Sunday 30th April

A moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper was in the Bight on the rising tide this morning with 240+ Dunlin before moving up river to Bowling Green Marsh. Other waders included a Greenshank, 34 Ringed Plover, 21 Grey Plover, 20+ Whimbrel, 15 Bar-tailed Godwit, 14 Turnstone, 10 Sanderling and two summer plumaged Knot. Many of these were feeding on the flooded 7th fairway rather than the mudflats.

Offshore the weather failed to produce the hoped for Pomarine Skua and scarcer terns but three Great and an Arctic Skua flew south with two Black-throated, 12 Great Northern and four Red-throated Diver, three Dark-bellied and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, a Red-breasted Merganser and a Manx Shearwater. Also offshore a first summer Mediterranean Gull, three Little Tern were also offshore with 20+ Sandwich and a Common Tern. Elsewhere a Yellow Wagtail pitched in by the hide and a dozen Swallow and a Sand Martin flew through.

Saturday 29th April

A good total of 48 Pale bellied Brent Geese were recorded today; 26 (with 2 Dark-bellied Brent) flew south out of estuary early morning and a second flock of 22 flew SW  at 11:07 having passed west at Seaton around 8.30 after leaving Ferrybridge around 8am. Also offshore a Little, two Common and 18 Sandwich Tern, a first summer Mediterranean Gull, 37 Common Scoter, a Manx Shearwater, two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver.  

In the estuary the first Little Ringed Plover of the year was in front of the hide with counts of 375 Dunlin, 70 Whimbrel, 44 Ringed Plover, 25 Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Sanderling, 15 Grey Plover and three Knot. On dry land migrants were limited to a single Sedge Warbler on Warren Point and three Wheatear.

Little Ringed Plover - Lee Collins

Friday 28th April

The first Common Sandpiper of the year was in the estuary with other counts including 85 Whimbrel, 68 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, a Sanderling and a Redshank.

Reed Bunting - Dave Jewell

Thursday 27th April

Spring remains on hold with a ground frost this morning, something that was largely absent over winter. Migrants were limited to those probably breeding on site including four Whitethroat, a couple of Reed Warbler and a Swallow. Elsewhere two Jay were again present and three Jackdaw from the breeding colony at Langstone Cliff were foraging in the Recording Area.

Monday 24th April

An early morning visit had a corvid focus with single Jay, Jackdaw and Rook recorded along with 13 Wheatear and four Whitethroat on site and four Swallow overhead.

Sunday 23rd April

Counts from the estuary included 22 Pale-bellied Brent, 34 Dunlin, 12 Whimbrel, three Ringed Plover and two Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere two Red-throated Diver were offshore and two Wheatear were in Greenland Lake.

Saturday 22nd April

Migrants continue to trickle through but the best remained offsite, a Cuckoo calling from the mainland at Eastdon. In the recording area there were a couple of Grasshopper Warbler, a Redstart, three Whitethroat and a good count of 22 Wheatear with a Yellow Wagtail, 25 Swallow, a Sand and a House Martin overhead. Elsewhere a Little and 20 Sandwich Tern were offshore with 55 Common Scoter, 12 Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver whilst counts from the estuary included 80 Dunlin, 22 Whimbrel, 18 Turnstone, 15 Sanderling, eight Ringed Plover and the Slavonian Grebe.

Whitethroat - Dave Jewell

 

Wildlife News: The first Wall Brown of the year were on the wing with Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Orange-tip, Green-veined White and Peacock also on the wing. A Harbour Porpoise was offshore.

Friday 21st April

Another quiet day but a Grasshopper Warbler reeled briefly in Greenland Lake early evening with four Wheatear, three Willow Warbler and a Whitethroat the other migrants noted. Elsewhere the pair of Little Grebe continued to feed their three young, 17 Sanderling were on the beach and a Cirl Bunting was singing along the Back Path.

