Thursday 18th August 2016

Migration watch; 07.45 – 10.30hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 2 Fulmar + 5 north, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Cormorant north, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Curlew north, 11 Dunlin, 2 Common Gull, 12 Sandwich Tern north, 2 Raven that arrived from the north before heading off southwest, 11 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 1 Flava and 1 Meadow Pipit.
In the Long Nab area there were 7 Teal, 2 Swift, 3 Sand Martin, 40 Swallow, 24 House Martin, 7 Willow Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 12 Whitethroat and 2 Stonechat.

Wednesday 17th August 2016

Migration watch; 07.30 – 11.35hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 6 Teal, 4 Common Scoter + 116 north, 1 Shag north, 4 Cormorant north, 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Whimbrel + 1 north, 7 Black-headed Gull + 35 north, 9 Common Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern north, 8 Swift, 9 Swallow + 1 north, 4 House Martin north, 1 Flava, 5 Linnet and 4 Goldfinch.
In the Long Nab area there were 1 Coal Tit, 9 Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 26 Whitethroat and 1 Wheatear. A Red Kite was seen south of Wykeham Forest at 12.30hrs.

Tuesday 16th August 2016

Migration watch; 06.20 – 11.00hrs and 18.30 – 20.00hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 6 Teal, 51 Common Scoter north, 4 Manx Shearwater north, 8 Cormorant north, 2 Oystercatcher, 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Snipe, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 2 Sandwich Tern, 6 Swallow and 3 Sand Martin.
In the Long Nab area were 1 Coal Tit, 15 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackcap and 5 Whitethroat, a male Marsh harrier was seen at Scalby Lodge Pond. An Osprey was found at Ellerburn while 16 Grey Heron and a Snip were on Johnson’s Marsh.

Monday 15th August 2016

Migration watch; 06.50 – 11.10hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 Fulmar + 2 north, 2 Cormorant north, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Golden Plover, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 3 Redshank north, 1 Turnstone, 1 Sandwich Tern and 1 Black Tern north.
In the Long Nab area there were 13 Willow Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Lesser Redpoll. A Little Egret and a Snipe were on Johnson’s Marsh.

Sunday 14th August 2016

Migration watch; 06.25 – 09.25hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 4 Teal, 25 Common Scoter, 108 Fulmar + 21 south, 6 Manx Shearwater, 2 Cormorant south, 1 Marsh Harrier in off and north, 9 Oystercatcher south, 1 Ringed Plover south, 1 Knot, 7 Black-headed Gull + 1 south, 1 Common Gull south, 12 Great Black-backed Gull + 2 south, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Arctic Skua south, 1 Auk sp, 1 Puffin, 4 Sand Martin, 4 House Martin and 1 Flava south.warbler, a Goldeneye, 6 Gadwall and a Kingfisher were at Seamer Tip.

Friday 12th - Saturday 13th August 2016

After no reports on the 12^th the 13^th produced a few reports.
A Red Kite was seen north of Ruston, 13 Grey Heron, a Little Egret, a Teal, 18 Moorhen and a Yellow Wagtail were on Johnson’s Marsh and a Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, an Egyptian Goose and 42 Coot were at Wykeham South Lake.

Thursday 11th August 2016

At Wykeham South Lake there were 60 Black-headed Gull, 800 Herring Gull (including a partial leucistic bird with white primaries), an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a juvenile Kittiwake, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper.

Wednesday 10th August 2016

Migration watch; 07.15 – 10.15hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 6 Teal + 5 south, 34 Common Scoter, 208 Fulmar + 6 south, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 14 Manx Shearwater, 3 Cormorant south, 15 Oystercatcher + 31 south, 216 Kittiwake, 5 Black-headed Gull + 3 south, 3 Common Gull south, 5 Sandwich tern + 26 south, 11 Common Tern, 1 Commic Tern, 1 Arctic Skua south, 2 Sand Martin south and 1 Yellow Wagtail.
A Snipe was on Johnson’s Marsh, 3 Kingfisher were at the Mere, a Green Sandpiper was at Harwood Dale Lake and an Arctic Skua was blogging in Cornelian Bay.

