A quickfire post in the spirit of rattling through a backlog of content... So, we returned from our Northern road trip late on the 2nd (more on that soon), and then as of the 3rd it was straight back into it with my first Autumn Migration Special of the season. Spent entirely on the greater Flamborough Head, there was lots for my team to enjoy, including Greenish Warbler, Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts, Whinchats, Wheatears (below) and lots of other migrant action - quality material to work with and lovely clients as ever.
A late evening buzz around the Top Scrub here in Filey produced a Pied Fly (below) and a Yellow-legged Gull, and the following morning (yesterday) I was back out for dawn - limited passerine action but for the commoner warblers, but plenty of variety off the other side of cliff, particularly re: gull passage.
A constant, close, head height flow of Herring, Great and Lesser-black Backs southbound included three first year Yellow-legged Gulls - which on any other day would've been the standout highlight - but better still, no fewer than four first year Caspian Gulls ambled through; unprecedented, and double the previous day record here.
Today, another dawn raid on Carr Naze, North Cliff and Top Scrub here in Filey pre-work, which was memorable mainly for a Curlew Sandpiper close in and south over the sea, with three Teal (!) - and then the day surveying waders on the North bank of the Humber.
But, it's September, the wind is in the south-east, and with a couple of hours of light left, it seemed wasteful to call it a day.... so I diverted to Buckton on the way home, settled in on a sheltered, insect-rich corner of coastal scrub, and waited. Nine Willow Warblers, two Pied Flys, several Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers later, and then a brief, slightly clumsier lemon-yellow presence in the base of a willow....
Icterine Warbler at Buckton this eve ....
.... a bright, fresh Icterine Warbler, my first (on the mainland) this year, and the first i've found locally in a couple of years. That'll do nicely.
