As hoped for, the change in weather and increased coverage has produced a bumper day in the area. The highlight was undoubtedly the Red-rumped Swallow that was first seen this morning over the gorse field before gradually moving inland towards Old Fall, presumably the same bird (?) was also seen in the afternoon. A Common Crane first seen over Filey Brigg was eventually watched heading south and spent a brief time circling the Bempton Cliffs area where a Hooded Crow was also seen coming in off the sea. Although nothing has been reported recently of the bird that had frequented the fields just to the west of North Dykes this was seen again in the same area today suggesting there has been two.
Raptors were also in evidence with 6 Buzzards going south and a Red Kite seen over Ocean View and the Outer Head also heading south. A Long-eared Owl was found roosting at Ocean View where there were 3 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaff, a Brambling and a Goldcrest. The Outer Head also had the now regular Black Redstart in a garden, possibly one of the birds from the fog horn compound.
Good coverage of the Bempton area showed migration to be well underway today, 8 Fieldfare, 21 Redwing and 11 Lapland Buntings on the departure side and 2 Ring Ouzels, 4 Sand Martin, a Wheatear and a Swallow on the arrivals. There was also a Ring Ouzel on the Outer Head. A pale Chiffchaff in Holmes Gut looked interesting and may have been a Sibe?
Todays seawatchers finally enjoyed some good visibility and highlights included Red Kite going south (presumably the same bird as seen by others on the Outer Head), 17 Red throated Divers south and 11 north, 15 Purple Sandpipers south, 104 Fulmars north (including 2 “blues”) and 4 Velvet Scoter north. A Yellow legged Gull also went north. In addition to sea based movement some passerine migration was also observed with 108 Linnet south. Two female type Black Redstarts were also still present in the fog horn compound.