Tuesday 9th August 2016

Migration watch; 08.20 – 10.20hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 7 Fulmar + 48 north, 1 Manx Shearwater north, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Black-headed Gull, 22 Sandwich Tern + 2 north, 1 Great Skua north and 1 Arctic Skua.
At Wykeham South Lake there were 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, 500 Herring Gull and 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Little Egret, a Snipe, 2 Yellow Wagtail and a Teal were on Johnson’s Marsh and 200 Swallow and 150 House Martin flew north at Stoupe Brow.

Sunday 7th – Monday 8th August 2016

A generally quiet few days, the 7^th produced…

Migration watch; 06.35 – 09.00hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 4 Fulmar north, 1 Cormorant, 1 juvenile Marsh Harrier west, 1 Black-headed Gull, 4 Common Gull, 3 Swift north and 6 Swallow.

The 8^th proved a little better….

Migration watch; 06.45 – 09.55hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 Red-throated Diver, 10 Fulmar + 32 north, 326 Gannet, 3 Cormorant + 7 north, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew north, 1 Knot north, 1 Black-headed Gull + 2 north, 2 Common Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull + 12 north, 20 Sandwich Tern + 5 north, 1 Guillemot north, 4 Swift, 2 Sand Martin and 3 Swallow.
At Wykeham South Lake there were 2 Teal, a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin, a Greenshank was on Johnson’s Marsh and a Little Egret was noted flying north over the Open Air Theatre during the Bryan Adams gig!

Saturday 6th August 2016

Migration watch; 09.15 – 10.15hrs and 19.55 – 20.45hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 4 Teal south, 3 Common Scoter, 8 Fulmar, 10 Cormorant + 2 south, 1 Oystercatcher + 7 south, 3 Curlew, 18 Black-headed Gull south, 2 Mediterranean Gull (1 adult and 1 juvenile), 1 Common Gull + 3 south, 2 Great Black-backed Gull south, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern south, 1 Arctic Skua south1 Swift, 1 Sand Martin south, 61 Swallow, 4 Alba, 12 Linnet south and 3 Goldfinch south.
The 2^nd Osprey of the autumn was found fishing at Ellerburn Trout farm where it remained for most of the day, the juvenile Little Ringed Plover was still at Ravenscar as were 2 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Willow Warbler, 13 Mandarin were on Harwood Dale Lake and a Bar-tailed Godwit and 3 Whimbrel were in Cornelian Bay.

Osprey - Ellerburn Trout farm - Graham Sigsworth

Friday 5th August 2016

Migration watch; 20.15 – 21.15hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 19 Cormorant north, 15 Oystercatcher + 32 north, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Redshank, 11 Common Gull, 18 Swallow and 3 House Martin.
In the Long Nab area were 2 Willow Warbler and a Treecreeper while a Storm Petrel was controlled at Crook Ness at 11.35hrs with another seen at 01.00hrs on the 6^th.
Elsewhere a juvenile Little Ringed Plover was in fields south of the Raven Hall Hotel, Ravenscar and 32 Turnstone were in the Harbour.

Thursday 4th August 2016

Migration watch; 19.20 – 20.20hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 9 Fulmar, 40 Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel north, 2 Black-headed Gull, 160 Common Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull and 4 Sandwich tern + 4 north.
At Seamer tip there were 8 Shoveler and 6 Gadwall, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, an Egyptian Goose and a Yellow Wagtail were at Wykeham South Lake and 9 Grey Heron, a juvenile Shelduck, 21 Redshank and an adult Mediterranean Gull were in Cornelian Bay. 

