Recent Daily Highlights

Our full archive of daily highlights and logs going back to 2014 can be found on the Daily Log & Archive page.

• 16th May 2025

  Overcast with a moderate northerly wind and a high of 12 degrees C. Three summer-plumaged Great Northern Divers flew north during a morning seawatch that also witnessed 16 Sandwich Terns, 218 Puffins and six Manx Shearwaters moving in the same direction. A Hobby over the outer head was the only other record of note.

  

• 15th May 2025

  Largely overcast until late afternoon sunshine, with a blustery northerly wind gradually relenting and a peak of 13 degrees C. Seawatch highlights included a summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver and 22 Manx Shearwaters flying north. Elsewhere, a Blue Fulmar flew north past RSPB Bempton Cliffs. A creamcrown Marsh Harrier overflew the Bowling Green while the Greenshank remained at Thornwick Lakes.

  

• 14th May 2025

  A moderate northerly blew all day bringing full cloud cover during the morning clearing for a sunny afternoon and evening. Maximum temperature 14°C.

  Seawatching highlights involved two Great Northern Divers, two Manx Shearwaters, a ‘Blue’ Fulmar, a single Whimbrel and 12 Common Scoter.

  Yesterday’s six Spoonbills passed over the lighthouse early morning after, presumably, roosting in the Northcliff Marsh area. A Marsh Harrier hunted over fields between Old Fall and South Landing. A first-summer Caspian Gull loafed at Palmer’s Flash where the Shoveler remained. Other highlights included a Greenshank at Thornwick Pools and two Yellow Wagtails.

  

  

• 13th May 2025

  Anticyclonic weather continues to dominate. A light to moderate north-easterly and a maximum temperature of 16°C.

  Seawatching featured four Tufted Ducks, 15 Sandwich Terns and two Manx Shearwaters.

  Migrant waders included a Whimbrel and two Common Sandpipers. A Shoveler remained at Palmer’s Flash. Six Spoonbills passed over Thornwick Pools during the evening.

  A Short-eared Owl and a Yellow Wagtail were noted at Bempton Cliffs RSPB.

  

• 12th May 2025

  Cloudless skies and and a moderate easterly allowed the temperature to rise to 18 °C.

  Passerine migrants included a Spotted Flycatcher and a Reed Warbler on the Outer Head while a Jay was in the South Dykes area. Palmer’s Flash attracted three Black-tailed Godwits, seven Dunlin, three Ringed Plover, a Shoveler and two Gadwall. Two Whimbrel passed over Northcliff Marsh. A pair of Garganey at Thornwick Lakes were the first of the year. A Hobby flew over North Marine Road early evening.

  Another migrant Reed Warbler was at Bempton Cliffs RSPB where a Short-eared Owl was still present.

  

• 11th May 2025

  Sunny throughout, with relatively light easterly winds and a best of 15 degrees C. The dark-bellied Brent Goose, a drake Shoveler and a lone Wigeon were in the North Marsh area, while wader interest included eight Ringed Plovers and two Dunlin. The day’s highlights were a southbound Spoonbill and a female Grey-headed Wagtail on the Golf Course. Three Marsh Harriers were recorded on the outer head, 24 Swifts represented an increase and a single Garden Warbler was at South Landing.

  A White Wagtail frequented fields on the edge of Bempton village. The nearby reserve attracted a Short-eared Owl, one Marsh Harrier, a Garden Warbler and one Reed Warbler.

  

• 10th May 2025

  A day of unbroken sunshine, light easterly winds and a high of 14 degrees C. The day’s highlight related to a first-summer male Golden Oriole singing briefly on the outer head before being mobbed by crows and disappearing. Otherwise passerine migrants were confined to four Yellow Wagtails and two Wheatear. The dark-bellied Brent Goose, drake Wigeon and a pair of Gadwall were at North Marsh/Palmer’s Flash, while wader interest included a Golden Plover, three Whimbrel and four Common Sandpipers.

  Two Short-eared Owls were still at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, where there were also two Reed Warblers.

  

• 9th May 2025

  Sunny throughout, with light easterly winds and a high of 14 degrees C. Nineteen Sandwich Terns were recorded on a seawatch that also featured a Red-throated Diver, two Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

  A Wigeon and three Teal frequented North Marsh, where two Spoonbill flew east early morning and eventually left the headland to the west. Three Whimbrel flew south over the Golf Course, two Dunlin dropped onto Palmer’s Flash, while a Great Northern Diver headed north along the cliffs. Raptor interest included two Marsh Harriers flying south and a lone Red Kite. A single Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail were the only obvious transient passerine migrants.

