Spurn 16th October 2021

 

Two-barred Warbler (A Barrett)

STOCKPORT

BIRDWATCHING

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FIELD TRIP REPORT

Spurn

 16^th October 2021

Weather:  Overcast, warm

Driver: Glenn

What a very odd trip! 29 members set off from Stockport on the annual pilgrimage to Spurn. Whilst the recent weather patterns had not been favourable or rare birds seen in the preceding week been particularly exciting there was still a healthy level of anticipation. After all, its Spurn, anything can turn up!

Fireman John started the day well with a sighting of 6 Ring-necked Parakeet whilst waiting for the coach. On the journey we recorded Buzzard, Kestrel and a large flock of Golden Plover as we approached the Humber Bridge. A herd of 18 Whooper swan flew over the Humber and we saw a handful of Curlew in the fields near Keyingham.

Starling (J Wharton)

 

A number of members alighted the coach at Easington and had a wander down Vicars Lane to the gas terminal. Nothing of great note was recorded, but most of the commoner bird species were ticked off. We made our way back to the church and then took the lane down to Sammy’s Point. Easington churchyard had maintenance works ongoing so there was no access (not that there were any birds within the grounds).

The fields and hedgerows adjacent to the lane were very quiet, hardly a bird moved and there was nothing calling. A flock of 30 Goldfinches stood out and a couple of Kestrel were watched hunting. In one of the horse yards a small bird flicking its tail proved to be a Chiffchaff, the only sighting of one in the whole day for the writer. A couple of Yellowhammer were seen and Pink-footed Geese could be heard calling a couple of fields away, the occasional raised head giving away their presence. It was that quiet 2 Moorhen in a ditch were noteworthy.

Waders (A Barrett)

Arriving at the estuary at Sammy’s Point, although the light was against us, we quickly picked up Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew and Grey Plover. A couple of Little Egret floated by. 4 Snipe flew overhead calling and we managed to identify Bar-tailed Godwit out on the mud. Brent Goose, Pintail and Mallard were also recorded. Along the coastal path we found 5 Redwing in the bushes, again the only sighting of this species in the whole day for the writer. Dave R’s wanderings were rewarded with views of a Short-eared Owl.

As we got to the end of the path close to the Crown and Anchor we found a sizeable group of Shelduck on the estuary and Mark W. had a fleeting view of a Sparrowhawk. Those that walked onto the canal had good views a single Snow Bunting on the sandy shore and a few were fortunate enough to get brief views of the resident Bearded Tits in this area. Reed Bunting was also recorded here. Knot, Golden Plover and Turnstone were added to the list.

Magpie (J Wharton)

Those that called into the hide at Kilnsea Wetlands were rewarded with views a single smart adult Mediterranean Gull, a couple of Whooper Swans and single Spotted Redshank. All the commoner gull species were recorded. Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal and Little Egret were also present. A few Snipe and a small flock of Black-tailed Godwit were at the waters edge.

Walking on to the sea-watching hide we recorded Stonechat and Pete W. Alan and Glo had a small mystery warbler deep in some bushes. Sea-watching produced a handful of fly-by Red-throated Diver. There was a regular stream of Gannet passing and a sizable, but distant, flock of circa. 100 Little Gull. A few Razorbill were dotted about and a flock of Wigeon were out on the sea. Fly-bys included a single Artic Skua, flocks of Ringed Plover and 2 Sooty Shearwater were identified.

Kestrel (A Barrett)

Over the Blue bell café two late House Martins flitted and down the nearby lane a flock of Tree Sparrow were watched feeding. A Little Grebe in the pool by the coach was the last tick of the day (or so we thought!).

It had been a very odd day, finding birds had been a challenge. There had been no migrants moving through and, for a visit in October, very quiet on all fronts. Slightly deflated the group boarded the coach and set off for Stockport.

House Sparrow (J Wharton)

Shortly into the journey back Alan B. showed the photo of his mystery warbler on the back of his camera. Initial indications were that it was a Yellow-browed warbler and him, Glo and Pete were heartily congratulated for finding the only decent rarity of the trip. Twenty minutes passed and Spurn Bird Observatory posted on Twitter a Two-barred Warbler had been identified. A quick cross check of the photo on Twitter with Alan’s, and a verification of both locations, and it was confirmed. Pete W, Alan and Glo had seen their first Two-barred Warbler, the first for Spurn and only the tenth record nationally. To rub salt in the, very open, wounds they then informed the writer they had seen it 20 minutes after I had been chatting with them and I must have walked past the damn thing!

Two-barred Warbler (A Barrett)

Birds seen;