This May was probably the best ever at Spurn for rarities, however the weather was rarely right for good passage days and we don’t often get large falls in May, so birding can be pretty hard going.

1^st 150 bar-tailed godwits, 280 artic terns, and 7 black terns flew out east off the estuary early in the morning, 2 marsh harriers, and 60 sand martins flew south, 5 Whinchats, 6 wheatears, 10 willow warblers and 5 Bramblings were present and a hooded crow flew north. 2^nd 5 tree pipits and 19 fieldfares were seen. 4^th 30 bar-tailed godwits flew out east. 6^th a handful of new migrants were grounded – 2 white wagtails, a black redstart, 3 redstarts, 5 Whinchats, and a blue-headed wagtail and 3 bar-headed geese were flying up and down the peninsula. 7^th 150 artic and 11 black terns flew out east, a male Montagu’s harrier was seen over the estuary; a buzzard a wood sniper and 300 swallows flew south, a curlew sandpiper was on the estuary and 3 tree pipits, the blue-headed wagtail and the wood warbler were still present.

Probably the biggest surprise of the month though was a desert warbler found just outside the observatory recording area at Sammy’s point, staying until the 11^th. 8^th a black-throated diver flew north offshore, and a few more migrants included a quail, 3 turtledoves, 6 wheatears, 3 garden warblers, 2 spotted flycatchers, and the wood warbler. 9^th a little ringed plover and a black-tailed godwit were flying around in the morning, 1500 swallows and 60 swifts flew south and the quail was still present along with 4 turtle doves, 2 tree pipits, 10 willow warblers and 10 spotted flycatchers. 10^th a few more migrants again, the quail still here along with 2 cuckoos, 6 tree pipits, 5 Whinchats, 8 wheatears, a wood warbler, 4 spotted flycatchers and a very early red-breasted flycatcher in canal hedge in the evening. 11^th a strange day, the only birds of note being a blue fulmar north offshore, a hen harrier flew south and a bullfinch seen briefly. 12^th a sudden influx of tundra ringed plovers (81) on the Humber, 600 swallows flew south and a few more migrants again included 4 Whinchats, 9 wheatears, 7 sedge warblers and the wood warbler and a hooded crow flew north. 13^th what you might call a red letter day – 152 artic terns and 15 black terns flew out east early in the morning, 5 marsh harriers, 4 Sparrowhawk and 500 swallows flew south, a male Kentish plover was on the Humber, a male black-faced bunting was skulking around in the wire dump and a tawny pipit was found in the afternoon on the sea shore. 14^th another amazing day- the male black-faced bunting was showing much better today, often singing from the top of the bushes. It had a slightly extended upper mandible and sometime in the late morning it damaged its right eye. It was widely dismissed as a cage bird, possibly a bit unfairly and to listen to some peoples descriptions you would of expected to see big bard patches all over it. It was certainly in no worse condition then any wild bird flying around, and do only cage birds have feather missing anyway? Should have been in Norfolk. 3 cranes flew south in the afternoon, the tawny pipit was still present, a curlew sandpiper and a wood sandpiper were seen, a jay and a Serin flew north, 700 swallows flew south and 2 crossbills were on the point. 15^th a much better day for passage, with an osprey, another crane, 800 swallows, 200 house martins, 114 goldfinches and 85 linnets all flying south and the tawny pipit still on the beach. 16^th another good days passage – a ringtail Montagu’s harrier, 75 woodpigeons, 20 swifts, 30 sand martins, 1000 swallows and 120 house martins flew south. A curlew sandpiper was on the Humber and a male red-necked phalarope was found roosting on the beach amongst ringed plovers, dunlin and Sanderling. 17^th another good day for passage – 4 marsh harriers, 3 Sparrow hawks, a hobby, 95 swifts, 350 swallows, 650 house martins, a golden oriole, 54 gold finches and 44 linnets flew south, an osprey flew north and a Chinese grosbeak flew south in a flock of house martins, being seen later on the point. 18^th another good day for passage – 5 herons, 3 marsh harriers, 3 sparrow hawk’s, 71 wood pigeons, 700 swallows, 600 house martins and 60 linnets flew south. A Canada goose offshore is a surprisingly good bird at Spurn and a peregrine was seen over the estuary. 19^th 2 marsh harriers and 175 house martins flew south. 20^th offshore 270 kittiwakes and 300 auks flew north, an osprey flew south and a jay was seen. 22^nd 250 swallows and 70 house martins flew south in the morning, a very unseasonable hawfinch was near the church, a little egret dropped onto the estuary in the early afternoon, flying off a few hours later, only to be replaced by a spoonbill. Another 4 bar-headed geese flew south in the evening. 23^rd 18 Manx shearwaters flew south offshore. 24^th 3 marsh harriers, 250 swallows and 150 house martins flew south. 25^th a black-throated diver flew south offshore. 26^th a peregrine was over the estuary. 27^th 110 fulmars and 30 Manx shearwaters flew south offshore and a male Bluethroat was seen briefly on the point. 28^th 120 fulmars and 300 auks flew south, 140 guillemots and 100 razorbills flew north and 50 puffins flew south. 29^th 200 swallows and 80 house martins flew south. 30^th 250 swallows and 110 house martins flew south and 6 spotted flycatchers were seen. 31^st a melodious warbler was found singing at the warren in the evening – although on the Spurn list the record is highly suspect, a couple of other birds were never seen well enough so its nice to at least have a definite one.