After a calm start, a light northerly wind developed during a day which was largely sunny, although a mist rolled in off the sea at times. Seawatching highlights included two Balearic Shearwaters, three Shelduck, 178 Teal, three Tufted Duck, 85 Common Scoters and 201 Oystercatchers all flying south. Two Pomarine Skuas moved north, as did nine Arctic Skuas (with five south) whilst 13 Bonxies also flew south. One Little Gull flew south and 841 Common Terns flew north, along with two Black Terns. Two Ruff, single Green Sandpiper and Greenshank flew south while Thornwick Pool attracted three Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, two Knot and five Dunlin. One of the day’s highlights was a juvenile Honey Buzzard that flew south at c.0830hrs from the South Cliffs.
A minimum of three Icterine Warblers were recorded, including two new arrivals – on the Outer Head and Old Fall respectively. Two Wrynecks were present; the lingering individual near North Landing and a new arrival behind the hide at Thornwick Pools. There were also two Red-backed Shrikes; the juvenile remaining near the Lighthouse and an adult male along Old Fall Hedge.
Passerine migrants included a Wood Warbler at Old Fall, 123 Willow Warblers, 18 Garden Warblers, six Reed Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, 85 Pied Flycatchers, 16 Spotted Flycatchers, 14 Whinchats, two Wheatear, 15 Redstarts, a Tree Pipit and a Crossbill.
Bempton RSPB hosted an Icterine Warbler in the Dell, seven Pied Flycatchers, two Spotted Flycatchers and two Wheatears. Sightings from Buckton included a Merlin, one Greenshank flying over, a Cuckoo,100 Willow Warblers and single figures of Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat and Redstart, whilst a Snipe, two Common and one Green Sandpiper were on the Pond.
