Friday 23 June 2017

Thursday 22nd June 2017

This morning on Seamer Mead 65 Lapwing, 6 Curlew and 9 Mistle Thrushes whilst at Wykeham South Lake 2 Egyptian Geese, a female Yellow Wagtail and a Little Ringed Plover were all that was reported.

Mixed Flock - off Marine Drive - Joe Bamfield

Wednesday 21st June 2017

A colour ringed Great White Egret was seen on Johnson’s Marsh at 09.14 this morning but unfortunately had disappeared by 10.00. It was colour ringed with yellow over white on the right leg and white over red on the left. The bird was found and photographed by Micky McNaghten who was, luckily for him, the only observer in our area, later in the day the same bird was seen at Scaling Dam Reservoir. As yet we are unaware of the origins of this bird but we hope to have some information soon.

Going past Long Nab today were Common Scoter (146 north 51 south), a Red-throated Diver (south), Manx Shearwater (10 south 2 north), Sandwich Tern (3 north), Puffin (109 south 7 north) and Swift (7 south).

Wykeham South Lake this evening just had a Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gulls and 2 Mute Swans, I know it’s not much but it gives me something to write about!!

Great White Egret - Johnson's Marsh - Micky McNaghten


Wednesday 21 June 2017

Tuesday 20th June 2017



No news on anything today - birds, mammals or dragonflies!!

the only cygnet in Peasholm Park - Nick Addey


Tuesday 20 June 2017

Monday 19th June 2017

The only news received today was a single Grey Plover and 5 Turnstones on the rocks at Scalby Mills this evening.

Just a single male Red-veined Darter was seen briefly near Seamer Tip pool at 08.05.

Sunday 18th June 2017

The interesting thing today was a large number of Auks off Long Nab, where 1800+ were estimated this morning, and in the North Bay/Marine Drive area, seemingly all of these were Guillemots or Razorbills. Moving off Long Nab today were a breeding plumaged Red-throated Diver (north), 35 Sandwich Terns (north), a Common Tern (south), 8 Puffins (north), 39 Swifts, 8 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows, and 73 Starlings (all south) and 15 Swifts (north).

Also today a Hobby was seen in Troutsdale around midday and there were 20 Sandwich Terns at Scalby Mills.

As for Dragonflies it is interesting to mention that in the vicinity of Seamer Tip pool there is a shallow pool to the west of Thornburgh Road about 60 metres after the barricade where 3 male and at least 1 female Red-veined Darters have been present since yesterday.

female Red-veined Darter - Seamer Tip - John Harwood
male Red-veined Darter - Seamer Tip - Dave Mansell



Saturday 17th June 2017

A brave 10 hour watch at Wykeham Raptor View Point unfortunately produced no sightings of Honey Buzzard but there were a Red Kite, a Hobby, 3 Goshawks and 9 Crossbills. Then in the evening 2 or 3 churring Nightjars and many Woodcock passes opposite the Raptor View Point car park and also there was a Turtle Dove calling from a plantation a few hundred yards west of here.

On Fylingdales Moor up to Lilla Cross today were 8 Whinchats, 2 Stonechats, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Grey Wagtails and a Mistle Thrush.

Broad-bodied Chaser - Seamer Tip pool - Dave Mansell

Friday 16th June 2017

Today at Wykeham Raptor View Point between 08.30 and 10.30 were a Honey Buzzaed seen circling roughly between Bickley and Langdale End, a Goshawk and a Crossbill. Also today a Spotted Flycatcher was in Low Dale near the Hackness tennis courts.

Meadow Pipit - Pauline Dent


Thursday 15th June 2017

The only news today came from Long Nab where species moving north included 147 Common Scoter, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 16 Sandwich Terns, 6 Puffin and 12 Swifts; moving south were 30 Manx Shearwaters, a Little Egret, 4 Sandwich Terns, a pale morph Arctic Skua, a Puffin, 634 Swifts, 26 Sand Martins, 6 Swallows and 3 House Martins. Also still present near the Obs was a single Corn Bunting.

Sandwich Tern - Scalby Mills - Chris Bell

Wednesday 14th June 2017

The most unusual sighting today was a Bittern seen by Terry Hobson at Wykeham South Lake, it was only seen in flight and despite being looked for throughout the day it was unfortunately not seen again. Terry is getting greedy, two records of Bittern this year and he’s seen both of them. Also here today were 2 adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 2 Curlews flew west and 9 singing Reed Warblers were located there this evening.

The Sandwich Terns at Scalby Mills had doubled to 42 today.