Stonechat - Dave Jewell

Thursday 20th April

Little sign of any migration today but there are now two Whitethroat in Greenland Lake and 11 Whimbrel were on the mudflats. Elsewhere the first five Manx Shearwater of the year were offshore in the evening and the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood.

Whimbrel - Dean Hall

Wednesday 19th April

A much quieter day with many of yesterdays birds having moved through. Sightings included a male Redstart in the Entrance Bushes, five Wheatear, three Willow Warbler and a Whitethroat.

Tuesday 18th April

The first decent fall of Spring was headlined by two reeling Grasshopper Warbler and a site record five Redstart. Other arrivals included 20+ Willow Warbler, 15+ Wheatear and a Whitethroat but passage overhead was limited to just 10 Swallow. Elsewhere 49 Pale-bellied Brent were in the estuary with 136 Dunlin, 73 Ringed Plover and 15 Sandwich Tern.

Wheatear - Dean Hall

Monday 17th April

The first Redstart of the year, a male, was seen briefly around Dead Dolphin Wood during the morning and was reported later around the Main Pond. Other migrants included 13 Wheatear and six Willow Warbler with just five Swallow flying through. Elsewhere 10 Great Northern Diver and 26 Sandwich Tern were offshore, over 50 Whimbrel flew north and counts from the estuary included 101 Ringed Plover, 46 Dunlin, 20+ Turnstone and three Sanderling.

Wildlife News: A Green-winged Orchid remains in flower in Greenland Lake, the only plant in the Recording Area. The species seemingly lost from two other locations on site.

Green-winged Orchid - Alan Keatley

Saturday 15th April

Spring continues to arrive with a struggle with two Reed Warbler singing from the Main Pond, with 10 Wheatear and a couple of Willow Warbler the only other grounded migrants. Overhead the first House Martin and three Stock Dove of the year passed through with a dozen Swallow and a Sand Martin. Elsewhere counts from the estuary included 86 Ringed Plover, 41 Dunlin, 11 Sanderling, seven Whimbrel and a Grey Plover, a Snipe was on the Main Pond and a Little Tern and three Great Northern Diver were offshore.

Friday 14th April

Despite the calm conditions most of the interest was offshore with the first two Velvet Scoter of the year circling the bay early morning before heading south and later four unseasonal Balearic Shearwater headed south, another annual first. Also offshore three Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, three diver sp, eight Sandwich Tern and 10 Common Scoter. Elsewhere six Wheatear and two Willow Warbler were on site, 111 Ringed Plover and 44 Dunlin were in the Bight and the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood.

Ringed Plover - Alan Keatley

Thursday 13th April

The first two Common Tern of the year were offshore this morning with three Great Northern Diver and two first summer Mediterranean Gull. Counts from the estuary included 109 Ringed Plover, 71 Dunlin, 25 Turnstone, 17 Sanderling, eight Whimbrel and seven Sandwich Tern. Elsewhere 10 Wheatear included two Greenland race birds and four Swallow and a Sand Martin flew through.

 Dunlin - Alan Keatley

 

Skylark - Dave Jewell

Wednesday 12th April

Migration was in evidence over the evening tide with 102 Ringed Plover in the Bight along with 35 Grey Plover, 10 Dunlin and 10 Sanderling. Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver was offshore, three Wheatear were on site and a Snipe was on the Main Pond.

Wheatear - Dean Hall

Monday 10th April

The first Osprey of the year passed over mid morning with at least 16 Wheatear on site but other migrants remained at a premium with just a single Willow Warbler in the bushes and eight Swallow and four Sand Martin overhead. Elsewhere 45 Turnstone, 19 Ringed Plover and eight Whimbrel were in the estuary, eight Sandwich Tern and three Red-breasted Merganser were offshore and three Little Grebe chicks remain on the Main Pond.

