A light north-westerly wind later switched to a south-easterly in the afternoon, whilst sunny intervals prevailed throughout the day. The seawatch highlight was undoubtedly the three Cory’s Shearwaters that moved north during the afternoon/evening; the first flew north at 1550hrs, the next at 1745hrs, whilst another headed north at 1810hrs and, after periodic spells on the sea, it eventually tracked north at 1840hrs. Other notable records included two Sooty and 156 Manx Shearwaters north, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 130 Common Terns and 12 Arctic Terns, also all north, whilst eight Purple Sandpipers headed south.
The loafing gull flocks again attracted a minimum of two juvenile Caspian Gulls and two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, whilst an adult ‘argentatus’ Herring Gull was also present. The flashes near Old Fall also attracted two Knot, a Ruff and a Greenshank. Thornwick Pool hosted the male Pochard, two Teal, a Grey Heron, single Dunlin and Greenshank and two Grey Wagtails.
The Barred Warbler remained in Selwick’s Bay and proved relatively co-operative, showing well at times in the extensive bramble patches. Additional passerine migrants included 10+ Willow Warblers split between Bempton and the Outer Head and a Reed Warbler at Bempton RSPB. Post-breeding dispersal of Great Spotted Woodpeckers seemed to feature across the Headland, with singles noted at Selwick’s Bay, Old Fall, Thornwick Pool and Bempton RSPB.
Elsewhere there were 11 Common Buzzard and two Marsh Harriers in the Buckton/Speeton area, with another Common Buzzard over the Outer Head.
