Wednesday 29th July

The Hen Harrier was still at Long Nab.Just 2 Crossbills were seen flying south at Ravenscar this morning, while 2 Little Egrets were at Johnson's Marsh and 10 Mandarins were at Harwood Dale Lake. Also present there were 2 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers and 4 Gadwall. An eclipse drake Eider was on the sea off Marine Drive and 30 Common Scoter flew north. 30 Curlew were in the field below Seamer Tip where 2 Sedge Warblers were seen and heard, while a Tufted Duck with 5 ducklings and 2 eclipse Gadwalls were on the pool. At midday the pale male Honey Buzzard was seen from Wykeham Raptor Viewpoint, 2 Green Woodpeckers were in the Birch Hall area of Langdale Forest, and 120+ Golden Plover plus 350 Lapwings were at Newgate Moor (west of Langdale Forest). A family of 5 Peregrines were on the Castle headland feeding on a Guillemot. 4 Alba Wagtails and 3 Black-headed Gulls went south past the Castle headland, and a Great Skua was seen heading south close inshore off Marine Drive. Also passing this afternoon were 16 Oystercatchers south, and 2 Great Skuas, 15 Common Scoter and a Manx Shearwater all north. Later in the evening 2 Great Skuas were on the sea off Marine Drive and a Manx Shearwater and 2 more Bonxies flew by north. An Osprey was at Ellerburn trout farm, and at Wykeham Lakes this evening there were 2 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and a Little Egret.

Full count from Long Nab here:https://www.trektellen.nl/count/view/1074/20200729

Mallard duckling - Alan Hunt