After moving here to the northern suburbs of York last summer, I began nocturnal migration sound-recording (nocmig) - with an mp3 player in a cling-film-covered plant pot, or (when away) a pre-programmed Audiomoth - from our small back garden throughout last autumn, which turned out to be very productive (see here); thus, this spring was my first one recording here, and (tech issues aside), it was also more than worthwhile, with some great results and nice surprises.
I began recording in February - seven nights at the end of the month - which produced skeins of Pink-footed Geese on 22nd, two Water Rails on 26th, Wigeon and Teal on 22nd and 24th respectively, Redwings into double figures on most nights, and Moorhen, Coot, Song Thrush and Oystercatcher also registering.
March lived up to its billing as often the most productive spring nocmig month, with good quality and quantity. A calling Woodcock over on 3rd was one of the most surprising (and contextually rare) records of the year, with other waders including Golden Plovers on four nights, a Lapwing on 8th and a scattering of Curlews throughout the month.
Northbound wildfowl were represented by Pink-footed Geese on 2nd, 7th (four skeins), 17th (several large flocks), 18th and 25th, and Whooper Swans moving on 7th and 23rd, while Wigeon and Teal featured on three nights each, in the latter half of the month. A push of Common Gulls involved at least 18 birds on 24th, with Water Rails, Coot, Moorhens and Grey Herons all figuring. Passerine interest was provided by regular thrushes (especially Redwings), Robins on three nights and a Skylark on 9th.
The story of the month, however, was unquestionably the excellent and sustained Common Scoter migration, as birds left the Irish Sea, crossed Yorkshire and headed for the North Sea (and then onwards to breeding grounds) in the early spring window. It being my first spring recording here, I knew that geographically I was potentially well-placed for some cross-country nocturnal scoter action, but with the variables of flightlines and weather conditions, I couldn't be sure just how much activity would occur over my recorder.
As it turns out, I needn't have worried. Early flocks on 4th and 8th precursed the flood of activity over the last week of the month - a single flock on 23rd was followed by a fantastic 25 flocks on 24th, which was then followed by an even better 34 flocks on 25th; a further six flocks on 26th and three flocks on 27th was followed by another 25 flocks on the night of 28th, six on 30th, and one on 31st, totalling an impressive 113 flocks for the month.
After such a productive March, April was somewhat of a comedown (even factoring in the ten days lost due to Audiomoth issues). Expected species such as Redwings, Song Thrushes, Moorhens, Little Grebes, Water Rails (totalling five) and Coot all registered, with wader passage confined to two Common Sandpipers on 19th, large flocks of Oystercatchers on 1st and the odd Curlew and Golden Plover.
The night of the 26th, however, showed how pulses of nocturnal migration can on occasion reflect arrivals diurnally - within 30 minutes (between 0224 and 0251hrs), Lesser Whitethroat, Ring Ouzel and Blackcap all overflew the recorder, followed by a spike of long distance migrants on the coast and inland the following morning. Funny how after a very unremarkable month, half an hour can make all the effort worthwhile! A second Blackcap for the spring was recorded on 29th.
May is often much quieter for nocmig than the early spring, and (combined with another Audiomoth malfunction costing over a week) so it transpired; the only notable registrations included Whimbrels on 5th and 14th, Common Scoters and Common Sandpiper on 19th, and Spotted Flycatcher and Golden Plover on 20th.
By the time June rolls around, nocmig possibilities recede greatly, and it's really all about the chance of the odd quality long shot - thus, it's not always worth the hassle, especially if conditions are poor. But, as I was around (and the shortness of the nights make them very quick to analyse), I put out the recorder with suitable low (no) expectations. As it turns out, a very good move....
A night's recording on 6th produced a single Curlew, before another try on 12th scored with exactly what I'd hoped for - my first Quail for the site. The following night - 13th - amazingly provided another Quail, and then the next (15th), an even bigger score - at least two Avocets chipping away as they passed over our suburb. A rare York bird, I'd assume, and one which I'd tried and failed for five years to pick up on the coast....
More was still to come, with a Dunlin and a very late Redwing on 16th, Black-headed Gulls on 17th and 20th, Grey Heron on 18th, Oystercatcher and Curlew on 19th, and a flock of at least three Common Sandpipers on 23rd.
An excellent end to a productive first spring recording here. (And with a week still to go, maybe still a footnote to add!)
