Avian Mexican Wave

Yesterday was the Autumnal meet of the Yorkshire Birdforum Group at Spurn.  When the Hull contingent arrived at about 7.45 most of the West & North Yorkshire delegates were already in place Seawatching on the 'cliff' at Kilnsea.  They were spotting Gannets, Red-throated Divers and a few Manx Shearwaters, plus hundreds of Little Gulls.  It was obvious that there were going to be very few land-based birds.  Highlights of these at this site were a female Merlin flying past the Blue Bell, a Heron which came in to land on Borrow Pits, and a few birds migrating South.

High tide was at 10.13, so an hour before then we headed down the point towards Chalk Bank Hide.  Some selfish fisherman had abandoned their cars in the wrong positions, unnecessarily blocking the parking area.  The Hull birders (& guest) were just about able to park here, but the others had to find spaces near Wire Dimp and walk back.  They spent an inordinate time looking at a Kestrel perched on the Heligoland trap in the hope it would transmute into a Merlin.

It was rather slow from the hide - the land had changed, and at first the bird were behind a bank.  It was a fairly low high tide, so the waders weren't driven really close to us.  However, some mean, large gulls took off at one point from the middle of the flock of Knot, so they took off and treated us to some amazing balletic displays of Avian Mexican Waves.

A Pulsating Flock of Knot

 Now the Wave Begins

 The Wave Breaks & Separates

 How Many Birds in this Picture?

 More Colour Changes

 Transformation from Dark to Light

 Grey Plover

 Oystercatchers

 Ditto

We went on to the Point, were there were just a few migrants in the bushes.  Goldcrests were calling from some of the wild privets, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were scoffing the Elderberries, and a Redwing was briefly glimpsed.  At the green beacon we saw another Merlin and more than 300 Pink-footed Geese flew south in 3 separate phalanxes.  

The final venue was Sammy's Point were the highlights were a Rabbit, which I was able to transform into a Golden Plover, and a Stock Dove a mile away among a Woodpigeon flock. 

Pink-footed Geese

 Gannets Entering the Humber

A Warm Finale

Yesterday the final Thursday session until September went ahead even though Yorkshire was ringed around with heavy showers.  Some on the pm session were wondering if it was worth leaving Church Fenton, Wressle or Goole where it was hammering down with rain, but it was actually nice weather at Spurn.   We set off along Beacon Lane, where we immediately encountered House Martins and a few finch species: Goldfinches, Greenfinches & then flyover Linnets. The best early bird during the pm session was a singing Wren perched above the hedge belting out its 10-second- 100+ note trills.   Normally there are plenty of Linnets along here, but there are definitely fewer of these this year.

Immature Kestrel

 Goldfinch

 Large Skipper

 Ringlet

 Meadow Brown

 Common Blue [male] above
Burnet-Moth

 ditto

It was the sunniest day we have visited this location this year, and there was a corresponding increase in insect activity.  There were a couple of Red Admirals & Large Skippers, some Small Heaths, a single Small Tortoiseshell, and a few Ringlets and Meadow Browns.  There was also a single large dragonfly hawking along the lane.  Over the fields the activity of the Meadow Pipits and Skylarks was more subdued than last week, and the Sedge Warblers seemed less willing to sing in the open.  Many more Burnet-Moths had emerged since last week, and were making the most of the sunshine.  There seemed to have been a noticeable influx of Silver-Y Moths in the afternoon, which wasn’t apparent in the morning.  A young Kestrel spent the whole day among the sand dunes & caught something small on the sand, which it proceeded to eat & then it walked up the dune looking for more of the same.

 Kestrel

 Kestrel

 Sandwich Terns

 Little Gull (flying past a Common Tern)

 Reed Bunting

From the hide it was evident that the loss of many of the Little Tern chicks since our last visit had caused the netting to be rearranged in front of the hide to protect 2 or 3 nests there.  Sandwich Terns were more in evidence, perched on a couple of concrete slabs with a few of their youngsters.  A couple of Common Terns were perched nearby, and an immaculate Little Gull flew through.   The pm crowd watched a Cormorant catch an enormous fish, whilst I was trying to determine if a tern in awkward light could possibly be a Roseate – unfortunately, it turned out to be a Common.  There were also Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers, and after we left the hide in the morning 3 Knots with remnants of breeding plumage headed south.  Liz did very well to spot a distant soaring Sparrowhawk, which everyone managed to pick up before it was lost to sight.  