  Sightings from RSPB Bempton Cliffs included a Reed Warbler.

  

• 8th May 2025

  Another relatively overcast day, with skies clearing late on; a light north-north-easterly wind and a high of 12 degrees C. The dark-bellied Brent Goose remained at Palmer’s Flash together with two Shelduck, a Teal and one Lapwing. Seawatch highlights included a Whimbrel, 24 Sandwich Terns, two Arctic Skuas, three Red-throated Divers and a Blue Fulmar.

  A Peregrine photographed at RSPB Bempton Cliffs had been rung as a chick at Erith in London on 31st May 2023. Sightings on the reserve also included two Short-eared Owls and two Willow Warblers.

  

• 7th May 2025

  Relatively overcast with some brighter spells from mid-morning, light northerly winds and a high of 13 degrees C. Seawatch highlights included an Arctic Skua, three Red-throated Divers and 11 Sandwich Terns all moving north. Palmer’s Flash attracted a dark-bellied Brent Goose, two Gadwall and a Teal, while eight Swifts and a Siskin were recorded from the Bowling Green. RSPB Bempton Cliffs continued to host at least one Short-eared Owl.

  

• 6th May 2025

  Sunny skies eventually prevailed after an overcast start, during a day of onshore winds and a high of 14 degrees C. A relatively quiet day for migrants with three Gadwall, three Whimbrel, 140 Swallows, 230 House Martins, one Redwing and a Wheatear.

  Three Short-eared Owls hunted cliff top grassland at RSPB Bempton Cliffs where a Garden Warbler was also present; another of the latter species visited the nearby village.

  

• 5th May 2025

  Moderate north-easterly winds featured throughout a relatively bright day with temperatures no higher than 11 degrees C. Seawatching was productive again, with three Great Northern Divers moving north along with three Arctic Skuas, a Bonxie and 33 Manx Shearwaters. A Spotted Flycatcher at South Landing was the most notable passerine migrant.

  Elsewhere, a Short-eared Owl remained in residence at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.

  

• 4th May 2025

  A fresh northerly and mainly cloudy skies produced an unseasonably cool maximum temperature of just 11°C.

  Seawatching proved to be the most productive pursuit with highlights of 52 Manx Shearwaters, a Great Northern Diver, an Arctic Skua, four Bonxies, a Whimbrel and 26 Common Scoter. Four Whimbrel were on South Landing beach.

  A Short-eared Owl remained at Bemtpton Cliffs RSPB.

  

• 3rd May 2025

  A fresh northerly limited the temperature to a cool 12°C despite the sunshine.

  Seawatchers logged 15 Common Scoter, a Greenshank, 48 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Skua and six Red-throated Divers.

  Passerines noted on the Outer Head included two Redwings, a Tree Pipit, a Garden Warbler and a Wheatear. A Hobby passed over South Landing. Five Whimbrel were the best of the waders.

  A Marsh Harrier and Short-eared Owl were at Bempton Cliffs RSPB again and a Whimbrel flew north-west there. Buckton Pond attracted a Little Grebe,two Yellow Wagtails and a Common Sandpiper.

  

• 2nd May 2025

  Another day of constant sunshine but the moderate wind, now turned northerly, resulted it feeling cooler with maximum temperature of 14°C.

  Seawatching produced a tally of two Gadwall, 17 Common Scoter, 26 Sandwich Terns, two Red-throated Divers and a Manx Shearwater. Waders on the Outer Head included single Ringed and Golden Plovers and three Whimbrel. A Cetti’s Warbler remained on Flamborough Road west of Danes Dyke. Three White and two Yellow Wagtails as well as a Wheatear were present on the Outer Head.

  Two Short-eared Owls were still present at Bempton Cliffs RSPB while two Common Sandpipers and a Yellow Wagtail were at Buckton Pond.

  

• 1st May 2025

  Another day of light winds and sunny skies, the afternoon temperature peaked at 18°C.

  Two Ruff, three Ringed Plover and a Dunlin were at Palmer’s Flash and a Greenshank and two Whimbrel flew north. A Cuckoo heard at North Dykes was the first of the year. Passerine migrants on the Outer Head included four Yellow Wagtails, a Wheatear and a Garden Warbler.

  A Bee-eater flew south at Buckton Village. A single Marsh Harrier and Short-eared Owl were at Bempton Cliffs RSPB where five Barnacle Geese flew north-west.

  

• 30th April 2025

  Another warm, sunny day with a gentle easterly and with an afternoon temperature of 16°C.

