Flamborough Headland is renowned for having the largest mainland seabird colony in Britain and a reputation for top drawer seawatching. Not least, the area is a fantastic place to witness bird migration and see small birds such as thrushes, chats and warblers making landfall after crossing the North Sea and it also has an impeccable pedigree in attracting scarcities from continental Europe and rarities from farther east.
Flamborough Bird Observatory (FBO) is one of only twenty bird observatories located at key migration hotspots in Britain and Ireland. It is run by a team of dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers whose aims include studying bird populations and and recording migration. FBO’s recording area is broadly the same as the Flamborough Headland Heritage Coast and encompasses the whole area east of Danes Dyke including the village of Flamborough and also, west of Danes Dyke, the neighbouring settlements of Bempton, Buckton and Speeton on the north side of the headland and and Marton and Sewerby on the south.
FBO is also involved in creating and maintaining habitats for wildlife, and promoting conservation in the local community. Our annual events include a Seawatching Festival over a long weekend in late August and a nine-day ‘Migweek’ in mid-October.
As a registered charity, FBO’s work is wholly reliant upon the help and goodwill of our Friends and volunteers. If you would like to support us, please become a Friend of Flamborough Bird Observatory. You can join online in seconds by registering your personal details and payment here!
Events
- Migweek 2024
Saturday 12th – Sunday 20th October 2024Events Programme Every day:Ringing demonstration Flamborough 8am-12pm at the Living Seas Centre – Come and meet FBO’s ringing team, see…
Daily Summaries
Recent
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Archive
Select the required month and every daily summary will be presented for the period. The daily summaries go back to early 2014 and posts ordered with the earliest first.
Latest Sightings
- 15th October 2024
A relatively overcast day, with blustery south-east winds and a high of 13 degrees C. Conditions proved conducive for an arrival of passerines, dominated by 10,100 Redwings. A Great Grey Shrike was also ringed at South Landing, with subsequent sightings at Booted Gully and Hartendale. Additional new arrivals included three… - 14th October 2024A perfect day to be out and about with very light winds and sunny throughout; temperatures reached 14 degrees C. Wildfowl interest included 1700 Pink-footed Geese over the outer head, a vocal Tundra Bean Goose that flew west and six Whooper Swans. Five Water Rails were in residence, along with…
- 13th October 2024
A cool day, with relatively light north-westerly winds, sunny intervals in the morning preceded cloudier skies and a high of nine degrees C. Another juvenile Long-tailed Skua flew north during a seawatch that also featured 62 Wigeon, six Eider, nine Little Gulls, a Puffin and a Sooty Shearwater moving in… - 12th October 2024Migweek 24 began with moderate south-west winds, heavy showers under mainly overcast skies and a high of ten degrees C. Seawatching provided the highlights, with seven juvenile Long-tailed Skuas reorientating back north following strong northerlies earlier in the week. Two Little Gulls and two Common Terns also flew north, with…
