Thursday 12th October 2017

At Potter Brompton Carr today just 120 Teal and 2 Wigeon were reported.

The Ravenscar area held 40 Chaffinches, 30+ Blackbirds and a Yellow-browed Warbler on the cinder track near to the first bridge also just down the road at Staintondale a Hobby flew over.

At the Holbeck car park there were 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls and a little further south a Yellow-browed Warbler was in Cornelian Ravine.

In the North York Moors National Park there was a Stonechat at Spikers Hill and at Bridestones in Dalby Forest the first Great Grey Shrike for the autumn/winter was reported

The Long Nab area had a Willow Warbler and a Yellow-browed Warbler by Cliff Top House and nearby at Crook Ness there was a Chiffchaff, 22 Redpoll sp. flew south and 120 Meadow Pipits were near the car park.

The Wigeon flock at Scalby Mills numbered 45 where there were also 4 Ringed Plovers, to the south at Jackson’s Bay field we had 47 Pied Wagtails and a Wheatear and finally a male Stonechat was on Royal Albert Drive just west of the skateboard park. 

Wednesday 11th October 2017

In the Ravenscar area today a Snow Bunting flew over to the south as did 2 Swallows, a Yellow-browed Warbler frequented an area by the tea rooms and there were about 20 Goldcrests and 2 Redwings also around the village.

Crook Ness this evening hosted a Wheatear, a Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs and 2 Goldcrests.

Tuesday 10th October 2017

The only news today came from Long Nab where a Swallow, 4 House Martins moved south over Crook Ness which also held a Redwing; there was a Chiffchaff at Cliff Top House and 32 Meadow Pipits were by the car park.
 

Monday 9th October 2017

Today the visible migration from Long Nab between 06.20-11.25 included 204 Pink-footed Geese (S), 24 Wigeon (N), 16 Teal (N), a Velvet Scoter (N), 39 Common Scoter (2 S, 37 N), 5 Red-throated Divers (1 S, 4 N), a Golden Plover (S), a Ringed Plover (S), 4 Starling (in off), 7 Blackbird (in off), 2 Fieldfare (S), a Redwing (in off), 3 Song Thrush (in off), 19 Tree Sparrows (S), 2 Brambling (S), 31 Redpoll sp. (27 S, 4 N) and 23 Siskin (S). Also in the area were a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, a Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, 14 Goldcrests, a Redwing, 4 Stonechats and 96 Meadow Pipits.

In other areas today we had a couple of Fieldfares in Troutsdale, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers on Castle Hill and 3 House Martins and a Brambling along South Cliff.

Sunday 8th October 2017

Long Nab was again the centre of records again today and included 184 Pink-footed Geese (182 S, 2N), 96 Barnacle Geese (5 S, 91 N), 87 Teal N, a Tufted Duck (N), 154 Common Scoter (8 S, 146 N), 6 Red-breasted Mergansers (S), 23 Red-throated Divers (8 S, 15 N), 14 Lapwing (S), 2 Golden Plover (S), a Snipe (in off), an adult Little Gull (N), an Arctic Skua (N), 2 Stock Doves (S), a ♀ Merlin (S), 11 Skylarks (S), 13 Meadow Pipits (S), 25 Rock Pipits (8 S, 17 N),  Also seen in the Long Nab area today were 2 Grey Heron, a Woodcock, a Jack Snipe, 4 Snipe, a Stock Dove, 2 Barn Owls, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrels, 6 Coal Tits, 6 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tits, 60 Skylarks, 7 Chiffchaffs, 7 Yellow-browed Warblers including 2 at Crook Ness and 2 at Cliff Top House, a Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, 18 Goldcrests, 48 Blackbirds, 6 Redwings, 12 Song Thrushes, 45 Robins, 3 Stonechats, 25 Tree Sparrows, 14 Dunnocks, 30 Meadow Pipits, 5 Rock Pipits, 60 Chaffinches, 4 Bramblings, 7 Reed Buntings.

There were also 2 Yellow-browed Warblers on Castle Hill and another was seen at Cornelian Bay. 2 Ravens were seen over the Ravens Hall Hotel; an Osprey flew south past Ellerburn Bank towards the Trout Farm at 13.00 and a ringtail Harrier, probably a Hen Harrier, was seen from a car 2Km north of RAF Fylingdales this afternoon.