 Little Grebe - Simon Thurgood

Wheatear - Simon Thurgood

Sunday 9th April

A Red Kite that headed north over the site mid morning was taking advantage of the warm and clear conditions. However this same weather meant a dearth of grounded migrants with a single Sedge Warbler that spent the day in a bramble on the Wryneck Plain the only noticeable arrival. Elsewhere two Yellow Wagtail, 12 Swallow and a Sand Martin were also overhead, 10 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 38 Bar-tailed Godwit, seven Whimbrel and five Sanderling were in the estuary and a first summer Iceland Gull was off John's Watch this evening with 11 Sandwich Tern and a first summer Mediterranean Gull.

Wildlife News: Sand Crocus and Upright Chickweed continue to flower in both Greenland Lake and the Crocus compound, six species of butterfly were on the wing and Striped Millipede are now to be found on areas of bare sand.

Striped Millipede - Mick Spencer

Saturday 8th April

An early Yellow Wagtail overhead this morning was the pick of the few migrants on offer with 11 Swallow, five Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and a Wheatear also recorded. Elsewhere a Purple Sandpiper on the seawall was the first of the year, 15 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, five Sandwich Tern and a Whimbrel were in the estuary and a pair of Pintail offshore were the days third addition to the year list.

Purple Sandpiper - Lee Collins

Thursday 6th April

A continuing trickle of migrants with a couple of Willow Warbler and five Swallow new arrivals. Other records included now three Little Grebe on the Main Pond, two Jay on Dead Dolphin Wood, two Whimbrel in the estuary and seven Sandwich Tern offshore.

Wildlife News: The first Green-veined White and Small Copper of the year were on the wing with at least a dozen Speckled Wood.

 Green-veined White - Alan Keatley

Speckled Wood - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 5th April

A look from Cockwood Steps early evening saw 82 Turnstone, seven Dunlin, four Ringed Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwit and a Whimbrel on the mudflats and a Slavonian Grebe in the estuary channel. Elsewhere a Willow Warbler was on site with two Blackcap and two Chiffchaff and a Red-throated Diver and six Sandwich Tern were offshore.

Linnet - Dave Jewell

Tuesday 4th April

Slim pickings on a low tide today with five Sandwich Tern in the estuary, with another eight offshore. Elsewhere a Water Rail remains on the Main Pond, four Shelduck were in front of the hide and three Great-crested Grebe were offshore.

Stonechat - Dean Hall

Wildlife News: The continuing good weather is provide ideal conditions for viewing the Warren Crocus.

Monday 3rd April

Three Willow Warbler were singing on site this morning with three Wheatear and a couple of Sand Martin over the pick of the other migrants. Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver and seven Sandwich Tern were offshore, 37 Bar-tailed Godwit were in the estuary and a Jay was in the Entrance Bushes.

Robin

 

Chiffchaff

 

Wildlife News: Sand Crocus remains in flower. 

 

Sunday 2nd April

Migrants were again thin on the ground with four Sand Martin and four Swallow overhead and just a single Wheatear on the ground. In the estuary the Slavonian Grebe was still present with 307 Oystercatcher, 190 Curlew, 64 Knot, 60 Grey Plover, 26 Redshank, 12 Sandwich Tern, 10 Brent Geese and two Greenshank. Elsewhere two Red-throated Diver and 12 Common Scoter, a Jay was in the Entrance Bushes and a Snipe was on the Main Pond.

Wildlife News: Two Dark-edged Beefly were seen today along with Buffish and Short-fringed Mining Bee (Andrena nigroaenea & A. dorsata) with five butterfly species on the wing included a female Brimstone and the first two Orange-tip of the year. The Sand Crocus remains in flower with large numbers in both Greenland Lake and the Crocus Compound.

 Dark-edged Beefly - Debs Rylands

Buffish Mining Bee - Debs Rylands

Saturday 1st April

Migrants continue to trickle through with three Blackcap, a couple of Wheatear and two Swallow seen today but the year's first Coal Tit was the most notable. Elsewhere two Whimbrel were in the estuary with 88 Turnstone, 71 Knot, 70 Grey Plover, 30 Bar-tailed Godwit, now just 10 Brent Geese and two Greenshank; three Red-throated Diver and seven Sandwich Tern were offshore and a Snipe was on the Main Pond.