather Summary: Dominated by westerlies until 12th with force 6 north-westerlies on 2nd and 7th. Period of variable south-east and north-east winds 13th-18th, before variable east/west until 26th, finishing on south-west by the month’s end. A dry month with only 11 days with rain (all in first half of month); quite cool during first half becoming hotter from 19th.
Ringing: Number ringed in month: 2 birds of 1 species (Whitethroat), plus 15 Little Tern pullus.
Main movements etc.
1st: Chiffchaff 1, Spotted Flycatcher 2.
2nd: ‘Greenland’ Wheatear 6, Redwing 1, Chiffchaff 1, Spotted Flycatcher 2, Siskin 2â.
3rd: Greylag Goose 19â, Tree Pipit 1, Reed Warbler 5.
5th: Turtle Dove 4â, Swallow 220â, House Martin 400â.
6th: Kestrel 2â, Hobby 1â, Cuckoo 1â, Swift 1000â, Swallow 250â, House Martin 250â, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Goldfinch 10â.
7th: Marsh Harrier 2, Chiffchaff 2, Spotted Flycatcher 1.
8th: Greylag Goose 14â, Snipe 1, Golden Plover 41.
9th: Mistle Thrush 1, Grasshopper Warbler 1, Garden Warbler 1, Blackcap 1.
11th: Lapwing 8â.
13th: Greenshank 1, ‘Greenland’ Wheatear 5, Willow Warbler 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1.
14th: Knot 15á, Brambling fem.
15th: Knot 13á, Cuckoo 1, Black Redstart 1.
16th: Hobby 1, Little Gull 2, Arctic Tern 7à, Black Redstart 2, Willow Warbler 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1.
17th: Greylag Goose 5â, Little Gull 1, Cuckoo 1, Black Redstart 1.
18th: Greylag Goose 11à, Green Sandpiper 1, Little Gull 2.
19th: Shelduck 31à, Lapwing 17â, Little Gull 3, Swift 1700â, ‘Alba’ Wagtail 18â, Starling 600, Goldfinch 12â.
20th: Hobby 1, Turnstone 21, Turtle Dove 3â, Swift 3150â.
21st: Grey Wagtail 3â, Whinchat 1.
23rd: Whimbrel 13ß, Redshank 38, Common Tern 19à.
24th: Ruff 2â, Curlew 50, Swift 1300â, Willow Warbler 1.
25th: Hobby 2â, Swift 1200â, Chiffchaff 1, Goldfinch 10â, Siskin 1â.
27th: Marsh Harrier 1â, Kestrel 1â, Hobby 3â, Lapwing 13â, Black-tailed Godwit 18â, Curlew 45â, Cuckoo 1, Swift 12000â, ‘Alba’ Wagtail 13â, Starling 400.
28th: Hobby 1â, Knot 13â, Greenshank 2, Turtle Dove 5â, Swift 3000â.
29th: Ruff 1, Curlew 89, Little Gull 1, Common Tern 10à, Cuckoo 1, Starling 570.
30th: Shelduck 32â, Lapwing 57â, Snipe 1, Black-tailed Godwit 4, Redshank 45 (22â), Hobby 1â, Golden Plover 40â, Curlew 144, Little Gull 1, Swift 7000â, Sand Martin 57â, Siskin 3â.
Rarities: Red-necked Grebe 1á on 3rd; Storm Petrel 1â on 2nd & 1á on 3rd; Montagu’s Harrier 1st-sum femâ on 6th; Wood Sandpiper 1â on 30th; Mediterranean Gull 2nd-sum on 17th, 1st-sumâ on 19th, 2nd-sum on 24th & 1st-sum on 30th; Yellow-legged Gull ad on 6th & 2 (ad & 3rd-sum) on 30th; Kingfisher 1 on 24th; Crossbill fem on 17th & femâ on 28th; Bee-eater 1 on 1st & 1â on 5th; Red-rumped Swallow 1â on 19th; Black-winged Pratincole 1â on 27th; Marsh Tit 1 on 30th = only 8th obs record.
Sea Passage
2nd: Fulmar 151á & 219â, Manx Shearwater 33á & 136â, Gannet 103á & 274â, Common Scoter 27â, Red-breasted Merganser 1á, Great Skua 1â, Little Gull 3á, Kittiwake 350á, ‘Auk’ sp. 984â, Guillemot 231á, Puffin 24â.
3rd: Red-throated Diver 1á, Great Crested Grebe 1á, Fulmar 49á, Manx Shearwater 63á, Gannet 179á, Tufted Duck 9á, Common Scoter 25â, Arctic Skua 1â, Great Skua 1á, Kittiwake 428á, Razorbill 56á, Puffin 16á.
4th: Great Northern Diver 1, Gannet 279á, Kittiwake 159á, Sandwich Tern 37á, ‘Auk’ sp 479á.
9th: Tufted Duck 1â, Common Scoter 31á, Black Tern 1â.
10th: Red-throated Diver 1á, Manx Shearwater 116â, Eider 3á, Arctic Skua 1â, Great Skua 1á, Puffin 12á, Fulmar 191â, Gannet 176â, Kittiwake 617á, Guillemot 124á.
15th: Common Scoter 80á, Kittiwake 160â.
18th: Arctic Skua 1, Kittiwake 311á.
19th: Sandwich Tern 84â.
22nd: Manx Shearwater 12á, Kittiwake 158á.
23rd: Great Crested Grebe 1á, Teal 2á & 2â, Eider 1á & 2â, Common Scoter 58á & 22â, Kittiwake 278á.
27th: Manx Shearwater 11â, Red-breasted Merganser 1á & 2â, Wigeon 6â, Little Gull 4â.
29th: Scaup 3â.
Moths: Very poor catches all month!Unusual records: Brown Silver-line 1 on 15th (7th record), Blood-vein 1 on 24th, White-pinion Spotted 1 on 26th, Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1 on 27th-28th, Ringed China-mark 1 on 28th (2nd record), Green Silver-lines 1 on 30th (1st for Spurn), The Sycamore 1 on 30th.