Steady away.

Things calmed down a little, and so the 18^th and 19^th both passed with little in the way of highlights. I had a few days off Long Nab, putting in a few hours on Castle Hill each day on the off chance.

With things so quiet along the coast I opted to joining Steve and Tony on a little twitching on the 19th, as I was doing fairly on well on my PWC effort, in fact closing in on 170 species, I thought it would be silly on to connect with a few odds and ends around the greater Scarborough area, I felt in good stead to beat my previous year list record of 218 and maybe even press for the all-time record of 225 set by Nick in 2014.

Not out for long with only two stops, but Great Egret was added at Harwood Dale Lake and while close it would be rude not to nip to Ravenscar to see the Hoopoe – my second of the year.

Great Egret - Harwood Dale Lake.

Great Egret (with Canada Goose family) - Harwood Dale Lake

Oystercatcher with chick - Harwood Dale Lake once again proving to be kind to breeding Oystercatchers, although it almost always seems to be just the one that makes it.

The 20^th saw me back up at Long Nab early on, and the day proved frustrating, at least the beginning of it.
After an hour or so at the obs nothing too much seemed to be happening so I had a quick stroll round the site. Whilst away from the obs Nick, Steve and Pete arrived.
Before I made it back to meet up and get the kettle on a small pale Lark flew south over Nick giving a ‘churrp’ call! Unfortunately it continued south and couldn’t be clinched!
Not too long after a small Harrier was picked up late, only Nick and I got views but with long narrow wings and a rather distinctive buoyant flight it was clearly a Montagu’s/Pallid!!! Another goodie had slipped the net!

My day at least improved, an hour or so after the lads left to partake in a little twitching an Osprey headed north inland at 10.45hrs, a very welcome year tick.
Less than half an hour later, at 11.13hrs another Osprey came in off the sea from the south east and continued north along the cliffs!

Record of the second Osprey arriving in from the southeast at Long Nab.

Other highlights during the day included 466 Swallow and 314 House Martin south and ten Barnacle Geese (nine south, one north).

Some of the Barnacle Geese heading south at Long Nab.

Another interesting day followed. A few beers that night meant I wasn’t the earliest riser among the other ‘nabbers’, an action that could prove costly if it becomes a habit!
Well, by 05.30hrs I was up, news of a drake Mandarin on Johnson’s Marsh was just too much of a temptation to just roll over to catch another precious hour!
Still feeling the effects of one too many pints, I feel ashamed to say my first Taxi of the year was called!
Wanting to get to Long Nab and save myself the 3+ mile walk I used the services of Nippy Taxis to get there, a quick pit stop at Johnson’s was included to tick the plastic fantastic that was thankfully still present! Some PWC #patchgold!

The Johnson's Marsh Mandarin.

Up at the Nab things were steady. A Short-eared Owl in off the sea at 08.20hrs was another PWC addition.
A Corn Bunting on the wires before heading off south and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose north were both noteworthy as was a cream-crown Marsh harrier that flew south.
Unlike many large BOP’s this bird actually passed by fairly close to the obs, close enough in fact to read the green wings tags (with help from the ‘Lumix lads’) – black letters ‘VH’.
It transpired that this bird was caught last year on the Norfolk/Suffolk border.

Wing tagged Marsh Harrier south at Long Nab.

It just gets better!

The 16^th was another one of those fantastic days, Hirundines were flooding south between rain showers from the word go while a Dotterel did the opposite, flying north over Crook Ness giving the ‘peep’ call as it went, only my third in the whole of Scarborough and at Long Nab!

Another shower, the heaviest of the day moved in so I sped up to make it to the obs. Arriving there I opened up before scanning the field to the north, which at the time was still fairly bare, with the crop only recently germinating. I had thought that maybe the Dotterel would have dropped in.
With no Dotterel evident a pale blob caught my attention. Assuming it would just be a Wheatear I set up my scope and took a look.
Rather surprisingly it wasn’t a Wheatear, after a slight movement it revealed itself to be a large Pipit!
Shocked, I grabbed my gear and headed north to get some better views, rain still hammering hard I made it half way and scoped it again.
Pale large Pipit with completely un-streaked underparts, surely this was a Tawny Pipit.
It began moving away from me so I approached a little more, with the rain easing I was able to get some better views through the scope. Definitely un-streaked breast, mantle plain also while face gave a fairly open expression and those lores were dark! It was a TAWNY PIPIT. Scarborough’s second following the South Cliff bird I stumbled across on 24^th April 2014!!
A few more notes were taken and with things confirmed and rain easing still I approached quietly along the hedge in the hope of getting closer to secure some shots.
It was as I was beginning to peer over to relocate it that I heard the ‘schreep’, instantly it took me back to the call of the bird that was on South Cliff and having heard several Richard’s in that time in between it was pleasing that that was my reaction.
Another call, this time further to my left and it was clear the bird was in flight. I watched as it continued south and follow the cliffs until it was out of sight. Several more ‘schreep’ calls were heard as well as a couple of short ‘cherp’ type calls.

