An Early Red-flanked Bluetail

It is just over a week since I arrived back at Spurn for another autumn as a residential volunteer. My first few days were focused on Migfest 2023 and helping out, where possible, to ensure the event ran as smoothly as possible. It was really great to see some familiar faces again over the weekend and have a good catch up - even when there are not so many scarce birds about Spurn is still great just from a social aspect too. One of the Friday evening talks (Stephen Menzie's educational "Beginners Guide to Moult") was temporarily disrupted when a Short-eared Owl flew over North Field and caused a lot of people to run out of the marquee for some views. However, it was on the Saturday evening that the weather became the disruption. I was sat in the Observatory when some lightning struck insanely close to the building (there is dispute as to where exactly it hit but the consensus seems to be near the pub somewhere). The result was a loud gun-like noise. The impact shook the building and all power was temporarily lost. Most of the lights came back on shortly after but some guests were saying that their lights were no longer working. It soon became apparent that most of Kilnsea had no power. Nonetheless, the Migfest team did a great job at keeping the lectures and other events going.

This past week has had some very quiet days but also some pretty decent days too. So far I have had eight Spurn ticks, four of which were lifers. Undoubtedly, this weekend just gone was the craziest couple of days yet. On Saturday morning I was walking along the Canal Footpath heading towards the Peninsula to do the point counts when I heard an unusual call coming from behind me. It sounded a bit like a weird Quail, which was the way my thought process was going until I realised it was something flying over. Frustratingly I never got onto the bird. I was hoping that I was not the only one to hear it and that maybe someone else had also managed to see it. Sure enough not long later Harry Appleyard appeared from round by the Discovery Centre and asked if I had it. Then Adam Hutt announced on the radio that he had picked up a wader with a call he had "never heard before" going low south past The Warren and down the Peninsula. At this point Harry said he had got a couple of record shots of the bird and so he sent those to Adam. Discussions were still happening on the radio so I asked Harry to suggest to Adam that I thought it sounded like an Upland Sandpiper. Harry then also showed me the pics and that confirmed my suspicions. About a minute later Adam came back on the radio to say that he had listened on Xeno Canto and it was definitely an Upland Sandpiper. Result! A first for Yorkshire that only a few people actually managed to see, but some more people were like me and only managed to hear it. On the same day at Middle Camp down the Peninsula I found a Lesser Stag Beetle, which also turned out to be a first for Spurn, so two firsts on the same day!

Yesterday did not have anything as rare as an Upland Sandpiper but there were plenty of scarce migrants around (the lack of common migrants is concerning though). I once again was doing point counts along the Peninsula. It was quite a strong easterly wind, which on paper looked promising, but equally made birding most of the Peninsula very difficult as most birds were sheltered away. I knew my best bet for finding something was right at the end of the Point. Thankfully once I got there it did not take me long to find my first Spotted Flycatcher of the autumn and then on the way back through that same path on my way back I found the first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn here. Jacob Spinks then took over and I headed back towards the Observatory. I hadn't made it far before he found a Barred Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, and 2 Redstart, all of which were along one of the only routes I did not walk. Things were also turning up back in Easington, Kilnsea and the Triangle, with 2 more Barred Warblers and 2 Red-breasted Flycatchers. I had seen on Birdguides that Fair Isle had got a very early Red-flanked Bluetail but I never expected there to be one here so early as well, but amazingly Andy Bunting found one in the 3rd Paddock at Sammy's Point. I was hoping to get one here last year but knew that I was leaving about a week too early as they are much more a classic October scarce migrant. Thankfully I managed to get brief but superb views of Andy's one, which definitely made up for not seeing any of the Barred Warblers or Red-breasted Flycatchers, and even helped heal the pain of the news that there was a Little Stint at Beddington Farmlands back home, which is a much wanted patch tick!

Highlights so far:

Long-tailed Tits (Spurn tick), Fieldfare (Spurn tick), Short-eared Owl, Lesser Redpolls, Barn Owls, Spoonbills, Great White Egret, Barred Warbler, Pied Flycatchers, Pink-footed Geese, Spotted Redshanks, Great Skuas, Little Gulls, Manx Shearwaters, Merlin, Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, Pectoral Sandpiper (lifer), Leach's Storm Petrel (lifer), Sooty Shearwaters, Crossbill (Spurn tick), Jack Snipe, Caspian Gulls, Black Terns, Shag (Spurn tick), Tree Pipit, Brent Geese, Upland Sandpiper (heard only, lifer), Yellow-browed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellowhammers, Red-flanked Bluetail (lifer).

Merlin

Pied Flycatcher

Left to right: adult Little Stint, Dunlin, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper

Barn Owls above and below

Guillemot

Yellow-browed Warbler

My First Views of Grasshopper Warbler

Yesterday morning I found a Grasshopper Warbler at Beddington Farmlands. I first heard it calling whilst it was still darkish at 05:40 but did not see it until 07:56. It is the first time I have seen one and I had only heard my first and only other one reeling here this spring. I even managed to get a few decent pics which I am happy about. Arjun came down a bit later in the morning and thankfully he managed to connect with it too. Unfortunately, Russ, who was on site as a volunteer to check on the three cattle we currently have on Phase 3 Wet Grassland, did not get to see it. I also had 4 Whinchat on the mound but they had disappeared before Arjun or Russ got there. However, we were all treated to some fabulous views of a Hobby hunting dragonflies overhead. Earlier in the morning a low flying hot air balloon caused chaos, flushing almost everything from the lakes. Even the Coots were worried and all moved to the far side of the lake. At one point the balloon came so low it appeared as though it was going to land on the mound and so it flushed up a Skylark too. Eventually everything settled back down and the 1st winter male Wigeon that was new in decided to stay despite the scare (interestingly since the event all the ducks seem to be extra skittish and flush up as soon as I come into sight).

