Monday 11th– Wednesday 13th August.
,Over the last three days cools winds have stayed mostly in the west to south-west, whilst intermittent sunshine and flash floods have added interest. Gulls have headlined with two different juvenile Caspian Gulls and one adult. One of the juveniles bore a green darvic ring probably from colony in eastern Germany. Also present have been one possible Caspian/Herring hybrid, one juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and an adult argentatus (Northern) Herring Gull which was very unseasonal.
Seawatches had a scattering of usual seabirds, with 6 Bonxie and 3 Arctic Skua south on 11th and small numbers of Manx Shearwaters, Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns, mostly heading north. Waders very much in evidence with 10 Whimbrel south on Monday, 8 Knot south on Tuesday, 2 Greenshank and up to 6 Redshank around the head, adult alpina Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover (Monday) 2 Snipe 1 Green Sand , 1 Common Sand, and 2-3 Golden Plover seen most days. A Little Egret has been commuting between Thornwick and flash floods near Old Fall, whilst 1-2 juvenile Grey Herons remain in the area.
Swifts and hirundines have dominated the skies, as up to 40 juvenile Swift patrolled the outer head, numbers now dwindling. Willow Warblers are the most noticeable passerine migrant, with up to 8 in Bay Brambles early morning today (wed), with a handful seen most days. A scattering of Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Wheatear and one juvenile Cuckoo (Bempton) have also made appearances. A Clouded Yellow was seen today (wed) in Cattlemere and Migrant Hawkers are on the wing in several places, easiest to see at South Landing.
