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).

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.


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