An overcast day, with a light/moderate north-easterly wind and a high of 17 degrees C. An all day seawatch was rewarded with a northbound passage of 30 Long-tailed Skuas, the highest day count since 1995! The vast majority of birds were juveniles, with one potential second-summer individual; all headed in a north/north-easterly direction out of Bridlington Bay, with several lingering around the Kittiwake-feeding flocks. The other highlights were a Cory’s Shearwater that attended similar feeding flocks mid-afternoon and eventually flew north close inshore at 1655hrs; and an adult Roseate Tern that flew south at 1915hrs (first of the year). Other notable seawatch records included nine Sooty Shearwaters, 87 Manx Shearwaters, a Little Egret, 316 Oystercatchers south, seven Black-tailed Godwits south, a Little Gull north, a Mediterranean Gull, 173 Sandwich Terns, 187 Common Terns and 11 Arctic Terns all north, 23 Bonxies, a dark-morph ‘spooned’ Pomarine Skua south and 44 Arctic Skuas.
Elsewhere, the Ruff lingered at Thornwick Pools and two Green Sandpipers flew south. Passerine interest included a Garden Warbler at Old Fall (additional to the seven rung at South Landing) and three Pied Flycatchers.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs attracted three Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, three Pied Flycatchers and six Corn Buntings. A Marsh Harrier hunted the cliff top between Bempton and Buckton.
A ringing session at South Landing resulted in 55 birds being caught, including five Willow Warblers, seven Garden Warblers and a Pied Flycatcher. A total of 135 birds were also processed during a ringing session at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, including single Reed Warbler and Pied Flycatcher.
