Tuesday 29 May 2018

Sunday 27th May 2018

Not surprisingly observation at Crook Ness started early this morning. The Icterine Warbler showed first at 06.00 then again at 06.30 but it wasn’t until around 07.10 that the Eastern Subalpine Warbler revealed itself for the first time this morning. Both birds showed occasionally for most of the day and the Eastern Subalpine Warbler was even heard singing at times. Other species recorded in the Long Nab area today included a male Redstart around the manure heap at Cliff Top House, a Honey Buzzard flew over to the west at 11.40, this evening a Spotted Flycatcher was at Cliff Top House and the Wheatear was still in the cover crop strip.

Other sightings today included a Jay flying west over Crossgates; a Common Sandpiper on Rudda Road Flash and a Hobby flying north over Cornelian Bay at 13.05.

Last but not least today 4 Nightjars were heard calling near the Falcon Inn late this evening.


Eastern Subalpine Warbler - Crook Ness - Chris Bradshaw

Icterine Warbler - Crook Ness - Nick Addey

Saturday 26th May 2018

The first news today was a Wheatear at Scalby Lodge Pond but then nothing until late afternoon when a double discovery at Crook Ness started the pulses racing. An Icterine Warbler was discovered in the bushes on the seaward end of the gully on the northern side and then whilst watching this bird a male Subalpine Warbler popped into view alongside. The features of the Subalpine would suggest that it is of the eastern race albistriata, the Icterine Warbler showed well on and off until dusk but the Subalpine was only seen by three lucky observers in the first half hour after its discovery.

Eastern? Subalpine Warbler - Crook Ness - Nick Addey

Icterine Warbler - Crook Ness - Nick Addey

Friday 25th May 2018

The only news today came from the Long Nab area with a Great Skua moving south, a Ringed Plover and 79 Swifts flew north but the only grounded migrant after the rain was a Wheatear on the cover crop strip.

Thursday 24th May 2018

The find of the day was a singing 1st summer male Common Rosefinch at Potter Brompton Carr but unfortunately it was only seen by the finder and was not seen or heard after 06.50 despite much searching. Also seen during wanderings at this location today were 13 singing Reed Warblers, 11 singing Sedge Warblers, a Coot with 4 young, 3 Garden Warblers, a Kingfisher, 3♂Wigeon and a pair of Teal. The Wood Sandpiper at Rudda Road Flash was still present this morning and remained until 16.20 when it flew off into the fog, a Cuckoo was also heard calling nearby this afternoon.

Not much at Wykeham South Lake today but a Barn Owl, 2 Egyptian Geese and a solitary fly over Whimbrel: 3 Mandarin Ducks were on Harwood Dale Lake; there was a Red-throated Diver in Jackson’s Bay with lots of auks, Kittiwakes and Gannets moving north and at Low North Camp today a pair of Mandarin Ducks with 5 ducklings, a Redstart, a Buzzard, a Garden Warbler and a Whitethroat. At Long Nab today 2 Manx Shearwaters went north and further south a Wheatear was in the Scalby Lodge field.


A pair of Turtle Doves - Burniston - Rose Habberley

Wednesday 23rd May 2018

The only thing worth mentioning at Wykeham South Lake this morning were a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls; Potter Brompton Carr had a Ringed Plover, ♂Wigeon, a pair of Teal and a Kingfisher; this evening over Peasholm Park a nice mixture of hirundines with 10 Swallows, 7House Martins and a Sand Martin and at Scalby Mills there were 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 14 Sandwich Terns flew south.

The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Wood Sandpiper at Rudda Road Flash at 17.57 this evening and in Burniston there are now a pair of Turtle Doves.

Wood Sandpiper - Rudda Road Flash - Nick Addey

Tuesday 22nd May 2018

The only news today concerned a Hobby over Thornton-le-Dale this evening; a Tufted Duck and an Oystercatcher north past Marine Drive this morning and the Turtle Dove was still present in Burniston.

Monday 21st May 2018

A Bonxie was seen off Marine Drive this morning, 2 Ringed Plover and 3♂ Wigeon were on Potter Brompton Carr, at Wykeham South Lake a Little Ringed Plover and a Great Crested Grebe plus nearby on Straits Lane a Lapwing with chick and 2 singing Reed Warblers and a Red Kite flew west over Crossgates at 14.05.

In Dalby Forest on New Close Rigg there were Turtle Dove, Nightjar and Tree Pipit, this evening on Stony Marl Moor there was a singing Cuckoo and the Burniston Turtle Dove continued its residency.

