01 April 2014

The settled conditions and sunny weather today looked perfect for raptors and so it proved to be, a total of 7 Common Buzzards and 4 Red Kites were seen  (2 Red Kites drifting south south-west between 1325 and 1340 and what were thought to be a different  2 moving south along the dyke between 1350 and 1430).

Red Kite (M Garner)
Red Kite (M Garner)

Black Redstarts again featured today with 3 in the fog station compound first thing with 2 there this afternoon.  The year’s first Swallows (3) were over the clifftops at South Landing, a Sand Martin was at Sewerby Steps and a single Shore Lark remained near Staple Newk at Bempton.

Black Redstart (A Hood)
Black Redstart (A Hood)
Black Redstart (A Hood)
Black Redstart (A Hood)

Elsewhere there were single Redwing and Fieldfare at Ocean View and a blue Fulmar flew north on a generally quiet sea watch.