 Cormorant

 Wood Sandpipers

 Wood Sandpipers

 Wood Sandpipers

At lunch-time I went to Canal Scrape, but was disappointed that there were no Lizards on the posts outside – perhaps the sun was too strong?  The prospects from the hide didn’t look too good either.  The water was dominated by squealing baby Coots, whilst the grass was overwhelmed by moulting Mallards.  I had a quick span, but couldn’t see anything of interest, so I cracked open my sandwiches.  I was tucking in when there was an unusual wader call.  I looked out of the window and spotted a pair of tiny waders on the shore.  At first glance without bins they looked like Dunlin, but the sound was different.  The bins revealed them to be Wood Sandpipers with their pale vague eyebrow, speckled back, delicate bill & yellowish legs.  They remained there 15 minutes until they were attacked by a stinking Coot & they flew West over the Humber.  Meanwhile a Little Egret flew in & was preening among the Mallard.  It only stayed a couple of minutes before flying off North-West.  Four Cygnets emerged from the reeds and swam right across the pond, but there was no sign of either of their parents.  There was no one to say 'awwww' at their appearance this time.  A Small Tortoiseshell was outside the hide on a thistle, whilst when I joined the main road a Sedge Warbler was perched with its bill stuffed with insects.

Little Egret

 Little Egret

Small Tortoiseshell

 Mute Swan Cygnets

 Sedge Warbler

 Sedge Warbler

 4-Spotted Chaser

 Caterpillar

It was great to bring this term to an end in decent weather conditions when we have had to endure all sorts of unseasonal showers, winds, mists and generally appalling weather over the last few weeks.  We deserve a peaceful, Indian summer after this unsettled so-called Spring & Summer, but will we get it?

2 Meds do not a Summer Make

We had a very wet start to the morning, and first settled down in Marshland Hide.  There were plenty of Avocets & Black-headed Gulls.  All last weeks’ nests & eggs on the right-hand island appeared to have disappeared, and many on the island on the left seemed to have gravitated to the centre of the island. So something has gone wrong since last week.  We saw the odd duck such as Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, and a Snipe was flushed from the far side of the reeds & came across for most people to catch a view. 

We waited for the rain to ease off a little before trying out Xerox Hide. This was full of gulls, but with the odd Avocet, but the best sighting here was a brief view of a Green Sandpiper – incorrectly reported as a Common Sandpiper at the visitor centre.  The rain meant that plenty of Swallows & a few Swifts were brought low over the water in front of the hides

A more prolonged dry spell saw us striking out to Singleton.  There were plenty of Marsh Harriers on view here: some perched in the open and as it got drier more took to the air.  However, the marsh harriers were eclipsed for some by a reeling Grasshopper Warbler just outside the hide.  Some participants got a brief glimpse of the bird outside, as it slipped away through the thick vegetation.  Unfortunately, neither camera was able to obtain an image, so the accompanying picture is one of last year’s birds taken elsewhere.

A massive group of birdwatchers from the Age of Aquarius arrived so the rest of the morning was taken up with evasive action.  We did see one Sedge Warbler indulging in bouts of its song flights, but there were fewer heard than normal for the time of year & Reed Warblers were noticeable for their absence.  

In the afternoon we started off at Singleton to try & avoid the massive group and we were very successful at evading them.  Although all the main suspects were present again the afternoon had a distinctive flavour all of its own.  For a start it was dry for almost the whole period!  We failed to hear & see the Grasshopper Warbler or Green Sandpiper again, but Eric’s sighting of a raptor being mobbed by a crow revealed itself to be a Short-eared Owl.  Later, a Harrier turned into a very late female Hen Harrier, which was seen well by all participants.  Finally at Xerox, we managed to find a beautiful summer-plumaged Little Gull among all the Black-headed Gulls, and a handsomely-plumed Little Egret quietly fishing.  I was checking the Gulls when I saw one with a more thickset bill, and a hood, which stretched much further down the back of its neck – a Mediterranean Gull. I’m not sure I would have been able to recognise this species if my memory hadn’t been refreshed only yesterday by Richard Hampshire at Tophill Low.

Grasshopper Warbler [Spurn - last year]

 Little Gull [left]

 Mediterranean Gull [left]

 Marsh Harrier

 Little Egret

 ditto

Record shot of Hen Harrier 

All remaining pictures (c) 2012 Richard Whateley 
Avocet

Marsh Harrier

 Shoveler