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| Shelduck (D Axford) |
Spurn
14th
October 2023
Weather: Sunny but
cool.
Driver: Glenn
Thirty-nine
members and friends set off from Stockport on our annual trip to Spurn. Whilst
the weather patterns on the preceding couple of days had not been particularly favourable
there was still the usual level of anticipation. The journey on the coach
allowed us to tick off Stock Dove, Buzzard, Swallow, Reed Bunting, Golden
Plover, Lapwing and Pink-footed Goose for our day’s list. We arrived at the
first drop off point in Easington village and a number of us alighted the coach
and had a wander down the adjacent Vicar’s Lane.
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| Yellowhammer (J Wharton) |
The area was quiet with only Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail and Swallow noted. Dave R. picked up a Brambling. There were no birds in Easington churchyard and it was quiet as we walked on down Humberside Lane. Commoner birds were noted, Skylark, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Robin, Goldfinch and Woodpigeon. A handful of migrant Redwing passed overhead. A single Chiffchaff was observed in one of the hedgerows.
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| Kestrel ( A Barrett) |
Continuing
down to Sammy’s Point Yellowhammer was added to our list. Out on the estuary a
couple of Little Egret wandered around the mudflats. There were the usual large
flocks of Shelduck and we added Curlew, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Redshank
and Turnstone to the list. A distant Marsh Harrier was watched quartering the
wader flocks. A couple of Bar-tailed Godwit were found and a single Stonechat
was watched fly catching. A handful of Meadow Pipit passed overhead.
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| Goldfinch (D Axford) |
Approaching Kilnsea we saw a Sparrowhawk and then disturbed a Peregrine falcon that must have had a prey item amongst the boulders of the shoreline. Kestrel was added to our raptor list. A Yellow-browed Warbler had been reported at the abandoned hotel but a search of the car park produced no sighting.
Mute Swan (J Wharton)
At Kilnsea Wetlands we added a number of duck species to our list. Gadwall,
Mallard, Teal, Shoveler, Wigeon and Pintail were present, along with a couple
of Avocet. The highlight was a Long-tailed Duck, a juvenile bird. Greylag Goose
and Black-tailed Godwit were added to the list. A juvenile Mediterranean Gull
was sat amongst the Black-headed and Herring Gulls. Near the adjacent concrete
Sound Mirror (a First World War early detection device for zepplins!) a sizable
flock of Tree Sparrow and a couple of Linnet fed on the sunflowers that had
been planted in a small strip of set-aside.
Peregrine (J Wharton)
Wandering
on to Beacon Pools we located the long staying American Wigeon and we also
added Little Grebe and Cormorant to our list. Passing the Sandy Beaches caravan
park we watched up to seven House Martin circling overhead. At the Canal Scrape
hide a Jack Snipe was showing well and a lucky few people had Redstart here. Bearded
Tit was heard (only) in the canal area.
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| Grey Plover (A Barrett) |
Sea-watching from the coast produced Oystercatcher, Gannet, Great Black-backed Gull and a couple of unidentified auk species flying past at distance. Members of the group did pick up on divers, again flying past at distance, with only Red-throated being a confirmed sighting. Goosander and Sandwich Tern were also recorded flying through. Eleven Whooper Swans flew south down the coast and there was a family group of five Mute Swan on the Borrow Pit close to the coach.
Bar-tailed Godwit (J Wharton)
Other
bird species in the Spurn area various members of the group managed to connect
with included Brent Geese, Grey Heron, Water Rail (heard only), Ringed Plover,
Knot, Greenshank, Collared Dove, Greenfinch and Rock Pipit. There had been a
dearth of thrushes through the day with only a few Blackbird and the odd Song
Thrush. Redwings were probably a dozen in total.
Although a good number of ninety-one species had been seen, it had been a generally quite Spurn trip with no real volume of birds. We returned to the coach and commenced the journey back to Stockport.
Tree Sparrow (A Barrett)
Birds seen;
Total Species: 91
Turnstone (A Barrett)
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