With north-westerly winds pushing birds into the North Sea, conditions were conducive for seawatching despite the fact that relatively strong winds were due west in direction locally. A Great Shearwater flying north and visible from 1405-1415hrs provided the day’s highlight and was accompanied by four Sooty Shearwaters and 630 Manx Shearwaters heading in the same direction. Additional sightings included 101 Common Scoters, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, three Arctic Terns and an Arctic Skua all north, whilst single Red-throated Diver and Grey Plover flew south. Two Crossbills flew in off the sea, whilst two Minke Whales spent prolonged periods feeding off the outer head and two Bottlenose Dolphins moved north.
A juvenile Marsh Harrier quartered fields near the Lighthouse during the morning; another was seen at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, where notable sightings included a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, a Hobby and a Garden Warbler.
