Benign conditions followed yesterday’s strong north-westerly winds, with light westerlies, sunny skies and a high of eight degrees C. A juvenile Black Guillemot flew north past the Seawatch Observatory at 1527hrs; other seawatch highlights included single Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter, a phalarope (probably Grey), eight Great Northern Divers, a dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Little Auk (north), five Puffins, 63 Little Gulls, two Sooty Shearwaters and three Manx Shearwaters. Yesterday’s Slavonian Grebe remained on the sea between South Landing and South Dykes, where it was joined by a Red-necked Grebe; a Long-tailed Duck and four Goldeneye were also sheltering from rougher seas.
Two Woodcock flew in off the sea, while passerine interest around the Fog Station included 12 Twite, two Redpoll, 29 Siskin and a Snow Bunting in off. Other sightings included six Lapwings flew west over South Landing; two migrant Water Rails on the outer head; and the Richard’s Pipit which showed well from the coastal path south of Head Farm.
Elsewhere, the long-staying Lesser Whitethroat lingered at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.