Grasshopper Warbler below:

Hobby above and below. In the field I thought it was an adult bird but the photos show a brown wash to the remiges so it could be a 2cy autumn bird

The day before yesterday I was welcomed by 18 Greylag Geese on the North Lake early morning. They had obviously roosted there but after about 30 minutes of light they decided to fly off south. I think 18 is my personal highest count of Greylags for Beddington. Rather worryingly none of them were visisble on the lake initially and I had only heard the odd call. I do wonder what else stays hidden if a whole group of geese can temporarily avoid being seen! I also had a flyover Tree Pipit that I only heard once but it was clear enough that I was happy to count it as one. There was only one spring record for the site this year, matching last year. There was also a small increase in Sedge Warblers with at least 5 across the southern two thirds of the site. I also accidentally found myself surrounded by Wasp Spiders whilst trying to find warblers along the east bank of South Lake.

Wasp Spider

Today I met up with Glenn for the first time since late April. It has been his biggest gap without a visit to the Farmlands for some years. It was good to have his company again, and we, along with my mum, had a flyover Tree Pipit (again not seen but this time I heard four calls), the 1st winter male Wigeon, 1 1st winter Whinchat, and 2 Willow Warbler in the copses on the mound. Once both Glenn and my mum had left I waited on the Sand Martin Bank for the thunderstorm to hit. As usual, the storm was a bit anticlimactic and mostly went around the site, but 2 Sand Martin did drop down almost as soon as the rain started. Once the rain stopped again 2 Swift flew low south. I have had a couple of days this week without any Swifts so they were nice to see.

Vestal Moth

Blood-vein Moth

Skagen Write-up and Photo Gallery

I have finally sorted through all my photos from my fabulous time volunteering at Skagen Bird Observatory in Denmark and they can be seen below. I also did a write-up for Birdguides, which can be viewed here.

Previous blog posts covered my first few days at the observatory and the relevant photos have since been added. I'd like to thank everyone who made this possible for me and all the people that made my stay in Skagen the best I could have asked for! Also thanks Dante for letting me borrow his lens towards the end.

27th May:

Common Buzzard

28th May:

This Grey Heron had be very confused when I picked it up in the distance. Presumably got oil on it as I believe I saw the same bird on another day and the black had faded.

This Common Buzzard was caught, ringed and satellite tagged

29th May:

Collared Doves

30th May:

Male Yellowhammer

31st May:

Marsh Warbler

2nd June:

Green Sandpiper below:

Marsh Warbler above and below

Lesser Redpolls below:

3rd June:

Black Woodpecker - although looks like a photo that would be used to claim Ivory-billed Woodpecker in America!

Tree Pipit

Male Grey Wagtail below:

White-tailed Eagle, Black Kite and Red Kite

Male 2cy Hawfinch below:

Red Kites

4th June:

Great Northern Diver above and below

Male Red-backed Shrike below:

5th June:

Rufous female Cuckoo above and below

Black-throated Divers above and below

Adult male Honey Buzzard

Pale adult male Honey Buzzard below:

Adult female Honey Buzzard

Another adult female Honey Buzzard

Adult male and adult female Honey Buzzard

Black Kite below:

6th June:

Bittern

This pair of Cranes were flying high within the clouds

Marsh Warbler

8th June:

Male Nightjar below:

One of the many mosquitoes wanted to be in the photo too!

9th June:

Sunrise below:

Spotted Flycatcher

Osprey

Male White Wagtail

10th June:

Male Yellowhammer below:

Dark adult male Honey Buzzard

Adult female Honey Buzzard

Adult Jay below:

12th June:

Female Red-backed Shrike:

Adult female Crossbill:

Juvenile Crested Tits

13th June:

Male Ringed Plover

Immature White-tailed Eagles below:

14th June:

Rosefinch above and below

Adult Honey Buzzards below:

15th June:

Blyth's Reed Warbler below:

Blyth's Reed Warbler (left) with Reed Warbler for comparison:

Blyth's Reed Warbler (right) with Reed Warbler

Paddyfield Warbler below:

17th June:

Adult female Honey Buzzard

19th June:

Immature White-tailed Eagle below:

22nd June:

Adult male Honey Buzzard below:

House Martin in background

Adult Honey Buzzard - some older females can look confusingly like males so I am always cautious with sexing birds unless I can see all features

Immature White-tailed Eagle above and below

Kestrel

23rd June:

Male Yellowhammer

Common Buzzard

Adult Honey Buzzard

House Martin above and below

Barn Swallows above and below

Male House Sparrow

24th June:

Adult female Honey Buzzard:

25th June:

Red-necked Grebes below:

Male Wigeon

Cormorants below:

Black-headed Gull

Adult Mute Swan with cygnet

26th June:

Dark-headed but intermediate body adult female Honey Buzzard above and below

Adult (male?) Honey Buzzrad above and below

Grey Heron above and below

27th June:

Tree Pipit below:

Barn Swallow

Rosefinches below:

28th June:

Bee-eater below:

It began hawking with Swifts and Hirundines

Black Kite

Icterine Warbler below:

1st summer Steppe Eagle above and below

29th June:

Juvenile Goosander below:

30th June:

Immature White-tailed Eagle above and below

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Crested Tit above and below

Huge Ant Colony

Adult male Honey Buzzard below:

Stonechat

Arctic Skua and 2nd summer Long-tailed Skua

2nd summer Long-tailed Skua below:

Regularly mobbed Sandwich Terns

Male Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover chicks above and below

1st July:

Black Redstart above and below

White Wagtail