On top of the clear highlights it was another decent day, the best of the vis-mig totals came in at a Red Kite, ten Curlew, 81 Sand Martin, 1397 Swallow and 502 House Martin south.
A Bottlenose Dolphin heading south offshore was a nice distraction.

Curlew heading south, a fair few over the last few days, early for Curlew movement. Has it been a poor year for breeding?

Red Kite heading south.

Another of the Red Kite after being pushed out to sea a little by Corvids.

Brown Hare.

Good run continues...

May has been incredibly busy!
I have tried to keep on top of editing pictures, writing up notes etc but spending so much time in the field has left little time, most days once home I have barely had time to complete a few household chores, eat tea and get to bed, the occasional football game also providing a distraction, well done Huddersfield Town!

Since the Hoopoe it seems that Long Nab has hit a purple patch of sorts, a few rare and scarce have made appearances while many other decent bits and pieces have plugged the gaps and have made almost every day in the field worthwhile.

Although nothing rare turned up the 14^th was a brilliant day with no fewer than seven PWC additions.
Within the Scarborough area there are several species that are rather easy to catch up with during the course of the summer but in a Long Nab context they are much harder to find, in fact several species that you would be more than happy to catch up with throughout the entire spring and summer along the coast were mopped up in a single day, still with 14 hours invested you could say it was deserved.

First up was a standard tick, a Spotted Flycatcher at Cliff Top House early doors.
Based that morning at the obs things were fairly quiet but this was livened up temporarily when a very good species for the coastal zone of Scarborough, and the first at Long Nab for over five years, flew southwest – a Turtle Dove!

Common Tern was soon added, with two heading south at sea, before possibly the most pleasing tick of the day came along.
Since mid-late April there have been two mornings I have failed to make it to Long Nab – both mornings saw Hooded Crows head north!
Another in early May also fell on a day I wasn’t there, but I was able to twitch. I never did connect but it transpired that it was in fact a Carrion X Hooded Crow hybrid!
It really did seem as though the world was against me seeing one, and in fact I had commented that to Nick whilst we waited for the kettle to boil in the obs. So much to my amazement, barely 2 minutes later a Hooded Crow cruised south just in front of the obs!

More than happy with the day so far I continued the watch after the others had left.
Slow as it was I stuck with it, and a Hobby south that afternoon was another good coastal bird here in Scarborough!

Heading home late afternoon I sat back with a welcome beer and reflected on a good day on the field.
It was then that news came out of a Cuckoo up at Long Nab! Typical.
The Mrs really is brilliant, or can be, and she nipped me back up to Long Nab! No Cuckoo within 20 minutes was frustrating but news of a Whinchat by the Cover Crop had me dashing down there, and shortly afterwards Whinchat was safely under the belt.
More interestingly there was a female flava that on later research was a good candidate for thunbergi.
To cap of the day, whilst walking back towards the car, (knowing full well I was in the dog house) the Cuckoo began calling!

Other highlights during the day included a Little Egret, a Red Kite and 8 Curlew south, two Ringed Plover and 13 Turnstone north, 12 Swift , 93 Sand Martin, 938 Swallow, 262 House Martin and 11 flava south.
While other grounded migrants included another Spotted Flycatcher and 12 Wheatear.

Record shots of Hooded Crow passing south,

Truly terrible shot of the possible female Grey-headed Wagtail.

An approachable Slow Worm along the Cleveland Way.

Scarce at last...

So far the spring has been great, some good days birding, some nice species turning up but that extra bit of quality has been lacking, until now….

With another early start on the 11^th I was in position on the cliffs from 05.00hrs.
Walking north the first trickle of passage was detected and it wasn’t long until the first decent bird of the day was logged – a drake Pochard south along the cliffs with a Mallard!

Other than hirundines vis mig was generally slow –over 12 hours totals of 1142 Swallow, 62 Sand Martin, 40 House Martin, seven Flava, 32 Oystercatcher, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Whimbrel, 17 Swift and 47 Carrion Crow were the highlights.