Wednesday 3rd August 2016

Migration watch; 05.30 – 08.00hrs and 18.30 – 20.30hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 adult female Garganey north (amazingly the first Garganey of the year and the 210^th species recorded in 2016), 73 Common Scoter north, 4 Fulmar + 2 north, 1 Manx Shearwater, 3 Cormorant + 1 north, 72 Oystercatcher, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 4 Black-headed Gull + 1 north, 6 Common Gull + 1 north, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 8 Sandwich Tern + 14 north, 16 Swift and 7 Swallow.
At Seamer Tip 3 Gadwall and a Shoveler, a cream crown Marsh harrier was seen over Star and Cayton Carrs, 2 Ringed Plover were on Wykeham South Lake before leaving southwest, 2 Snipe and 2 Yellow Wagtail were on Potter Brompton Carr (no general access) and 120 Common Scoter were on the sea in South Bay.

Tuesday 2nd August 2016

Migration watch; 05.50 – 07.00hrs and 07.30 – 10.30hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 2 Mallard north, 10 Teal, 2 Common Scoter +54 north, 19 Fulmar north, 1 Blue Fulmar, 17 Manx Shearwater + 3 north, 2 Cormorant + 5 north, 27 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 7 Redshank, 1 Knot, 3 Dunlin, 2 Black-headed Gull + 7 north, 3 Common Gull, 4 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern + 25 north, 1 Common Tern north, 3 Puffin + 2 north, 13 Sand Martin, 9 Swallow and 1 Grey Wagtail.
Six juvenile Grey Wagtail were together in Scalby Beck, 3 juvenile Stonechat were at Cromer Point and 2 were at Long Nab.
An Ocean Sunfish was seen off Marine Drive early morning.

Monday 1st August 2016

At Holbeck there were 11 Mediterranean Gulls (10 adults and 1 2cy), a Wheatear and Common Sandpiper, at Seamer Tip there was a Gadwall, a Shoveler and a Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe and 6 Teal were on Potter Brompton Carr (no general access) while in South Bay there were 220 juvenile Herring Gull and 25 juvenile Kittiwake.

Sunday 31st July 2016

Migration watch; 06.45 – 10.00hrs and 18.40 – 19.25hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 11 Common Scoter north, 3 Fulmar + 7 north, 1 Cormorant + 1 north, 1 Oystercatcher, 5 Black-headed Gull + 1 north 1 Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Sandwich Tern north and 2 Puffin.
A Mallard was with 8 new ducklings on Johnson’s Marsh and 4 adult Mediterranean Gull were off Holbeck.

Saturday 30th July 2016

Migration watch; 12.35 – 17.40hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 24 Common Scoter north, 1 Cormorant + 6 north, 1 Red Kite at 12.50hrs, 6 Oystercatcher + 21 north, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Dunlin, 12 Black-headed Gull + 3 north, 14 Common Gull + 3 north including the first juvenile of the autumn north, 5 Great Black-backed Gull north, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 79 Sandwich Tern north, 1 Kestrel and 4 Goldfinch.
A Hobby was seen at Burton Riggs, 2 Mandarin and the Pink-footed Goose were on Harwood Dale Lake and 3 purring Turtle Dove were in Broxa.

Friday 29th July 2016

Migration watch; 20.05 – 21.30hrs.
On the move south were 17 Oystercatcher, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Whimbrel.
A Storm Petrel ringing evening at Crook Ness took place during the evening however it wasn’t until the early hours of the 30^th until the action started. The first bird to be trapped was a Leach’s Petrel (the first since autumn 2013!) at 01.05hrs with two Storm Petrels following at 01.23hrs and 01.40hrs. A third Storm Petrel was noted flying round the nets.

Of interest, during the evening 5 White-beaked Dolphin were seen several times between Cornelian Bay and South Bay, the first record of this cetacean in Scarborough for many years!