  Morning seawatching saw a Grey Plover, 24 Sandwich Terns and a Little Egret passing the Fog Station. Palmer’s Flash continued to attract waders including seven Ruff, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Redshank, a Ringed Plover, 3 Golden Plover and two Lapwing. Five Swifts were over the village in addition to one over the Gorse Field. A cream-crown Marsh Harrier passed over the Outer Head during the morning. Passerines included three Yellow Wagtails, a White Wagtail, a Grasshopper Warbler and greater numbers of Sedge Warblers and Whitehroats.

  Two Swifts were also noted over Bempton Village while at the reserve a Garden Warbler, Tree Pipit and two Ring Ouzels were the highlights.

  

• 29th April 2025

  Sunny skies and a gentle easterly made for another warm day with the temperature rising to 16°C.

  An Alpine Accentor was at the Fog Station very briefly early this morning. Only seen by the finder, this is the first seen in Yorkshire aside from the sole other record which concerns one shot near Scarborough as long ago as the winter of 1862/63.

  A Red-rumped Swallow showed briefly at the lighthouse a couple of times during the afternoon. Other highlights included a Hobby, two Short-eared Owls, two Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits, eight Gadwall, four Wheatears, six Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit, and a Siskin.

  

• 28th April 2025

  Mainly sunny with a gentle south-westerly encouraged the temperature to rise to 19°C.

  There was an influx of new migrants that included the first Swift, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Cetti’s Warbler and Garden Warbler (3) of the year. Other passerine migrants included two Siskins and five Wheatear while a Jay was at South Dykes. Waders were also noted with five Dunlin, a Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit, two Golden Plover and four Purple Sandpipers remained at High Stacks. Nine Gadwall was a good count locally. A Marsh Harrier and a Short-eared Owl were also over the Outer Head.

  Two Short-eared Owls were at Bempton Cliffs RSPB where a Brambling attended the feeders.

  

• 27th April 2025

  A sunny day with a light southerly breeze and a maximum temperature of 18°C.

  A Blue Fulmar, two Gadwall and 85 Sandwich Terns were the best of the seawatch. Three Spoonbills flew east over North Landing early evening eventually flying into Bridlington Bay at South Landing. The year’s first Greenshank was at Palmer’s Flash, other waders included three Common Sandpipers, two Whimbrel and a Golden Plover. A Short-eared Owl remained in the North Landing area. Passerine migrants featured seven Fieldfare and a Yellow Wagtail.

  Migrants noted at Bempton Cliffs RSPB included a Ring Ouzel, a Yellow Wagtail a Wheatear, and a Golden Plover while a Grasshopper Warbler continued to reel. At Buckton, birds news services reported a Hawfinch in a village garden and a Hooded Crow along Hoddy Cows Lane.

  

• 26th April 2025

  Mainly bright with a light to moderate south-easterly with the temperature reaching 14°C.

  Many warblers have now arrived and are now on territory in addition to those that are still passing through. Today’s totals included 14 Willow Warblers, 21 Chiffchaffs, 30 Whitethroats, 8 Lesser Whitethroats, 12 Blackcaps, 17 Sedge Warblers, a Reed Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler. Other passerine migrants included 4 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a White Wagtail. The Yellow-browed Warbler continued its stay at Old Fall Plantation. A Whimbrel was on the rocks south of High Stacks and a Short-eared Owl at Thornwick.

  Warblers at Bempton Cliffs RSPB incluced four Willow Warblers,four Chiffchaffs, seven Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat and five Sedge Warblers. In addition, twoYellow Wagtails, a Wheatear and a calling Little Owl were noted.

  Of interest although just out of area was a Dotterel heard calling over Grindale Road, near Buckton.

  

• 25th April 2025

  A gentle south-easterly, mainly cloudy with brighter spells and a maximum of 13°C.

  A total of eleven Whimbrel were logged on the Outer Head. The Yellow-browed Warbler spent another day in Old all Plantation while three White and five Yellow Wagtails were south of Lighthouse Road. A Short-eared Owl was hunting on the Golf Course again.

  Another Short-eared Owl was at Bempton Cliffs RSPB where other highlights included a Ring Ouzel and a Yellow Wagtail.

  

• 24th April 2025

  A light north-westerly veered to north-easterly by mid-afternoon. Mainly cloudy and a maximum temperature of 12°C.

  Yesterday’s Subalpine Warbler sp. was seen again though very briefly in the Gorse Field and the Yellow-browed Warbler remained at Old Fall. The Golf Course continued to be attractive to a Blue-headed Wagtail, five Yellow Wagtails and a White Wagtail. Other passerines noted included three Wheatears, four Lesser Whitethroats and two Reed Warblers. Wader interest comprised a Jack Snipe, eleven Snipe, a Common Sandpiper and a Whimbrel and a Short-eared Owl was seen again over the Golf Course. A Jay flew high over Bempton Village.