Of the very thinly scattered grounded migrants there was one clear highlight, a fantastic find by Chris Bradshaw, who after conducting a BBS at Potter Brompton inland visited Long Nab on the ‘off chance’ and stumbled across a HOOPOE near the ‘white house’. After a little run around it finally settled, unsurprisingly, in the horse paddocks near the ‘white house’ although it would occasionally sit in the road and proved very easy to see – for some!
At least six Wheatear were in the area and I dipped on a Whinchat found later in the evening while a Little Owl was also added to PWC – finally.

Hoopoe

Hoopoe

The next morning saw Chris and I netting at Long Nab – although it was only a short session before we both had other commitments, for me a family outing.
What we caught was pretty standard fare, Lesser Whitethroat, a few Whitethroat and Blackcap etc although a five year old female Chaffinch of ours was still going strong and clearly had a family nearby was interesting with a Reed Warbler being the 4^th to be ringed at Long Nab and a handy addition to PWC.

Passage was almost no existent in the northeast winds so after packing up and checking a few areas we both called it a day.

A change for the better...

This spring seems to have a rather predictable theme running through it, a period of nasty, cold northerly winds that seem to last a life time before eventually breaking down and swinging round to a more desirable direction – or maybe it’s just me?

Well on the 10th May that cold persistent north wind that had been blowing for about a week finally subsided and at 04.30hrs I was walking north along the beach in North Bay in a nice south westerly.

By 05.00hrs I was on the cliffs and already logging the first few Swallows heading south.
I lasted 9 hours in the field – and for the most part it was interesting – if a little frustrating at times, clear skies and, at times, virtually no wind meant that the vis mig wasn’t as good as it could have been, although I should stop complaining – it was exceptional compared to recent days!
Highlights on the move were nine Swift, 35 Sand Martin, 37 House Martin, 555 Swallow, four Flava, a Grey Wagtail, a Siskin and a Lesser Redpoll, the latter being a long awaited PWC tick!
A Pink-footed Goose north was noteworthy.

News of an Osprey north at Hunmanby at around 09.00hrs (presumably the same bird that flew north at Spurn a few hours previous) was duly searched for, however as with many north bound birds at Hunmanby it never appeared.
Presumably many birds heading north inland of Hunmanby are drawn in to the Carrs and particularly with species such as Osprey the sight of Wykeham South Lake must just be too tempting!

A thorough search for any grounded migrants came up almost empty, five Wheatear in the Long Nab area was all I had to show for my efforts.

Wheatear at Long Nab

Back down south my day ended at Scalby Mills where my very last scan revealed the bleached white plumage of a 2cy Glaucous Gull chilling out on the last few exposed rocks, not at all what I was expecting on a warm May afternoon.

Distant Glaucous Gull at Scalby Mills - I think my 1st ever in May, anywhere.

Early May slog...

As of 2^nd May it’s been pretty quiet, the 2^nd itself was kind of interesting, despite being very slow over the sea there were a few highlights, two Red-throated Diver, a Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, two Goosander and a Velvet Scoter flew north.
Migrant wise the Long Nab area was pretty much status quo with 11 Shorelark remaining.

Goosander heading north off Long Nab.

Three of the remaining Shorelark at Long Nab.

The following few days were spent with short jaunts out on to Castle Hill, those northerly winds blocking anything significant happening with migrants on Long Nab being very few and far between, a few Willow Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and up to four Wheatear have been the lot..

A couple of the Wheatear behind the wall.

Swift was finally added to Patchwork on the evening of the 7^th May with three seen feeding over the Harbour whilst out for a meal at Ask Italian.

The 8^th on Castle proved a waste of time however the 9^th was a little different. Numbers of migrants were low but a Pied Flycatcher was a more than welcome find on the south side, my first ever in spring in Scarborough, and only the 3^rd spring record in at least six years in the recording area!
A Garden Warbler that appeared in the same tree as the Flycatcher was just as welcome while a late Fieldfare and two remaining Wheatear behind the wall made up the best of the rest.

Pied Flycatcher on  Castle Hill.

Pied Flycatcher on Castle Hill.

Fieldfare on Castle Hill.

At least 11 Turnstone remained in the Harbour with some of the males looking rather dapper.

Turnstone by the Harbour.

With the end of the northerlies looking imminent the success on Castle Hill is just enough to give encouragement for a crack of dawn start on the 10^th…

End of April and the start of May

At long last the desired change in weather came along on the 29th with light southwest winds. That brought with it all the change in action needed. Between Style Scrub were four Grasshopper Warbler - possibly even five!

Other migrants included eight Wheatear, three Yellow Wagtail, 1 Tree Pipit while 16 Shorelark were still present.

Passage was fairly interesting with highlights including three Tufted Duck, 70 Common Scoter, seven Eider, Goosander, Golden Plover, six Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Whimbrel, 2 Arctic Tern and a trickle of Hirundine.

