It is Flamborough Bird Observatory's Migration Week and the birding gods have been kind, with good numbers of migrants being seen since proceedings began last weekend. Today, it was my turn to co-lead a guided walk, together with John Little, around the Old Fall Loop. Huge numbers of thrushes were being counted over the inner head as I arrived, so I was quite surprised to find the outer head fairly quiet. A few Bramblings wheezed over as I waited for the guests to assemble, and one or two Redwings zipped about the gorse field.
In-off Short-eared Owl
We headed to the Golf Course Willows first, but they were quiet apart from a fine male Great Spotted Woodpecker investigating the willow boughs over the track. The first flock of thrushes announced their arrival with chacking: Fieldfares. Approximately 250, they headed steadily inland accompanied by a few Redwings. They were high up which indicated why the outer head was quiet if they were arriving at this altitude.
The hedge and plantation were unusually quiet with a single Chiffchaff and a few Blackbirds all that was present. Those at the front of the group saw a brief Wheatear in a nearby field, but I missed it. As we made our way round the south side, a Fieldfare came in at head height, right past our group and immediately landing on the field nearby. We pondered whether this bird felt relief at finally touching down after its lengthy sea crossing, which had probably started an hour after sunset yesterday. Some common waders were on the rocks at the foot of the cliffs, including a rather tired looking Lapwing among the more expected Turnstones and Oystercatchers. We ended our walk with a trio of Redpolls bouncing around the lighthouse grasslands. It had been very pleasant, but fairly quiet.
After a quick bite to eat, I did a short seawatch. Johnny Mac picked up an adult Pomarine Skua lumbering north distantly, its trailing spoons indicating adulthood. Three Arctic Skuas also went north, along with a Manx Shearwater, whilst plenty of Little Gulls blogged about, along with two Sandwich Terns and a juvenile Arctic Tern. Four Shoveler, two Wigeon, three Teal, seven Pintail and a female Red-breasted Merganser were the wildfowl contenders, with a few flocks of Starlings coming in-off reminding me I needed to get back to the bushes.
A very tired Redwing (above_ flopped on to the clifftop path near Cattlemere but it perked up and flew off inland. I bumped into Craig Thomas and as we chatted he noticed a Short-eared Owl coming in off the sea. It flopped casually over to the gorse field, considered landing, but then headed off across Head Farm. Round at Old Fall I soon picked up a Yellow-browed Warbler which seemed to be a new bird, as there hasn't been any here this week. It flew into a large Hawthorn and sat for half a , occasionally calling, allowing me to get a bit of video. Shortly it flitted back into the plantation where it rapidly melted into the Sycamores. A good end to what had been not a bad day, with a good mix of October birds. Still lacking a really good bird...perhaps tomorrow!
YBW.
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