Four hours at Wykeham Raptor View Point produced no sightings of Honey Buzzard today but Turtle Dove was seen nearby.

Sandwich Tern - North Bay - Mike Randall


Monday 19 June 2017

Tuesday 13th June 2017

A Red Kite was seen at Wykeham Raptor View Point during the morning and just to the north from there a Honey Buzzard was seen in the mid-afternoon. The only other news today was a count of 21 Sandwich Terns at Scalby Mills.
 

Monday 12th June 2017

15 Curlew were seen at Seamer Mead, a Little Owl was on Seamer Tip, a very unseasonal Barnacle Goose was at the Seamer Tip bridge pool and single Yellow Wagtails on Seamer Carr and Long Lane. Also today there was a Redshank on Johnson’s Marsh.
 

Sunday 11th June 2017

The best news today was the multiple appearances by at least one Honey Buzzard at Wykeham Raptor View Point during the morning, two Red Kites west of the view point at 11.50 and a Raven was seen from the view point as well.

There was a Guillemot in the harbour, a pair of Teal and 11 Grey Herons on Johnson’s Marsh, 3 Redstarts in Castlebeck Woods and there were 3 (maybe 4) Turtle Doves in Broxa Forest at mid-day.

Movement at Long Nab today included 7 Sandwich Terns north plus 322 Swifts, 99 Sand Martins, 17 Swallows and 18 House Martins south.

Saturday 10th June 2017

The only information today involved a count of 13 Grey Herons on Johnson’s Marsh this evening.

 

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Friday 9th June 2017



A visit to Potter Brompton Carr produced a Little Egret, ♂ Teal, 58 Mallard and a pair of Lapwings with a single flying juvenile and on Johnson’s Marsh a pair of Shovelers and a Snipe.




Thursday 8 June 2017

Thursday 8th June 2017

A couple of Puffins off Marine Drive early this morning was the only thing of note today.

Wednesday 7th June 2017

A Red Kite was seen over fields on the west side of the A171 by the Flask Inn at 12.25, a Sandwich Tern was in South Bay, 5 Greater Black-backed Gulls in the harbour and this evening a Kingfisher was at the Open Air Theatre. 2 Barns Owls hunting around Johnson’s Marsh are presumably feeding chicks and there were also a pair of Shelducks present.


Late news in concerned a Quail heard calling from a wheat field at Ings Farm (south of Wykeham Lakes) this evening.


Barn Owl - Johnson's Marsh - Chris Bell


 

Tuesday 6th June 2017

No news of note today.

Monday 5th June 2017

Nothing of note was reported.

Sunday 4th June 2017

The 2cy Glaucous Gull was seen again today at Long Nab where it was present on the rocks below the Obs from 07.25 to at least 09.20. Also in this area 13 Common Scoter, 39 Swift, 2 Sand Martin, a Swallow and 6 House Martins all moving south.

Glaucous Gull - Long Nab - Chris Bell







Saturday 3rd June 2017

Early morning passage at Long Nab today included a Tufted Duck north, 101 Common Scoter north and 42 south, 14 Manx Shearwater north, 4 Sandwich Tern south and 6 Puffins (2 south, 4 north). Also on the coast today a Spoonbill was seen over the harbour and South Bay at 13.00.

Inland sites visited today included Harwood Dale Lake which held a ♀ Shoveler, 3 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 4♂ and 3♀ Mandarins with broods of 5, 6 and 8 respectively and a Kingfisher. An Osprey was seen over Hackness at 14.55 and a Honey Buzzard was reported from Wykeham Raptor View Point at 11.00.

Osprey - Hackness - John Harwood



Friday 2nd June 2017

Another quiet day with the long staying 2cy Glaucous Gull flying north at Long Nab at 20.07 and a ♂Teal and a ♂Mandarin at Harwood Dale Lake being the only news gathered.

Glaucous Gull - Long Nab - Nick Addey
Little Owl - Stuart Baines



Friday 2 June 2017

Thursday 1st June 2017

The only news today was negative. No sightings of Honey Buzzard today at the Wykeham Raptor View Point also the views of Goshawk today were all fairly distant.

Wednesday 31st May 2017

Generally things are now beginning to go quiet but there were a couple of good birds seen today. Firstly at Wykeham Raptor View Point we had the first confirmed record of Honey Buzzard for the year at 11.10 with a supporting cast including a Red Kite at 17.15, 4+ Goshawks, Sparrowhawk and about 8 Common Buzzards.

The other was at Ravenscar where a Quail was flushed from the side of the top track to Cliff House from where it flew into the adjoining cow field and was lost from view, the bird was not heard calling.