Sunday 22 February 2015

Saturday 21st February 2015


The SURF SCOTER remained in South Bay throughout the day.
Another good record was that of a female Hen Harrier seen over RAF Fylingdales.
The Richard's Pipit was once again seen just south of the Hayburn Wyke, 3 Goosander were seen in South Bay, the Scaup was still at the Mere, the Pintail was still on Johnson's Marsh, 2 Goldeneye and 5 Pochard were on Wykeham South Lake and a Red-breasted Merganser and a Gadwall were at Scalby Mills.

Friday 20th February 2015


Migration watch; 07.35 - 09.10hrs.
A drake SURF SCOTER first found in Cornelian Bay around 12.20hrs before drifting in to South Bay was the highlight of the day, it remained on show, although distantly, in South Bay until dusk.
Also in Cornelian Bay there was a Red-breasted Merganser. Elsewhere 8 Lapwing, 25 Curlew and 32 Skylark were at Long Nab, a Little Grebe, 18 Teal, a Gadwall and the Pintail were on Johnson's Marsh and on Potter Brompton Carr there were 2 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, 110 Wigeon, a female Scaup, a Water Rail, 200 Lapwing, a Water Rail, 1 Peregrine, 600 Starling and 80 Linnet.
On the move (south unless stated) were 2 Red-throated Diver north, 3 Cormorant, 1 Barnacle Goose north, 29 Black-headed Gull, 12 Common Gull, 2 Goldfinch and 4 Linnet.

Thursday 19th February 2015


A very quiet day, the Pintail and Gadwall were on Johnson's Marsh along with 23 Teal and a Tufted Duck and a Chiffchaff was in Newlands Dale.

Wednesday 18th February 2015


Migration watch; 07.30 - 10.40hrs,
On the move (south unless stated) were 4 Red-throated Diver + 4 north, 16 Fulmar + 3 north, 47 Gannet + 3 north, 4 Cormorant + 3 north, 42 Pink-footed Geese north, 3 Wigeon, 144 Black-headed Gull, 51 Common Gull, 53 Herring Gull, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Guillemot, 17 Auk sp + 2 north and 1 Puffin north.
Elsewhere the Pintail, a Gadwall, 23 Teal were on Johnson's Marsh and a Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull were at Scalby Mills.

Monday 16th - Tuesday 17th February 2015


The 16th produced 580 Lapwing, a Shelduck, a Shoveler, 160 Wigeon and 18 Pied Wagtail on Potter Brompton Carr (no general access), 6 Whooper Swan, 2 Shoveler and 8 Teal were on Cayton Carr and 800+ Herring Gull, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 450+ Black-headed Gull, 16 Common Gull, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Pochard and 4 Goldeneye on Wykeham South Lake.
80 Pink-footed Geese north over town was the only report on the 17th.

Sunday 15th February 2015


Migration watch; 07.45 - 11.20hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 34 Red-throated Diver north, 25 Fulmar + 10 north (including one Blue Fulmar seen heading north before returning south), 115 Gannet + 26 north, 4 Cormorant + 4 north, 3 Shag + 15 north, 2 White-fronted Geese, 3 Eider north, 1 Common Scoter + 1 north, 8 Black-headed Gull + 6 north, 17 Common Gull + 2 north, 437 Herring Gull, 12 Great Black-backed Gull, 14 Kittiwake and 680 Auk sp + 55 north.
Elsewhere the Pintail was on Johnson's Marsh, 18 Purple Sandpiper were in the Harbour, an Eider, a Red-breasted Merganser and 3 Goosander were at Scalby Mills, a Wigeon, a Teal, 11 Goosander and an Oystercatcher was at Harwood Dale, 4 Goldeneye were on Wykeham South Lake, 73 Wigeon, 15 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 345 Lapwing, a Golden Plover were at Potter Brompton Carr, the Scaup, 3 Goldeneye and 4 Goosander were on the Mere and 23 Grey Heron, 10 Gadwall and 132 Greylag Geese were at Scampstone.

