Nocmig Update - August '21

All three terns graced the recorders in August, with Common, Sandwich and Arctic (pictured) regularly registering

Filey (North Cliff) 

A tale of almost exclusively waders and terns, with a healthy fourteen species of the former, and multiple showings of all three commoner species of the latter. Many nights saw just a handful of registrations and a few species, but there were odd nights that saw a lot more action. Oystercatchers, Whimbrels, Dunlins and Curlews were common, with Ringed Plovers, Turnstones and Redshanks regular; single Lapwing and Golden Plover, plus Grey Plover on 27th, a Greenshank on 7th, Bar-tailed Godwits on 8th, a Little Ringed Plover on 1st and a Black-tailed Godwit on 13th made for a quality overall variety of shorebirds. Common and Sandwich Terns were recorded on several nights, but the star, er, tern was Arctic, by some distance - a much heavier passage this August saw some substantial counts, with large flocks occurring on several nights.

  

Flamborough 

A remarkably similar story to the above, with the vast majority of registrations involving waders and terns. Of the latter, Sandwich, Common and Arctic Terns all figured, with multiple registrations for all three species and Sandwich slightly outnumbering its smaller cousins. Regular waders included Whimbrels, Dunlins, Curlews and Oystercatchers, plus Turnstones on several nights, Redshanks, Sanderlings and a flock of Knot on 14th, a Little Ringed Plover on 22nd, Snipe on 28th, a Greenshank on 12th, and a Green Sandpiper on 15th. Otherwise, a flyover Moorhen on 2nd, the odd Black-headed Gull and the welcome presence of a small flock of Common Scoters during a rain shower on 21st completed the roll call.

  

Buckton 

My first full month recording at this new regular nocmig site was pleasingly productive - despite picking up less variety and abundance than the above, there were still twelve shorebird species, as well as Common and Arctic Terns and Black-headed Gulls. Black-tailed Godwit on 3rd and Knot on 23rd were both notable, but it was the sandpipers that stole the show, with the trio of Wood, Common and Green all clocking in during the month (the Wood being by far the scarcest of the three, on the night of 14th).