1st August 2023

Overcast skies throughout, with westerly winds in the morning, switching to onshore in the afternoon and temperatures peaked at 18 degrees C. Single juvenile Caspian Gull and Arctic Skua were off the Seawatch Observatory. Thornwick Pools hosted a Wood Sandpiper and five Dunlin, while the North Marsh area attracted two Shoveler, three Green Sandpipers, a Wood Sandpiper and a Greenshank. Two Little Egrets fed along the shore between South Landing and South Dykes, with one on the outer head in the morning. In addition, the juvenile Merlin continued in residence in the same area.

Passerines were again on the move, with numbers of Willow Warblers scattered across the headland in suitable habitat; 16 at Oceanview and six in the Golf Course Willows gave an indication of the scale of passage, while a single Spotted Flycatcher was also present in the latter area.

Elsewhere, Hobby and Merlin frequented the access road and cliff top at Bempton.

Wood Sandpiper & Greenshank, outer head, by Brett Richards
Spotted Flycatcher, outer head, by Phil Cunningham