Tuesday 18 November 2014

Thursday 30th October 2014

A great day with a fantastic arrival of Thrushes along with small numbers of other odds and ends.
Between Ravenscar and South Cliff migrant totals were 3 Woodcock, 24 Skylark, 3 Rock Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 31 Robin, 1 Stonechat, 1 Black Redstart (Bent Rigg Lane), 1566 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4153 Redwing, 115 Song Thrush, 577 Blackbird, 3 Ring Ouzel (1 Castle Hill, 2 Long Nab), 1 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler (Castle Hill), 7 Goldcrest, 383 Starling, 4 Brambling and 1 Siskin.

Although visibility was poor for much of the day there was a trickle of southerly passage; 17 Pink-footed Goose, 1 Shelduck (north), 5 Mallard, 3 Wigeon, 2 Goosander, 2 Golden Plover, 42 Lapwing, 4 Dunlin and 1 Greenshank.
As well as the arrival the first Raven of the year was seen over Scar Wood near Harwood Dale and was later seen over Stoupe Brow. Elsewhere 11 Whooper Swan were near Folkton sewage works and a cream crown Marsh Harrier flew north over Eastfield.

Wednesday 29th October 2014

Migration watch; 10.50 - 11.45hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 5 Red-throated Diver, 411 Pink-footed Geese, 31 Black-headed Gull, 6 Common Gull, 9 Kittiwake, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Little Gull, 12 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Starling in off and west, 4 Carrion Crow, 6 Twite and 1 Yellowhammer.
The blythi Lesser Whitethroat was in Crook Ness, at Scalby Mills there were 200 Wigeon, 3 Lapwing and 180 Great Black-backed Gull, at the Mere there were 35+ Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 16 Tufted Duck, 2 Scaup, 2 Coot and 39 Moorhen and 7 Wigeon, 9 Teal, 1 Shoveler and 22 Moorhen were in Johnson's Marsh.

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Tuesday 28th October 2014

Migration watch; 06.40 - 10.00hrs.
(south unless stated) were 1 Red-throated Diver north, 7 Gannet + 88 north, 2 Cormorant north, 5 Common Scoter, 2 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 1 Curlew, 45 Little Gull north, 237 Black-headed Gull + 2 north, 65 Common Gull, 41 Great Black-backed Gull, 27 Kittiwake, 7 Auk sp + 231 north, 1 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Rock Pipit + 1 north, 2 Goldfinch, 7 Linnet and 1 Twite.
Migrants coming in off at Long Nab included 17 Blackbird, 7 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing and 94 Starling.
Roosting in the Harbour were 13 Purple Sandpiper, a Red-throated Diver and 2 Guillemot were in North Bay, 6 Whooper Swan, 8 Egyptian Geese, 38 Teal, 19 Wigeon and 20 Lapwing were on Potter Brompton Carr (no general access) and 19 Teal and 7 Wigeon were on Johnson's Marsh.

Monday 27th October 2014

A quiet day, the 2 Scaup remained at the Mere where there were also 2 Little Grebe, 26 Mute Swan and 32 Tufted Duck, at Wykeham South Lake were 40 Black-headed Gull, 340 Common Gull, 700 Herring Gull, 35 Great Black-backed Gull, 22 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Pink-footed Goose, at Long Nab there was a single Snipe, 20 Skylark, a Song Thrush, 35 Tree Sparrow, 6 Reed Bunting and a Yellowhammer and 2 Chiffchaff were in Newlands Dale.

Sunday 26th October 2014

Migration watch; 06.50 - 09.50hrs.
(south unless stated) were 5 Red-throated Diver, 1 Manx Shearwater, 123 Gannet + 24 north, 4 Cormorant + 4 north, 1 Greylag Goose, 3 Teal, 4 Common Scoter north, 1 Goosander, 12 Little Gull + 7 north, 451 Black-headed Gull + 2 north, 157 Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 24 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Kittiwake, 1 Auk sp + 371 north, 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Rock Pipit and 3 Tree Sparrow.
A single Knot was in Cornelian Bay and up to 3 Mediterranean Gull were at Holbeck.

Saturday 25th October 2014

Migration watch; 07.40 - 10.20hrs.
Another good day with another welcome addition to the year list, a Richard's Pipit in fields on Roger Trod, between Sycaram Wood and Hayburn Wyke. After showing occasionally over a 2 hour period it eventually flew off west, over Newlands Dale, and appeared to drop down in private fields.
Up in Langdale Forest 4 Great Grey Shrike were present, yesterday's bird was seen at Lun Rigg with others found at Low Woof How, May Moss and at Stony Knoll.
On the move (south unless stated) were 2 Red-throated Diver north, 31 Whooper Swan (25 later found on Harwood Dale Lake), 2 Mallard north, 2 Snipe, 6 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 6 Wood Pigeon, 104 Skylark, 24 Meadow Pipit, 8 Rock Pipit, 2 Alba, 10 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 60 Jackdaw, 17 Tree Sparrow, 10 Chaffinch + 4 north, 3 Greenfinch, 13 Goldfinch, 63 Linnet, 6 Twite, 4 Yellowhammer and 7 Reed Bunting.
A Great Crested Grebe and 4 Red-throated Diver were in Cornelian Bay while in the Long Nab area were single Stonechat, 6 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Blackcap.

Friday 24th October 2014

Migration watch; 07.30 - 13.40hrs.
A good day with the 232nd addition to the year list.
All the action took place in Langdale Forest, firstly a Great Grey Shrike was found at Lun Rigg only moments before a juvenile ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD drifted over, the first in Scarborough since 2011.
Later it was seen again over the Moors viewed from Stony Rigg giving hope that this bird will find the Forests to its liking and become the first realistically twitchable bird since 2003!
Also up in the Forest a cream crown Marsh Harrier was seen hunting Stony Rigg and at least 100+ Crossbill were seen throughout.
Elsewhere at least 2 Scaup were still present on the Mere, the probable blythi Lesser Whitethroat was still in Crook Ness, 2 Stonechat, 5 Goldcrest and 9 Reed Bunting were at Long Nab and a Jack Snipe was in Cornelian Ravine.
On the move (south unless stated) were 3 Red-throated Diver + 1 north, 12 Gannet + 7 north, 6 Cormorant + 1 north, 11 Whooper Swan, 133 Pink-footed Goose, 8 Goose sp north, 6 Little Gull + 2 north, 52 Black-headed Gull + 6 north, 49 Common Gull, 3 Herring Gull, 1 Kittiwake, 36 Auk sp north, 34 Skylark, 1 Swallow, 12 Meadow Pipit, 13 Rock Pipit, 2 Alba, 1 Blackbird north, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Goldcrest in off and west, 3 Blue Tit in off and west, 2 Jay, 35 Jackdaw, 1 Rook, 4 Starling, 19 Tree Sparrow + 11 north, 8 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, 20 Linnet, 2 Twite and 2 Reed Bunting.