Storm Arwen delivered the goods, with strong north-westerly winds gradually dropping in strength to allow seabirds pushed into the North Sea over the last 48 hours to reorientate back north. Pride of place was a White-billed Diver that flew north past the Seawatch Observatory close inshore at 0818hrs. All three of the more regular divers were also recorded in good numbers with 193 Red-throated Divers north, nine Great Northern Divers (eight north, one south) and three Black-throated Divers also north. Also northbound were 46 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, a drake Scaup, four Velvet Scoters, eight Long-tailed Ducks, two Manx Shearwaters, 16 Little Auks and 80 Puffins. Two Goosanders and a juvenile Glaucous Gull moved south, while another Little Auk rested on the sea and a Snow Bunting flew in off. Sightings from the South Cliffs included a dark-bellied and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, a Velvet Scoter, two Little Auks and a Snow Bunting.
A seawatch at RSPB Bempton Cliffs was rewarded with a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, four Mediterranean Gull and seven Puffins headed north-west, while a Great Northern Diver flew south.
