Saturday 16 June 2018

Tuesday 12th June 2018

A Corn Bunting was on a hedge briefly near Scalby Lodge Pond before flying off to the north; 2 Tree Pipits were at the Wykeham Raptor View Point; a Hobby and 5 Crossbills were at Bridestones and a Great Skua flew north past Long Nab this evening at 19.44.

Monday 11th June 2018

No news received today from anyone.

Sunday 10th June 2018

A cream crowned Marsh Harrier flew south over Long Nab at 10.08 and was last seen at 10.14 about 1km offshore passing Cornelian Bay. Going north past Long Nab today between 04.40 and 11.00 were a Red-throated Diver, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 51 Common Scoters, a Great Skua, a pale phase Arctic Skua, 78 Puffins and 30 Swifts.

At Potter Brompton Carr today 2♂ Wigeon and a pair of Teal and a rough analysis of the Breeding Bird Survey data for the site gives passerine territories as 13 Reed Warblers, 12 Sedge Warblers, 4 Garden Warblers, 14 Chiffchaffs, 11 Willow Warblers, 11 Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, 16 Skylarks, 12 Reed Buntings and 10 Linnets. Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler are all down on 2017 (Sedge Warbler almost halved) and Reed Warbler and Linnet are up a little. Also in the area a cream crowned Marsh Harrier was seen hunting over the fields between the Potter Brompton Carr turn off and the Ganton car garage this afternoon.

A gull count from Wykeham South Lake included 430+ Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 7 Common Gulls.

Saturday 9th June 2018

In the Langdale Forest area today there were a Hobby, 2 Turtle Doves, 6 Cuckoos, a Whinchat and 2 Crossbills and at Scalby Mills this evening an adult Yellow-legged Gull dropped in briefly when it bathed quickly before departing to the south across North Bay at 17.25.

Friday 8th June 2018

The only report today was a Honey Buzzard seen at Wykeham Raptor View Point at 16.15.

Thursday 7th June 2018

The only news today concerned an Osprey seen flying south low over Hovingham Drive at 08.05 this morning; 2♂Wigeon were on Potter Brompton Carr; at Scalby Mills a 2cy Common Gull, 4 Lesser and 5 Greater Black-backed Gulls and at Harwood Dale Lake a ♂ Teal and a ♂ Mandarin Duck.

Wednesday 6th June 2018

A Rose-coloured Starling was seen today in a private garden in the Newby area but unfortunately no permission of access was given.

At Harwood Dale Lake the Sedge Warbler was still singing and there were 8 Mandarin Ducks including 4 juveniles and this evening 5 Manx Shearwaters flew north past Long Nab in an hour.

Tuesday 5th June 2018

Another quiet day with 2 Mandarin Ducks at Harwood Dale Lake where a Sedge Warbler was singing from the island.

Also today a report of a Honey Buzzard flying north, 3km west of Rillington at 13.50.

Monday 4th June 2018

The only news received today was a Red Kite seen this morning between West Ayton and Hutton Buscel; 2 Gadwall on Newlands Dale marsh and a pair of Coot with one young on Town Farm pond at Cloughton.

Also today the Red-backed Shrike at Roger Trod on Friday was confirmed by the posting of photos on the Scarborough Birders Facebook page.

Tuesday 12 June 2018

Sunday 3rd June 2018

Not much news today but a Hobby flew south at Ravenscar at 10.45; a Spotted Flycatcher was at the ringing site at Long Nab and a group of around 40 Swifts were over Barmoor Close.


A Norwegian colour ringed 2cy Common Gull was at Scalby Mills early afternoon along with another Common Gull of the same age plus 450 Herring Gulls, 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 15 Greater Black-backed Gulls.

Saturday 2nd June 2018

The first Honey Buzzard for the season at Wykeham Raptor View Point was a male seen today at 11.45. A nice male Red-backed Shrike was at Ravenscar and showed well throughout the day in the area to the south of Ravens Hall Hotel.

The only other news concerned a drake Eider feeding by the sea wall in front of The Spa this morning.

Friday 1st June 2018

The big surprise this morning was an adult Rose-coloured Starling seen briefly on some garden feeders in Londesborough Road at 09.20, incidentally the same garden hosted this same species last year. Perhaps a little more than just coincidence maybe this garden has some particular attraction for Rose-coloured Starlings, i.e. the feeders!!! A drake Teal was on Johnson’s Marsh; a Hobby was seen cruising around Scalby Beck before heading out over North Bay and a Great Skua flew north off Long Nab this evening. A Nightjar was heard churring around Wykeham Forest and was audible from Wrench Green.

A report of a male Red-backed Shrike on Facebook seen between Cloughton Wyke and Heyburn Wyke this afternoon, it was apparently feeding from a pile of brush cuttings by a dry stone wall and was rumoured to have been photographed. So far no further information has been received.

Thursday 31st May 2018

The early news this morning concerned a Wheatear behind the wall on Royal Albert Drive and an apparent Continental Coal Tit along Scalby Beck. Around Cromer Point Pond there were a Wheatear, a Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Shelducks and a pair of Yellow Wagtails and at 13.30 c20 Swifts went high to the north over Barmoor Close. 

Wednesday 30th May 2018

A gathering of 18 Swifts were over the Open Air Theatre and in Wykeham Forest a Nightjar was heard churring rather surprisingly at 16.30 this afternoon, a Tree Pipit was displaying on a nearby clear fell and 5 Crossbills flew over.

Tuesday 29th May 2018

At Potter Brompton Carr today there was a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Turnstones (the first site record for this species) and 2 drake Wigeon.

The most unusual species seen today was a Crane that flew northeast over Pickering and passed into our recording area and on Thornton Carrs this evening there was a good selection of warblers including Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler which is rare at this location.

Monday 28th May 2018

Only a small amount of news today including the continued presence of the Icterine Warbler at Crook Ness but the Eastern Subalpine Warbler was not seen today. A Great Skua flew north at Long Nab and there was a Wheatear behind the Marine Drive Wall.