Sunday 20th May 2018

The Burniston Turtle Dove was still present today and at Long Nab a Spotted Flycatcher was on the wires by the Obs before leaving to the south; an immature male Marsh Harriers was over the fields near Hundale at 07.45 while a second bird went south past the Obs at 08.20 and a Red Kite was seen over The Falcon public house. On Potter Brompton Carr today we had a Dunlin, 2 Curlew, the first Lapwing chicks (2+), 3 broods of Mallard, a brood of Greylag Geese and a pair of Teal were on the Haybridge scrapes. Finally a Wheatear was frequenting the gardens and rooftops on Knipe Point Drive.

Dipper - Hilla Green - Chris Bell

Red Kite - over The Falcon - Rose Habberley

Whitethroat - Ravenscar - Stuart Baines

Sunday 27 May 2018

Saturday 19th May 2018

Early this morning we had a Barn Owl and a Yellow Wagtail at Gristhorpe, then a little later at 07.00 a Little Tern flew north at Long Nab. Also today a Whimbrel flew over Dean Road; male Redstarts were at Scar Wood, also Marsh Tit with 2 fledged young, and Helwath Beck; a Turtle Dove was at an unknown location in Burniston and finally a Little Ringed Plover was below North Stile House at Wrench Green.

Friday 18th May 2018

On the Castle headland today there were a Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaffs, 12 Swifts and 15 Swallows; a Rock Pipit was in The Harbour; a Green Woodpecker was in the vicinity of Lindhead Bridge; a Corn Bunting was on Seamer Tip; two broods of Marsh Tits plus a singing Lesser Whitethroat were on Oliver’s Mount and finally this evening a stunning Short-eared Owl was sat on fence posts near Hundale Point, Long Nab.



Short-eared Owl - Long Nab - Nick Addey

Thursday 17th May 2018

No news received today.

Wednesday 16th May 2018

The only news received today concerned a pale phase Arctic Skua which went north close past Marine Drive at 07.35 and then in the afternoon there was a Little Gull at Scalby Mills at 15.00.

Tuesday 15 May 2018

Tuesday 15th May 2018

2 Barnacle Geese were in a field at High Balmer; at Harwood Dale Lake there was a Yellow Wagtail and this evening 5 drake Mandarin Ducks and past Long Nab early evening a Common Tern flew north and 3 Manx Shearwaters went south.

Whitethroat - near Sawdon - Chris Bell

Monday 14th May 2018

This morning at Wykeham South Lake 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Buzzards and 2 Sedge Warblers whilst passing Long Nab to the north we had 2 Ringed Plover, an Arctic Tern and 2 Puffins plus a total of 21 Common Scoter (13 S, 8 N); a Dunlin and 4 Ringed Plovers were on Binnington Carr; a pair of Shoveler and a drake Garganey were in Burniston Bay and to finish the day the first two Nightjars of the year were heard churring near to The Falcon Inn on the A171 at 21.55 this evening.

Garganey and pair of Shoveler - Burniston Bay - Daniel Brown

Sunday 13 May 2018

Sunday 13th May 2018

This morning a Marsh Harrier was seen hunting at Potter Brompton Carr at 10.00, also 2♂ Wigeon, a pair of Shoveler and a “singing” Redshank at the same location and nearby on the Hay Bridge Farm scrapes there were 4 Ringed Plovers before departing off to the east.

The highlights past Long Nab this morning included 2 Gadwall (N), 2 Wigeon (N), 2 Teal (N), 2 Eiders (N), 14 Common Scoter (5 S, 9 N), 9 Manx Shearwater (4 S, 5 N), a Black-tailed Godwit (S at 07.24) and 5 Puffins (2 S, 3 N).

Also today a Spotted Flycatcher was at Low North Camp and a Red-throated Diver and 2 Common Sandpipers were in Cornelian Bay this afternoon.

Reed Bunting - Cayton Carr - Stuart Baines

Saturday 12th May 2018

The pair of Garganey were still at Potter Brompton Carr today and were back on the northern pool which can be viewed from the footpath just south of the bridge over the river at Hay Bridge Farm. Also in this area a pair of Gadwall and a Shelduck were on the Haybridge Farm scrapes.

There was a Reed Warbler at Taylor Way pond and another at the pool on the Mounds, Seamer Tip area; two further Reed Warblers were singing on Straits Lane this afternoon;

At Harwood Dale Lake this morning there were both a Green and a Common Sandpiper in the NW corner plus a ♂Mandarin Duck and a Greylag Goose with 6 chicks but by the afternoon Green Sandpipers had increased to two; a Cuckoo was calling from Broxa Forest, another was at Helwath Beck and a third was in Hutton Buscel; a Marsh Harrier was by the road to Snainton and a Fieldfare flew over Troutsdale.

A nice find today was a Wood Warbler at Hilla Green, it was feeding in the tree canopy at 15.30 before flying off down river. A pair of Whinchats and 4+ Red Grouse were just to the east of the Eller Beck bridge NW of RAF Fylingdales, opposite the Fen Bog Car Park. Finally today a Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plovers and 2 Little Ringed Plovers were in flooded fields between the River Derwent and the River Hertford NW of Willerby village and north of the level crossing.