Saturday 14th February 2015


Migration watch; 07.55 - 10.50hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 4 Red-throated Diver north, 1 Black-throated Diver north, 39 Fulmar + 3 north, 35 Gannet + 4 north, 6 Cormorant north, 1 Shag north, 2 Greylag Geese, 5 Shelduck + 13 north, 3 Lapwing, 10 Black-headed Gull + 7 north, 39 Common Gull, 503 Herring Gull, 29 Great Black-backed Gull, 94 Kittiwake, 112 Auk sp + 6 north and 1 Alba.
Elsewhere the Pintail was still on Johnson's Marsh, 3 Redshank and 5 Curlew were on Scalby Lodge Pond, 140 Wigeon, 8 Goosander, 1 Red-breatsed Merganser and an Eider were at Scalby Mills, 13 Goosander and 19 Purple Sandpiper were in Cornelian Bay, a Barnacle Goose was on Harwood Dale Lake, a Merlin was in Hutton Buscel, 23 Grey Heron, 14 Gadwall and 450 Rook were at Scampstone, 6 Whooper Swan, 21 Teal and 18 Redshank were on Cayton Carr, 8 Goldeneye were at Wykeham South Lake and 2 Water Rail were still in the Open Air Theatre.

Friday 13th February 2015


Migration watch; 08.10 - 10.10hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 24 Fulmar + 2 north, 110 Gannet, 3 Cormorant north, 1 Wigeon, 4 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull north, 210 Herring Gull + 12 north, 8 Great Black-backed Gull + 2 north, 148 Auk sp + 3 north and 1 Pied Wagtail.
Elsewhere a Pintail, 24 Teal, 2 Wigeon and 2 Mute Swan were on Johnson's Marsh, 200 Golden Plover, 400 Lapwing, 2 Shoveler, 132 Wigeon, 2 Egyptian Geese, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Kingfisher were on Potter Brompton Carr (no general access) and 75 Wigeon, 12 Teal, 7 Redshank and a Ringed Plover were on Cayton Carr.

Thursday 12th February 2015


Migration watch; 09.31 - 10.35hrs.
A quiet day, the Richard's Pipit was seen at Hayburn Wyke, a Water Rail was in Newlands Dale and 2 Eider were off Crook Ness.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 Cormorant, 38 Pink-footed Geese north, 4 Black-headed Gull, 1 Kittiwake, 1 Wood Pigeon and 5 Skylark north.

Tuesday 10th - Wednesday 11th February 2015

On 10th 350 Pink-footed Geese flew north over Fylingdales.
The White-fronted Goose remained on Harwood Dale Lake on both days, with 6 Goosander and 300 Common Gull also present there on the 11th. Elsewhere on the 11th the first Twite of the year flew southeast over Wykeham South Lake, a Short-eared Owl was on Burn Howe Moor, 6 Whooper Swan, 13 Teal, 14 Wigeon and 100 Fieldfare were on Cayton Carr, 2 Gadwall, 2 Teal, a Mallard, a Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull were at Scalby Mills, the Scaup and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were on the Mere and 510 Pink-footed Geese flew north throughout the day.

Wednesday 11 February 2015

Monday 9th February 2015


Migration watch; 08.15 - 10.55hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 1 Red-throated Diver south, 17 Fulmar, 2 Lapwing, 12 Black-headed Gull + 1 south, 2 Common Gull, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Auk sp, 1 Waxwing south over Peasholm Park, 17 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, 1 Alba, 3 Carrion Crow and 1 Lapland Bunting.
Elsewhere 17 Rock Pipit, 29 Carrion Crow, 20 Tree Sparrow, 15 Chaffinch and 13 Reed Bunting were at Long Nab, a Shelduck 13 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye and 25 Coot were at Wykeham South Lake, 27 Mandarin were at Hackness Hall, 3900 Herring Gull flew northeast over the Harbour out to sea to roost and 20 Crossbill and 6 Lesser Redpoll were seen in Langdale Forest.