Saturday 7th October 2017

From Long Nab today a Dark-bellied Brent Goose (N), 3 Whooper Swans (N), 2 Gadwall (N), 131 Wigeon (N), 63 Teal (14 S, 49 N), 3 Eider (N), a Velvet Scoter (N), 54 Common Scoter (N), a Red-breasted Merganser (N), 39 Red-throated Divers (22 S, 17 N), a Great Crested Grebe (S), a Whimbrel (S), a Curlew (N), 40 Auks (34 S, 6 N), a Swallow (N), a Grey Wagtail (S) and 31 Rock Pipits (14 S, 5 N and 12 in off).

A Whooper Swan was two fields west of Folkton Sewage Works, north of the River Hertford and at Potter Brompton Carr we had a Pintail, 81 Teal, 21 Wigeon, 2 Dunlin, 12 Lapwing and 2 Snipe.

Friday 6th October 2017

At Long Nab today between 07.00 and 11.15 and then again 17.00 to 18.00 we had 3 Pink-footed Geese (N), 2 Whooper Swans (an adult S, a juvenile N), 53 Wigeon (5 S, 48 N), 19 Teal (N), a ♂ Eider (N), 39 Common Scoter (4 S, 35 N), 49 Red-throated Divers (31 S, 18 N), 2 Manx Shearwaters (N), 7 Sandwich Terns (N), 15 Great Skuas (11 S, 4 N), 3 Arctic Skuas (S) and 86 Auks (64 S, 22 N), also present in the area were 5 Pink-footed Geese, a Snipe, a Ruff, a 2cy Mediterranean Gull (presumed same bird as yesterday) and 7 Blackbirds came in off the sea.

At other locations 20 Pink-footed Geese flew over Wykeham South Lake in the morning; 2 Stonechats were at Scalby Lodge Pond and at Harwood Dale Lake we had a Redshank, 22 Teal and 2 Swallows.

Thursday 5th October 2017

Most of the news today came from the intrepid observers at Long Nab and Marine Drive and the counts were as follows. From Long Nab today between 07.10 and 12.10 we had 3 Pink-footed Geese (2 S, 1 N), a Pale-bellied Brent Goose (N), 7 Whooper Swans (S), a Tufted Duck (N), 8 Common Scoter (S), 26 Red-throated Divers (11 S, 15 N), a Great Northern Diver (S), 10 Great Skua (S), 5 Arctic Skua (S), 11 Guillemots (2 S, 9 N) and 3 Swallows (2 S, 1 N), there were also 15 Pink-footed Geese and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull in the area. Off Marine Drive this evening between 17.10 and 18.10 6 Teal (N), 2 Red-breasted Mergansers (S), a Red-throated Diver (S), 2 Manx Shearwaters (N), a Snipe (N), 12 Dunlin (N) and 2 Arctic Skuas (S).

At Wykeham South Lake this morning a Peregrine flew through; at Scalby Lodge Pond we had 9 Pink-footed Geese and 2 Stonechats and a little further afield 75 Pink-footed Geese went south over Thornton Carr at 18.30.

Wednesday 4th October 2017

Around town today 110 Pink-footed Geese flew south at 17.00, there were 110 Greater Black-backed Gulls around the harbour and a ♂ Common Scoter was frequenting South Bay.

Meanwhile at Long Nab between 07.15 and 10.30 the highlights included a Whooper Swan (S), 11 Common Scoter (10 S, 1 N), a Goosander (N), 23 Red-throated Divers (20 S, 3 N), a Great Northern Diver (S), a Little Gull (S) and an immature female Merlin (S).

Tuesday 3rd October 2017

At Long Nab today 88 Pink-footed Geese in 4 skeins (S), 2 Golden Plovers (S), 5 Snipe (S), 4 House Martins (S), 54 Meadow Pipits (S), 30 Linnets (S), 25 Redpoll sp. (S), 153 Goldfinch (S), 2 Siskin (N), 6 Reed Buntings (S), a Wheatear was also present in the area and there was a Whimbrel at Crook Ness.

