18th October 2017

Light winds shifted from a northerly to an easterly direction, whilst sunny intervals featured occasionally. During the seawatch, a Manx Shearwater, three Bonxies, seven Arctic Skuas, eight Little Gulls and a Minke Whale were recorded.

Thornwick Pools attracted four Wigeon, 22 Teal, a Water Rail and one Jack Snipe, with an additional two Water Rails in the Thornwick ‘cafe’ reedbed. Migrant passerines included 35 Goldcrests, 75 Skylarks, three Yellow-browed Warblers, six Chiffchaff, six Blackcap, one Ring Ouzel, 65 Blackbirds, 13 Fieldfare, 30 Song Thrush, 785 Redwing, 25 Robin, four Wheatear, a Whinchat, 94 Brambling, a Hawfinch, ten Bullfinch, 460 Linnet, 56 Lesser Redpolls, 236 Siskin and a Lapland Bunting

The day’s highlight was the discovery of a Radde’s Warbler along the nature trail at Bempton Cliffs RSPB; other sightings from the reserve included a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher. Buckton attracted single Water Rail and Ruff, two Fieldfare, one Ring Ouzel and 15 Lesser Redpoll.

Minke Whale, Fog Station, by Colin Scott
Ring Ouzel, Buckton, by Mark Thomas
Fieldfare, Buckton, by Mark Thomas