A bright, warm day, with prolonged sunny intervals and temperatures reaching 18 degrees C in light south-westerly winds. The highlight was a showy Radde’s Warbler that spent the day in the Bay Brambles below the lighthouse. Only a few metres away, the Pallas’s Warbler continued to show and a Red-rumped Swallow flew south, while three Black Redstarts were in residence on the edge of the lighthouse car park. Another Black Redstart and a Cetti’s Warbler were near Thornwick cafe. Two Richard’s Pipit were present, a single dropped onto fields next to Old Fall hedge, with another on the cliff top at Buckton, where the Dusky Warbler lingered. In addition, the long-staying Little Bunting was still at Thornwick, while the Red-flanked Bluetail was ringed at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.
Huge numbers of Pink-footed Geese again fed on cliff tops stubbles, with 8200 birds producing aural delight. A ringtail Hen Harrier began the day over the Lighthouse grassland, but appeared over North Dykes later; at one point it was mobbed by a Merlin. Raptor interest also included two Marsh Harriers. Eight Woodcock included several in off the sea, while additional records included one Water Rail and a Short-eared Owl. Passerine migrants included two Jays, 12 Yellow-browed Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, three Redpoll, two Siskin and a Hawfinch, the latter overflying Thornwick Pools.
Four Whooper Swans flew south-east at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, where one Jack Snipe, a Short-eared Owl and the Hawfinch remained.
