Amazing Fall Conditions eh? - Spurn - 16th May 2009

Humber Estuary from Crown and Anchor Pub.

Above below: rubicola Stonechat at Sammy's Point

Pied Flycatcher in Churchyard

Barn Owl at Sammy's Point.

With discussion on most bird related wesite of amazing fall conditions for the weekend, I simply has to pay a visit to Spurn. The idea was to go up on Saturday afternoon later on and stay over so I could start first thing on Sunday morning. On Saturday morning it looked clear that the weather front was changing all the time and we would only have a very little time before everything 'buggered off'. This in mind, we set off on Saturday morning and arrived at about 13.00.

My worst fears had come true as it was clear that everything had either gone overnight or mid-morning or become very elusive. There were 5 individuals I had in mind to see - Thrush Nightingale at Kew Villa, 3 Iterine Warblers at Beacon Lane, Sammy's Point and Easington, and Wood Warbler at Sammy's Point. Amazingly, we dipped everything even giving the Nightingale c4 hours of our time up until 20.45!

I decided to not be disheartened by the seemingly uneventful Spurn and take notice of the commoner migrants and obvious 'off course' birds.

acredulas Willow Wabler*, Spotted Flycatcher at Beacon Lane, rubicola Stonechat*, 4 Whinchat, Turtle Dove*, Lesser Whitethroat, Little Egret, Yellow Wagtail and Barn Owl at Sammy's Point. 1sts male Pied Flycatcher* and Chiffchaff at Kew Villa/Chruchyard. Also an immature ringtail Hen Harrier was seen near Easington over the Oil Seed Rape feilds.

*The acredulas Willow Warbler was a very grey bird on Beacon Lane that was lacking almost any sign of a warm yellow colour. The rubicola Stonechat was a very striking and seemingly unapproachable bird. The Pictures can hopefully allow the key features to be noted (it also has a white/Pale rump) Pied Flycatcher and Turtle doves were actually, amazingly, only the second time I have ever seen either of the species in Britain.

I also bumped into Barry Spence who had with his a Purple Cloud moth - c21st for Britain and first for Spurn/Yorkshire