Overcast, with light winds that eventually veered northerly and a high of 12 degrees C. A substantial arrival of thrushes took place during the morning, with 12,220 Redwing and 3042 Fieldfares flying in off and moving west. These were also accompanied by 71 Brambling and two Hawfinch heading in the same direction. A Short-eared Owl also flew in off the sea mid-afternoon. Fourteen Yellow-browed Warblers also represented an increase, with several appearing in new locations during the afternoon. Also of note were two Woodcock, a Merlin, three Cetti’s Warblers, a Willow Warbler, one Reed Warbler, 11 Siskin and 16 Crossbills. The four Whooper Swans also remained in residence in fields to the east of North Dykes.
A total of 15 Pomarine Skuas (10 north, 5 south) were recorded during the seawatch; other records included two dark-bellied Brent Geese, four Shoveler, six Pintail, two Velvet Scoters, two Red-breasted Mergansers, a Red-necked Grebe (south), three Arctic Terns, eight Common Terns, two Sandwich Terns, 515 Little Gulls, 15 Arctic Skuas, two Bonxies and four Sooty Shearwaters.
Elsewhere, a single Red Kite circled RSPB Bempton Cliffs, where Merlin, Golden Plover and 37 Pink-footed Geese were also recorded.