Cuckoo - Hutton Buscel - Alan M Hunt

Friday 11th May 2018

The only news collected today all related to various species of waterfowl with a couple of Shovelers at Wykeham South Lake this morning and a ♂Wigeon this evening and on Potter Brompton Carr the pair of Garganey were still present but they were on a scrape which was not visible from anywhere with public access.

Thursday 10th May 2018

The main discovery today was a Hooded Crow that hung around for a short time in a clifftop field at Jackson’s Bay before flying off to the south. A late Fieldfare was seen in Harwood Dale just north of Brooklands Farm; a Cuckoo was at Helwath Beck, 3 Golden Plovers were on Juggar Howe Moor and 2 drake Mandarin Ducks were on Harwood Dale Lake.

A Bar-tailed Godwit was in Jackson’s Bay; at Wykeham South Lake this morning a Jay, a Sedge Warbler and 2 Buzzards and on Troutsdale Moor this afternoon at least 6 Tree Pipits, 3 Crossbills, a Garden Warbler and a Blackcap.

Thursday 10 May 2018

Wednesday 9th May 2018

A fairly late Redwing was in the hedge just north of Cromer Point this morning and at Potter Brompton Carr there were a pair of Garganey on the northern scrape, also a Barn Owl there.

This evening about 30 Swifts were over the Falsgrave area of town and at 08.15 this morning a Cuckoo was heard calling from the plantation near The Falcon public house.

Grey Heron - Johnson's Marsh - Rose Habberley

Tuesday 8th May 2018

A Ring-necked Parakeet flew north along Filey Road by Knipe Point Drive calling loudly, as they do, at 08.09.

At Wykeham South Lake today a Little Ringed Plover, a Sedge Warbler and a Yellow Wagtail and in the Straits Lane area 2 Garden Warblers and another Sedge Warbler; at Seamer Tip Pool we had a drake Gadwall, 2 singing Sedge Warblers, 3 singing Reed Warblers and a Peregrine; a Corn Bunting was at Willerby/Staxton and going north past Long Nab this evening were a Whimbrel, a Ringed Plover and 2 Turnstones.

The following photo gets 10 out of 10 for its cute factor, I couldn't resist putting it in.

Greylag Goose and chick - The Mere - Chris Bell

Monday 7th May 2018

A cream crown Marsh Harrier flew south over Long Nab at 10.26 and moving north there 4 Teal, a drake Shoveler, 2 Tufted Duck and a Common Tern; at Scalby Lodge Pond there were 30+ House Martins with equal numbers of Swallows and Sand Martins plus a Yellow Wagtail and on Troutsdale Moor species included 7 Tree Pipits, 4 Garden Warblers, 3 Blackcaps, 11 Willow Warblers and a Willow Tit.

3 Hawfinches were reported over Wykeham Raptor View Point and finally today Common Swifts were reported back in Thornton-le-Dale.

Reed Bunting - Seamer Tip Pool - Pauline Dent

Reed Warbler - Seamer Tip Pool - Pauline Dent

Sunday 6th May 2018

On the Haygate circuit in Dalby Forest this morning 5 Garden Warblers had finally arrived and there were also 6 Blackcaps and 4 Tree Pipits also in today were 3 singing Reed Warblers on Seamer Tip Pool along with 3 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Gadwall, 3 singing Sedge Warblers at the same location; 10 singing Sedge Warblers were on the borders of Seamer Tip and a Corn Bunting was on Starr Carr.

On Potter Brompton Carr today there was a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, 8 Shelducks and a male Yellow Wagtail whilst nearby at Haybridge Farm there was a Willow Tit and 2 Wigeon, 2 Shelducks and a drake Shoveler were on the scrapes there. 3 Garden Warblers were at Hilla Green today; a Green Woodpecker and 2 singing Redstarts were at Low North Camp and 2 Common Swifts were back on territory at Tennyson Avenue today.

At Long Nab today a record site count of 53 Whitethroats, also 4 Wheatears, 2 Tree Pipits flew north and 81 Sandwich Terns went past (58 S, 23 N); 3 Wheatears were at Wykeham South Lake plus another 2 by Straits Lane where there was also a Sedge Warbler.

Garden Warbler - Hilla Green - Mike Randall

Saturday 5th May 2018

On Potter Brompton Carr this morning there were 8 Shelducks, 6 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall and the star was a female Garganey which flew towards the Haybridge Scrapes but could not be relocated. At Long Nab today a Corn Bunting, a Wheatear and 24 Whitethroats whilst moving south were 139 Swallows, 53 Sand Martins, 15 flava Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 122 Linnets, 64 Goldfinches and 27 Sandwich Terns. A Whimbrel and a Swift flew north during the same period.

