The day began with fog, which then cleared for a few hours to leave misty conditions before thick fog returned from early afternoon; there were light northerly winds and a high of 16 degrees C.
It felt almost inevitable that a cracking bird would turn up and that’s exactly what happened with the early afternoon discovery of the headland’s second ever Eastern Olivaecous Warbler along Old Fall hedge. Despite the difficult viewing conditions, it showed well until late afternoon favouring the section north of the plantation. It was heartening to see Old Fall return to form having been relatively quiet for several years; Flamborough’s first was found on the same hedge in September 2010.
Three Red-breasted Flycatchers remained in residence (including one at Old Fall), as did 11 Yellow-browed Warblers. These included an individual in cliff top grass near the Seawatch Observatory late on and obviously fresh in, a bird ringed at Buckton and three at RSPB Bempton Cliffs. Also present were two Garden Warblers, two Lesser Whitethroats, seven Willow Warblers, 29 Chiffchaffs, 18 Wheatear, two Whinchat, two Redstart, three Pied Flycatchers, two Spotted Flycatchers, 16 Robins, 20 Song Thrush and a Siskin. Wader interest included three Bar-tailed Godwits overhead and a Little Stint on South Landing beach.
Additional sightings from RSPB Bempton Cliffs included five Goldcrest, nine Song Thrush, 15 Robins, a Redstart, four Wheatear and a Siskin.
