So here's a full six-month review of my nocmig results from a garden in Flamborough village, January to June '26 inclusive. It's coming up to six years (!) since I began recording there, and it's fascinating to see the trends and fluctuations from an ever-increasing dataset. Lots to go at over recent months, so here goes...
Two nights in January featured Redwings and Pink-feet before more concerted efforts in February (eleven nights, from 13th) were headlined by an excellent showing of grey geese. With an ongoing influx into the UK, I was hopeful of picking up some - thankfully there was plenty of action, from both a large flock that overflew the recorder on many occasions as they went to roost on the outer Head, and flocks that occurred at different times of night.
Large flocks of vocal Wigeon were a feature of March nocmig
Russian White-fronted Geese were in the overwhelming majority, and figured from the off with flocks on 13th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 23rd and 26th (with several flocks on two dates), while Pink-footed Geese were recorded on 24th, 25th and 28th. Barnacle Geese - in with the aforementioned White-front roosting flock - were picked up on 17th and 20th.
Other more expected species logged on the move through the month included Grey Herons, Redwings, Coots, Moorhens, Song Thrushes, Black-headed Gulls, Oystercatchers, Wigeon and Teal (all in small numbers).
A total of thirty nights analysis through March provided lots of insight into early spring migration. A wide range of species included excellent numbers of Wigeon, with some prolonged movement (including four large flocks on 21st and nine on 22nd), good passage of Common Gulls (including a big movement on the night of 21st), Teal, Snipe, Robins and Curlews on several nights each, and regular Water Rails;
Common Scoters began registering on 9th, and featured on a total of thirteen nights; 20 flocks on 11th was the peak count, with a total of 62 flocks during the month. Two flocks of Whooper Swans honked over on the night of 14th, while a final registration of White-fronted Geese clocked in on 1st.
Sanderlings were recorded heading back to their Arctic breeding areas on 7th and 8th, Golden Plovers featured regularly, but winter thrush numbers were modest by comparison (although featuring regularly), with peaks of 45 Blackbirds on 9th and 605 Redwings on 22nd (as well as regular Song Thrushes and the odd Fieldfare).
Flocks of Curlews (above) and Bar-tailed Godwits (below, with a Golden Plover intro!)
Other notable records included Bar-tailed Godwits on 18th and 20th, Shelducks on 8th and 13th, Whimbrels on several dates, Redshank on 6th, Gadwall on 14th, several Robins, regular Golden Plovers (and various other expected species), and fantastically, another two Bitterns...
... on 26th and 27th, bringing the overall total to nine in six years, 100% of which have occurred on return migration in spring (and all in a window between mid-March and early May).
Two of the commoner nocturnal flight calls of Little Grebe. There are other, less familar calls, too....
24 nights analysis were possible throughout May, and while it's usually a very hit and miss month for nocmig, this time it was, well, more hit than miss. Waders included both Green and Common Sandpipers on 4th, Whimbrels on 4th and 8th, Ringed Plovers and Curlews on four dates, a flock of Dunlins on 8th, regular Oystercatchers, and a Greenshank on 23rd.
Passerine highlights included the now expected but always exciting 'subsong' phrases of overflying Blackcaps on 8th and 17th, Skylarks on several nights, and a good run of Spotted Flycatchers, on 1st 5th (two), 12th, and 22nd (two).
On the latter night, during the early hours of 23rd a surge of species were on the move just before heavy showers: as well as the Spot Flys, Swallows, Swifts and Water Rails were also recorded.
Other notable species during the month included Gadwall on 6th, Shelduck on 25th, a flock of Common Scoters on 25th, Sandwich Tern on 6th, as well as regular Moorhens and Coots; by the end of the month, passage had all but dried up, but it's always worth the effort just for a long shot....
... and on the final night of the month - technically, just into June! - an otherwise blank (and windy) night produced a Black-crowned Night-heron, which gave a series of calls as it flew over the village at 0012hrs. A joy to pick up, and one of those rare prizes that makes all the effort worthwhile; it's my second nocmig Night-heron, after one on my Filey recorder back in 2022.
Quite a start to the month, but June (often very quiet) was busier than usual - Water Rails, Little Grebes, Coots, Moorhens and Oystercatchers all provided back-up to more notable records which included Sandwich Terns on 8th and 25th, Curlews on various dates (with good size flocks on 16th and 26th), Greenshank on 21st, a Tree Pipit on 22nd, Little Ringed Plover on 29th, Dunlins and Redshanks on 29th, and an unprecedented influx of Common Quails through the month:
No fewer than eleven flyovers were registered, beginning with one on 6th, then three on 9th, one on 16th, two on 19th, one on 27th, two on 28th and one on 30th. It could be a while before that happens again....