Storm Petrel - Long Nab - Nick Addey

Leach's Petrel - Long Nab - Steve Wignill

Thursday 28th July 2016

Migration watch; 18.20 – 20.20hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 68 Common Scoter north, 1 Fulmar + 4 north, 3 Manx Shearwater north, 1 Shag north, 2 Oystercatcher + 7 north, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 4 Black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 6 Great Black-backed Gull + 4 north, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull north, 5 Sandwich tern north and 1 Puffin.

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Migration watch; 09.00 – 10.00hrs and 17.40 – 20.30hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 1 Teal, 68 Common Scoter + 1 south, 6 Eider south, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Fulmar + 2 south, 8 Cormorant, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel, 4 Black-headed Gull + 2 south, 2 Common Gull south, 5 Great Black-backed Gull south, 1 juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 21 Sandwich Tern + 11 south, 1 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua and 2 Swallow.
Two Minke Whale were also seen of Long Nab, both headed north.
Up to 60 Common Scoter were in Cayton Bay.

Tuesday 26th July 2016

Migration watch; 18.40 – 19.15hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 4 Common Scoter, 1 Curlew, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 3 Sandwich Tern south.
A cream-crown Marsh harrier and 60 Goldfinch were seen on Seamer Mead.

Monday 25th July 2016

Migration watch; 07.05 – 12.25hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 7 Common Scoter north, 1 Grey Heron north, 6 Cormorant + 8 north, 1 Oystercatcher north, 1 Knot north, 9 Black-headed Gull + 2 north, 7 Common Gull + 1 north, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Sandwich tern + 51 north, 17 Swift, 1 Sand Martin, 4 Swallow and 1 Goldfinch.
A Marsh Harrier was seen over Cayton Carr, 10 Turnstone were back in the Harbour, a Little Tern was seen heading south past Marine Drive at 18.40hrs, 2 Mediterranean Gull and 2 Arctic Tern were off Holbeck while in Cornelian Bay there were 4 Knot, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Turnstone, 4 Redshank, 3 Whimbrel, 35 Curlew and 25 Oystercatcher.

Sunday 24th July 2016

Migration watch; 06.15 – 10.50hrs and 17.20 – 20.50hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 3 Teal + 7 north, 120 Common Scoter north, 7 Fulmar + 16 north, 31 Manx Shearwater + 6 north, 4 Cormorant + 1 north, 33 Oystercatcher + 5 north, 20 Black-tailed Godwit + 1 north, 18 Whimbrel, 4 Redshank, 5 Turnstone, 31 Knot, 36 Sanderling, 1 adult Curlew Sandpiper at 19.21hrs, 173 Dunlin, 9 Black-headed Gull + 13 north, 14 Common Gull + 1 north, 3 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull north, 8 Sandwich tern + 65 north, 2 Common Tern + 2 north, 2 Arctic Tern north, 1 Arctic Skua, 2 Puffin, 20 Swift, 2 Sand Martin and 23 Swallow.
The first coastal Willow Warbler was in Crook Ness and a Greenshank was at Wykeham South Lake.

Saturday 23rd July 2016

Migration watch; 07.00 – 08.30hrs and 19.00 – 20.00hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 2 Common Scoter + 31 north, 2 Fulmar + 1 north, 2 Manx Shearwater north, 3 Cormorant north, 11 Oystercatcher + 1 north, 1 Curlew, 27 Redshank, 1 Turnstone, 14 Knot, 18 Sanderling, 32 Dunlin, 13 Black-headed Gull, 1 juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 8 Sandwich Tern + 10 north, 6 Common Tern and 9 Puffin.
A Nuthatch was seen in Cornelian Bay, an unusual record for the area.

Friday 22nd July 2016

Migration watch; 04.55 – 07.35hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 9 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 40 Common Scoter north, 14 Fulmar, 11 Manx Shearwater, 2 Cormorant north, 8 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew + 1 north, 8 Redshank, 7 Knot, 10 Sanderling, 12 Dunlin, 15 Black-headed Gull + 1 north, 5 Sandwich Tern + 4 north, 7 Common Tern, 4 Arctic Tern and 15 Puffin + 4 north.
In Cornelian Bay there were 4 Whimbrel, 23 Curlew, 24 Oystercatcher and 2 Turnstone, 3 Little Egret flew north there.