Elsewhere in our area 750 Pink-footed Geese and 130 Greylags went south over Fylingdales and at Wykeham South Lake 88 Pink-footed Geese flew over, different from the 88 at Long Nab as they were in 3 skeins, plus 4 Gadwall and a Kingfisher.

Monday 2nd October 2017

The Potter Brompton Carr survey today included a ♂ Merlin, 125 Teal, 26 Wigeon and 5 Snipe; there was a Black-tailed Godwit at Harwood Dale Lake; 14 Herons were on Johnson’s Marsh and at Scalby Mills 28 Wigeon, 2 Dippers and 2 Kingfishers.

Movement today at Long Nab included 39 Pink-footed Geese (S), a Common Scoter (N), 2 Snipe in off the sea, 3 Sandwich Terns (N), 3 Kestrels in off, a male Peregrine (S), 27 Swallows (S), 940 House Martins (S), 153 Meadow Pipits (S), 69 Linnets (S), 31 Redpoll sp. (S), a site record of 1115 Goldfinches (S) and a Siskin (S).

Some late news in concerned 8 Wheatears seen on Brow Moor today.

Sunday 1st October 2017

There wasn’t a lot of movement today at Long Nab but the highlights included 5 Wigeon (S), 8 Red-throated Divers (S), a Dunlin (S), an adult Mediterranean Gull (S), 2 Stock Doves (S), 25 House Martins (S), a Starling in off the sea, 21 Meadow Pipits (S) and 78 Goldfinches (S).

At Scalby Mills a Great Skua was lingering off shore and there were 34 Wigeon, 5 Kittiwakes and 2 Sandwich Terns and on Castle Hill there was a Yellow-browed Warbler with the tit flock on the northern slope.

Saturday 30th September 2017

The visible migration at Long Nab today was quite special with large numbers of some species, all of the following counts were of birds moving south; 18 Skylark, 12 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 12 Starling, 40 Tree Sparrow, 2 Grey Wagtails, 8 alba Wagtails, 443 Meadow Pipits, a Rock Pipit, 54 Chaffinch, 331 Linnets, 108 Redpoll sp., 737 Goldfinches (a site record), 6 Siskin and 18 Reed Buntings. Also present in this area were a Golden Plover, a Whimbrel, 2 Stonechats, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaffs and the Yellow-browed Warbler continued its stay at Cliff Top House.

Elsewhere there were a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers on South Cliff with an increase in Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs in the same area.

Friday 29th September 2017

The only news received today was the Yellow-browed Warbler still present at Cliff Top House, Long Nab this afternoon.

 

Thursday 28th September 2017

This morning the Common Rosefinch was seen again at Crook Ness and despite going missing for a while during the morning it showed well on and off in the afternoon from 12.20 until the early evening. Also around Long Nab were 2 Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a ringed Yellow-browed Warbler.

Still 3 Yellow-browed Warblers at Ravenscar today with one in the copse at the junction of Bent Rigg Road and the cinder track, one also on the cinder track about ½ mile north of first bird and the third was in the garden of Ness House. Also seen in this area were 2 Stonechats, a Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 10 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.

The Yellow-browed Warbler remained at Cliff Top House for another day.

Common Rosefinch - Crook Ness - Alex Meek

Common Rosefinch - Crook Ness - Dave Mansell

Wednesday 27th September 2017

At Long Nab today a Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, 30 Chaffinches, a Reed Bunting and just a single Yellow-browed Warbler; this was the star species again today with other individuals by the Clock Tower on South Cliff, just south of the Holbeck car park and 2 were around Cliff Top House near Crook Ness. The only other news concerned a Lesser Whitethroat at Crook Ness and a Brambling was heard in the bushes below the Putting Green on South Cliff. 

 

Tuesday 26th September 2017

Today the reports of Yellow-browed Warblers came from Long Nab where a new unringed bird was found and a total of three were present, two were seen associating with a small Tit flock at Crook Ness and there were two at Ravenscar, one along the cinder track and the other at the entrance to Raven Hall Hotel.

At Long Nab today in addition to the Yellow-broweds there were a Golden Plover, 2 Coal Tits, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 8 Goldcrests, a Redwing, 13 Song Thrush, a female Redstart, 45 Chaffinches and 2 Bramblings.

Elsewhere in the area a Hobby flew NE over Burniston and a Tree Pipit went south behind Cornelian Bay.