Sunday 8th February 2015


Migration watch; 08.30 - 11.30hrs.
The highlight was a juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard that flew west past Highwood Brow at 11.50hrs. In the Long Nab area there were 12 Curlew, 1 Snipe, 12 Rock Pipit, 20 Tree Sparrow, 22 Linnet and a Snow Bunting, the Richard's Pipit was seen again at Hayburn Wyke, the Greenland White-fronted Goose and 7 Goosander were at Harwood Dale Lake, 470 Wigeon were at Scalby Mills and 3 Goosander and a Red-breasted Merganser were in Cornelian Bay.
On the move (north unless stated) were 1 Red-throated Diver, 27 Fulmar + 2 south, 6 Gannet, 3 Cormorant south, 1 Goose sp, 1 Lapwing, 3 Black-headed Gull + 1 south, 1 Common Gull + 1 south, 14 Herring Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 17 Skylark and 1 Starling.

Saturday 7th February 2015

The Greenland White-fronted Goose remained on Harwood Dale Lake along with 13 Goosander, 16 Tundra Bean Geese, 730 Lapwing, 300 Golden Plover and 500 Starling were at Wykeham South Lake, a Chiffchaff was in Sycaram Wood, a Little Auk flew south at Scalby Mills and 13 Whooper Swan were on Cayton Carr.

Friday 6th February 2015


A Greenland White-fronted Goose was a great find at Harwood Dale, the 2nd record of this race in Scarborough! Also there were 4 Goosander and 250 Common Gull. Elsewhere the Tundra Bean Geese on Wykeham South Lake had increased to 19, 98 Mallard and 3 Goldeneye were also there and a Little Egret, 11 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Willow Tit were seen in Flixton.



Tuesday 3rd - Thursday 5th February 2015

Three Goosander on Throxenby Mere was the only report on 3rd.
On the 4th 540 Wigeon were at Scalby Mills, 3 Goosander and the Red-breasted Merganser were on the Mere, 18 Tundra Bean Geese, a Pink-footed Goose, 3 Egyptian Geese and 22 Pochard were on Wykeham South Lake, the first Chiffchaff of the year was seen in Eastfield, a Dipper was showing well in Peasholme Glen and 17 Golden Plover, 20 Curlew, 1 Snipe and 9 Pied Wagtail were at Long Nab.
On the 5th 51 Purple Sandpiper were reported from the Harbour.

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Monday 2nd February 2015


A much quieter day, a Little Auk was seen on the sea off Marine Drive, a Guillemot was in the Harbour and highlights in the South Bay gull roost were 6 Mediterranean Gull, 12 Common Gull and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Sunday 1st February 2015


Migration watch; 07.45 - 12.20hrs and 15.05 - 16.05hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 3 Red-throated Diver, 321 Fulmar, 15 Gannet + 5 south, 1 Cormorant, 3 Eider, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Velvet Scoter, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Red-breasted Merganser south, 1 Pomarine Skua south, 1 Great Skua south, Black-headed Gull south, 7 Common Gull + 7 south, 3 Kittiwake, 16 Auk sp and 3 Little Auk.
Two Goldeneye were on the sea off Long Nab, a Little Auk was seen in the Harbour before leaving into South Bay, 54 Purple Sandpiper and 56 Turnstone were in the Harbour, up to 4 Mediterranean Gull were at Holbeck and the Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser and 3 Goosander were on the Mere.

Saturday 31st January 2015

Migration watch; 07.45 - 11.45hrs and 14.40 - 15.45hrs.
An interesting day at Long Nab, on the move (north unless stated) were 8 Red-throated Diver + 1 south, 413 Fulmar + 3 south, 25 Gannet + 88 south, 1 Cormorant south, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Common Scoter south, 3 Velvet Scoter, 4 Goldeneye, 2 Great Skua south, 1 Black-headed Gull + 4 south, 12 Common Gull + 6 south, 1 Kittiwake, 13 Guillemot and 97 Auk sp + 4 south.
At Long Nab 44 Golden Plover were in the fields and 2 Great Crested Grebe were on the sea, a further 40+ Golden Plover were at Wykeham South Lake.