Thursday 21st July 2016

Migration watch; 18.55 – 19.55hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 2 Fulmar, 2 Manx Shearwater, 1 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 1 Oystercatcher, 7 Whimbrel, 1 Knot, 3 Black-headed Gull + 2 north, 6 Common Gull and 5 Sandwich tern north.
An Osprey, the first of the autumn, was seen heading south over the Harbour at 09.00hrs, a Greenshank was on Harwood Dale Lake where a Kingfisher and the Pink-footed Goose were also seen and 6 Whimbrel were in Cornelian Bay.

Wednesday 20th July 2016

Migration watch; 04.45 – 14.20hrs and 18.20 – 19.20hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 Wigeon, 2 Mallard north, 47 Teal + 19 north, 1 drake Pochard north, 3 Tufted Duck, 83 Common Scoter + 506 north, 1 Red-throated Diver north, 14 Fulmar + 13 north, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 17 Manx Shearwater + 3 north, 1345 Gannet, 1 Shag north, 6 Cormorant north, 2 Avocet at 05.23hrs, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel, 4 Curlew, 26 Redshank, 2 Turnstone, 69 Knot, 22 Sanderling, 57 Dunlin, 203 Black-headed Gull + 300 north, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull north. 11 Common Gull + 2 north, 10 Sandwich Tern + 28 north, 4 Common Tern north, 11 Puffin + 10 north, 131 Swift, 29 Sand Martin, 3 Swallow and 2 Flava.
Between Scalby Nab and Long Nab were 5 juvenile Stonechat while 80+ Sand Martin remained around the colony in Jackson’s Bay.

Juvenile Stonechat - Scalby Nab - Michael McNaghten

Black-tailed Godwits passing south at Long Nab - Michael McNaghten

Monday 18th – Tuesday 19th July 2016

The only report on the 18^th was of 4 adult Mediterranean Gull, 5 Sandwich tern and an adult Yellow-legged Gull in South Bay.

The 19^th produced…
Migration watch; 18.05 – 19.35hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 Velvet Scoter north, 14 Common Scoter, 13 Fulmar, 4 Manx Shearwater, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 5 Whimbrel, 6 Knot, 19 Sanderling, 57 Dunlin, 6 Black-headed Gull, 3 Common Gull, 3 Sandwich tern and 3 Puffin.
In Jackson’s Bay there were 6 redshank and a Whimbrel and a male Wheatear was seen at Wykeham South Lake.

Sunday 17th July 2016

Migration watch; 06.30 – 10.45hrs.
On the move (north unless stated) were 11 Common Scoter, 8 Fulmar, 2 Oystercatcher south, 2 Whimbrel south, 7 Black-headed Gull + 1 south, 4 Sandwich Tern, 2 Arctic Skua, 14 Puffin and 4 Sand Martin south.

Saturday 16th July 2016

Migration watch; 06.05 – 11.50hrs and 13.25 – 15.25hrs.
On the move (south unless stated) were 5 Common Scoter + 87 north, 11 Fulmar + 18 north, 5 Manx Shearwater + 4 north, 2 Grey Heron north, 22 Cormorant north, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Oystercatcher north, 1 Whimbrel + 8 north, 1 Dunlin north, 10 Black-headed Gull + 56 north, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull north, 1 Common Gull north, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull + 1 north, 32 Sandwich Tern north, 9 Arctic Tern north, 2 Arctic Skua, 12 Puffin + 2 north, 241 Swift, 26 Sand Martin, 8 Swallow, 3 Flava and 4 Linnet.
A Wheatear was on Star Carr, a Whimbrel was seen over Cayton Carr and a Hobby flew east at Seamer Tip.