Another sunny day, with south-easterly winds gaining in strength until early afternoon, when they reduced once more; temperatures reached 18 degrees C. Seawatching was rewarded with two dark-bellied Brent Geese, a Sooty Shearwater and five Arctic Skuas flying north, with two dark-bellied Brent Geese, 21 Wigeon and 46 Teal moving south.
However, the day’s highlights related to an influx of drift migrants, especially during the afternoon: headlined by a Red-breasted Flycatcher between Old Fall and South Landing, two Yellow-browed Warblers (South Landing & Buckton) and a Wood Warbler caught & ringed at South Landing. A Merlin remained, but most attention was focussed on passerines, with three ‘continental’ Song Thrush, six Goldcrest, seven Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, three Pied Flycatchers, two Spotted Flycatchers, 12 Whinchat, five Stonechat, seven Redstart and four Wheatear. A 900-strong flock of Linnets gathered in the setaside near Thornwick.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs attracted a Pied Flycatcher, four Redstarts, two Stonechats, two Whinchat and a Grey Wagtail, whilst lone Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher and Whinchat were present at Buckton. In addition, at least 36 Bottlenose Dolphins moved south past RSPB Bempton Cliffs and latterly the Fog Station on the outer head late afternoon.
