Despite high pressure still dominating, with a light south-easterly wind developing during the day and hazy sunshine again prevalent, two local ‘megas’ graced the Headland. A Black Kite took pride of place, when one flew low over cliff top fields near North Landing at 0930hrs, before heading off west (Max Webber). A Nuthatch located in the Bay Brambles mid-morning was photographed, before it flew towards the Coastguard Cottage gardens, but couldn’t be relocated; this species is locally almost as rare as the Kite, with only a handful of previous records.
A creamcrown Marsh Harrier was hunting grassland fields immediately to the west of Mid-Dykes during the morning, much to the consternation of the breeding pair of Curlew there. Thornwick Pool attracted a male Yellow Wagtail, whilst the nearby ‘roost’ reedbed attracted a pair of Broad-bodied Chasers, with the female ovipositing.
The morning’s seawatch produced five Manx Shearwaters north, 21 Shelduck south, 211 Common Scoters south (and 30 north), 55 Sandwich Terns north and a single Common Tern north.
A flock containing at least 500 Common Scoters was off the southern side of the Headland in Bridlington Bay in the afternoon, with one Velvet Scoter also present.
Birds at Buckton included calling Quail, a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker perched on the cliff top Heligoland trap, Common Buzzard and several Goldcrest juveniles in a family party in the Sycamores near the village pond – first ever breeding here.
