This is always an eagerly anticipated trip. A full minibus, driven as usual by Colin, set off in good time from Harrogate, leaving behind the mist and fog.
Pallas’s Warbler Peter Thomson
The weather at Spurn was cloudy with light south, south easterly wind. The Spurn Bird Observatory Website reported that recent arrivals had been Pallas’s Warbler, Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler and an American Golden Plover remained on Kilnsea Wetlands. On our arrival, there was more good news, a Jack Snipe at Canal Scrape. So, there was everything to play for as we set off to look for one or all of the above. The Pallas’s and the Firecrest showed very well, standing out, as they do, against the numerous Goldcrest. The Jack Snipe was very obliging and was conveniently feeding next to a Common Snipe, giving good comparison views. The Yellow-browed Warbler at the Crown and Anchor car park was a bit more elusive, but showed briefly in the end.
The sea watching was very disappointing, there was just nothing moving, so we wasted very little time in getting back to the Warren area, which was alive with birds. Winter Thrushes and Starlings were gathering, the latter systematically clearing the orange Sea Buckthorn berries. The incoming tide gave rise to a wonderful aerial display of waders, Golden Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Dunlin, Curlew and Grey Plover.
The well documented breach in December 2013, caused by the biggest tidal surge for 60 years has left the tip of Spurn cut off at high tide. However, there is still plenty of habitat at the northern end, and our visit was wholly rewarding.
While we were in the Kilnsea Wetland Area watching the American Golden Plover snooze the afternoon away, we got fantastic views of at least two Short-eared Owls, three Little Egrets, five grazing Roe Deer and later, a perched Merlin. What a finale! 75 species in total and many of us with one or more ‘lifers’. Click HERE for birdlist.
Many thanks to Colin for leading a superb day out and my fellow passengers for providing the onboard entertainment, while we were stationary on the M62 for an hour in the dark.
Sue Coldwell