  

• 23rd April 2025

  Sunny until mid-morning then overcast and the wind became a moderate easterly. The temperature reached a high of 13°C.

  A female Subalpine Warbler type was an early morning find and showed intermittently for an hour and a half along the Motorway Hedge. It is difficult to specifically identify with certainty without a DNA sample but the tail pattern suggests this one was either a Western Subalpine or a Moltoni’s Warbler.

  The Yellow-browed Warbler remained at Old Fall. Further passerines included a Hooded Crow, 16 Yellow Wagtails, three Lesser Whitethroats, two Grasshopper Warblers, a Siskin, three Fieldfares and six Redwings. A Marsh Harrier and a Short-eared Owl flew over the Golf Course.

  A Brambling, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Fieldfare and a Short-eared Owl were at Bempton Cilffs RSPB while a Marsh Harrier flew over Bempton village.

  

  

• 22nd April 2025

  Warmer again with a maximum temperature of 16°C, a light westerly veering south-east by late afternoon.

  An eventful day with the main event being a Spotted Crake found feeding in the reeds at Thornwick Pools. There are only a handful of previous records, the last being in October 2005. Waders included two Jack Snipe, 19 Snipe and a Common Sandpiper. A Yellow-browed Warbler in sub-song at Old Fall Plantation was also a surprise find. Other passerine activity included two Ring Ouzels, two Reed Warblers, a Blue-headed Wagtail and eight Yellow Wagtails. A Short-eared Owl was over the Golf Course. Finally, a raptor flying very high over Old Fall has been confirmed as a Goshawk from photographs.

  There were three Short-eared Owls at Bempton Cliffs RSPB.

  

  

• 21st April 2025

  Overcast in a light south-easterly with rain from mid-afternoon. Maximum temperature 11°C.

  Wader interest included a Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, and a Little Ringed Plover on the Outer Head. Two Gadwall were at Palmer’s Flash with a Short-eared Owl nearby. A Whinchat and Lesser Whitethroat provided some evidence of passerine movement.

  A Merlin was at Speeton as Bempton Cliffs RSPB attracted a Golden Plover, a Short-eared Owl, and a Yellow Wagtail.

  

• 20th April 2025

  Variable cloud cover in a light easterly and a maximum temperature of 12°C.

  A Blue Fulmar was on the sea at the Fog Station before flying north and a second-year Glaucous Gull passed east at Booted Gully. Limited passerine passage included a White Wagtail.

  A Grasshopper Warbler continued to reel at Bempton Cliffs RSPB as three Short-eared Owls were also present.

  

• 19th April 2025

  The cool, fresh easterly continued pegging the temperature to a high of 12°C.

  A much quieter day bird-wise with migrants being restricted to a Lesser Whitethroat, one White and five Yellow Wagtails, a single Wheatear

  A Grasshopper Warbler reeled at Bempton Cliffs where two Yellow Wagtails,three Sedge Warblers,a Blackcap and five Whitethroats were also noted.

  

• 18th April 2025

  A relatively overcast day, with only occasional sunny intervals; feeling cool in an increasingly strong south-easterly wind, with a maximum of 11 degrees C. Despite the temperatures, there was an impressive Mediterranean flavour to the birding. Headlining was a male Ashy-headed Wagtail on the Golf Course; initially seen at distance mid-morning, it wasn’t until most golfers had left in the afternoon that the bird settled down. An early Bee-eater flew west over Old Fall at 0845hrs and a Nightjar was flushed near Roadside Pool, but perhaps even more surprising, was the discovery of a Cory’s Shearwater only 400m offshore from RSPB Bempton Cliffs at 0858hrs; it eventually drifted north-west. Additional sightings included a Common Sandpiper, two House Martins, a Grasshopper Warbler, three Singing Sedge Warblers, a singing Reed Warbler, three Yellow Wagtails, a Channel Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail and three White Wagtails.

  Other sightings from RSPB Bempton Cliffs included five Shelduck, a Sedge Warbler, 15 Wheaters and a Yellow Wagtail.

  

  

  

• 17th April 2025

  The weather consisted of sunny intervals, light/moderate south-westerly winds and a high of 16 degrees C. At least two Short-eared Owls toured the outer head as did a single Little Ringed Plover. Passerine migrants included a Hooded Crow near Old Fall, 42 Chiffchaffs, 16 Willow Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, 17 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, five Common Whitethroats, a male Channel Wagtail on the Golf Course, nine Yellow Wagtails, two White Wagtails, 17 Wheatears, one Common Redstart, a Siskin and one Corn Bunting.