Champions of the Flyway!

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Guiding at Spurn, mid-Oct '24

Redwing

Back home in York after another fine five days guiding for Yorkshire Coast Nature at Spurn Bird Observatory; after our final visit of the year there in eight days time, that'll be a total of six working weeks I've spent there this year, and what a pleasure they've all been.
Male Bearded Tit

This week was an entertaining mix of conditions - Monday, Thursday and Friday all being pleasant and sunny, with Tuesday and Wednesday dominated by moderate south-easterlies with cloud and overnight rain - every day offering a unique range of birds and experiences, as Spurn always does.
Down at the point (Pic - Jenny Davies) 

Some of the highlights included huge thrush arrivals (mainly Redwings, in their thousands) with lots of Bramblings, a handful of Hawfinches and plenty more in the mix; a wonderful close-up fly-by Long-eared Owl, below us as we watched from the obs platform; Black Redstarts, Woodcocks, Short-eared Owl, Yellow-browed Warblers and more fresh-in from distant shores;
Great and Little Egrets
Wildfowl including flocks of Brent and Pink-footed Geese, and a wide range of ducks, including a periodically showy American Wigeon: Osprey, Merlins, Marsh and Hen Harriers among raptors enjoyed; Bearded Tits and Ring Ouzels dropping into the Triangle; masses of waders of various species, from swirls of Golden Plovers and Knot to Little Stint to many a bubbling Curlew;
Not forgetting 25 lovely clients (as well as Rich's residential group), who were as always welcomed and encouraged by the Observatory staff, vols and the great community of local birders - we really appreciate your patience and support ;-)
Hawfinches

Looking forward to next week already!
Song Thrush
Jay
Redwing
Yellow-browed Warbler at the Crown and Anchor
Water Rail
Rock Pipit, watched arriving from a long way out to sea...
Bearded Tits
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