Also today Wheatears were seen at Ravenscar and Rudda Road Flash and 2 Garden Warblers were in the Wykeham Nursery area along with plenty of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.

Sedge Warbler - Long Nab - Chris Bell

Common Swift - Long Nab - Chris Bell

Wednesday 9 May 2018

Friday 4th May 2018

A White Wagtail started the day on the putting green by the clock tower on South Cliff and 2 Wheatears were on the rocks at Holbeck.

Movement south along the cliffs between Scalby Mills and Crook Ness today included 27 flava Wagtails (plus 5 north), 78 Swallows (plus 36 north), a Wheatear and 104 Linnets; at Long Nab this morning there were 6 Wheatears and a Sedge Warbler, a second Sedge Warbler was singing in Pipe Gully and another Wheatear was on Scalby Nab. This evening the Wheatear count at Long Nab had increased to 9 and there was also a Golden Plover in the fields there.

The Little Ringed Plover was still on the flooded field by the Cayton Bowling Club; a Cuckoo was on Fylingdales Moor; near Hackness there were displaying Lapwings, 2 pairs of Mandarin Ducks, 2 Garden Warblers, 6 Willow Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat; on Castle Headland there were 5 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps and finally today a Barn Owl was on Thornton Carrs.

Whitethroat - Hutton Buscel - Alan M Hunt

Thursday 3rd May 2018

The first news of the day came surprisingly early when at 00.20 a Common Sandpiper was heard over Westwood Court, also early morning there were 2 Common Sandpipers in North Bay and on Cayton Carr 3 distant Charadrius plovers were probably Little Ringed. At Wykeham South Lake today just a single Wheatear and a Sedge Warbler; at Harwood Dale Lake 5 Wheatears and on Fylingdales 7 Whinchats.

There was a steady trickle of Swallows heading north at Sycarham Wood where c20 went through in 90 minutes and in the wood Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat were all present.

At The Mere today we had 16 Tufted Ducks, 4 broods of Greylag Geese totalling 12 young, a brood of Mallards with 5 young, a Common Sandpiper and a Lesser Whitethroat and on Potter Brompton Carr/Haybridge Scrapes there was a drake Pintail, 5 Wigeon and 4 Shelducks.

Also in the area today a single Little Ringed Plover was on the flooded field next to the Cayton Bowling Club; a Marsh Harrier flew north at Long Nab at 17.38 and on Fylingdales Moor this evening there were a Cuckoo, 2 Ring Ouzels, 2 Whinchats and 3 Wheatears.

Common Sandpiper - The Mere - Mark Hepples

Wednesday 2nd May 2018

The only news received today concerned a Little Ringed Plover on Rudda Road Flash; a Yellow Wagtail at Seamer Tip Pool and on Potter Brompton Carr a Redshank, 2 Wigeon, a Shoveler and 2 Shelducks.

Tuesday 1st May 2018

At Potter Brompton Carr/Hay Bridge scrapes today a nice discovery was the first Garganey for the year and what’s more it was a drake, also in this area a Greenshank (briefly early morning), 8 Snipe, a Pochard, a Pintail and 9 Wigeon.

Also today, at Wykeham South Lake 2 Wheatears, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and a House Martin and nearby in Hutton Buscel a Little Owl and a Barn Owl.

Turnstone - Scarborough Harbour - Chris Bell

Sunday 6 May 2018

Monday 30th April 2018

At Seamer Tip Pool this morning there were 3 Pink-footed Geese in the field to the south and nearby on Burton Riggs a Great Crested Grebe was sitting on a nest. There was also a Pink-footed Goose at Wykeham South Lake with a supporting cast of 20+ House Martins, 6 Wheatears and a Common Sandpiper.

At Long Nab today a Sedge Warbler was singing by the scrape and going past were 2 Teal (N), 2 Gadwall (N), 2 Common Scoter (1 N, 1 S) and 2 Manx Shearwaters (N).

Sunday 29th April 2018

At Wykeham South Lake this morning Pink-footed Goose, 4 Egyptian Geese, 2 Teal, 3 Common Sandpipers and 7 Wheatears (in front of the viewpoint) plus moving N/NE were 2 Fieldfares, a Blackbird and 3 flava Wagtails.

Also today a Little Ringed Plover was on Rudda Road Flash; a Manx Shearwater went north past Long Nab this evening; there was a singing Redstart in Scar Wood and 5 Wigeon were on the Heybridge Scrapes.

However the highlight of the day came from Wykeham Raptor View Point where a male Hen Harrier was seen and photographed.

Hen Harrier - Wykeham Raptor View Point - Alan M Hunt

Sedge Warbler - Long Nab - Nick Addey