The next day was an emotional one, a great day with an unprecedented wader movement past Long Nab but in stark contrast the news that And Roadhouse had passed away came as a shock, despite the fact we all knew it would one day happen.

I first met Andy at, of course, Spurn when I moved there in March 2009 to begin my contract of Little Tern warden. As with everyone at Spurn Andy was incredibly encouraging and I learnt so much from him in such a short time.

I was lucky enough to see him a couple of times fairly recently, his fight with cancer was always high spirited and he really was going till the end.

His book The birds of Spurn is pride of place on my bookshelf and forever will be, I feel proud and privileged to have know Andy, as I am sure everyone who did will feel the same.

Andy's passion (apart from food and beer) was migration, so despite the sad news we chose to honour his memory by enjoying a real spectacle of migration - followed by a few Whiskys that night.

Andy (joe) Roadhouse at Spurn back in 2009. Some great memories.

The strong southeast winds clearly caught out loads of moving waders and that morning many passed south past Long Nab, totals of 32 Bar-tailed Godwit, six Whimbrel, 29 Knot, 11 Dunlin were trumped by an amazing 69 Grey Plover, easily doubling the number of Grey Plovers I have ever seen in Scarborough since moving here, five years ago!!

Other highlights included one Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1871 Kittiwake, 151 Sandwich Tern and 9 Arctic Tern.
In the windy conditions birding elsewhere was difficult but two Grasshopper Warbler were at Long Nab along with two Wheatear, two Barnacle Geese were on Johnson's Marsh, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Grey Plover were in Jackson's Bay and nine Bar-tailed Godwit were in North Bay.

Passage off Long Nab on the 1^st May was a little slower, although waders moving included three Grey Plover and singles of Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Sanderling and Dunlin.
Other highlights included 22 Sandwich Tern, 27 Arctic Tern (many ‘out east’), 26 Sand Martin, 188 Swallow and two House Martin.
Migrant wise there were seven Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, six Lesser Whitethroat, seven Wheatear, White Wagtail and a female Redstart.

Sunrise in North Bay early on 30th April

Bar-tailed Godwits on North Bay beach early morning

April 26th - 28th

After a couple of days ‘otherwise occupied’ Long Nab called out early morning on the 26^th, although looking at the sightings from the previous day it was beyond me why I was up so early!
Strong northerly winds with regular wintry showers (often heavy) are hardly the conditions you would dream of in late April, but, beggars can’t be choosers, so with minimal expectations I staggered head on into the wind to the hut. At sea it was actually busier than I first envisaged although the species range was somewhat limited! Still in a little over three hours the totals weren’t terrible. Highlights were 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 537 Fulmar and 4 Manx Shearwater north.

My walk south was timed to perfection as I avoided all showers until on top of Scalby Nab from where it was only a swift dash away from the shelter of the bar in the Old Scalby Mills PH!
Fully refreshed and with the hail shower now off to the south I ventured out for a check of Scalby Mills, it proved quiet although a close by Common Sandpiper was supporting some colour rings.

Colour ringed Common Sandpiper at Scalby Mills - initial research suggests it may have been ringed in Spain - awaiting details.

The 27^th proved much worse, winds still from the north, although calmer meant the sea state was much improved and only a fraction of the number of birds were on the move. In a similar time frame only 13 Fulmar were logged!
Highlights (and I use that word loosely) were three Shelduck and two Wigeon north and single Puffins north and south.

A brief walk north out between the showers revealed two Shorelark still in fields just north of the ‘obs’ while my walk south was dead, an increase in Whitethroats was noted with six between Crook Ness and Scalby Nab, the colour ringed Common Sandpiper was still at Scalby Mills but it was again quiet, a Red-throated Diver was out in North Bay.

Even quieter was the 28^th! A reeling Grasshopper Warbler in Style Scrub was very welcome though and saved the day – these northerlies can’t end soon enough.

Grasshopper Warbler in Style Scrub being typically elusive.

A showy singing Chaffinch at Scalby Mills after a heavy shower.

A change for the better

Now deeply into April and finally the change in conditions came, an early start at Long Nab on the 19^th began with Common Sandpiper on the rocks off Crook Ness followed by a Great Skua north at sea.
Vis-mig wasn’t as good as I though it maybe – with only a trickle of Finches, a few Carrion Crow and a Wheatear high south.

It was slow enough that after an hour I opted for a walk around the site, migrants were thin on the ground but a couple of Wheatear, 3 Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, a Whitethroat and a Corn Bunting were the highlights.

Corn Bunting at Long Nab, a good record, and my 5th on PWC following four near Scalby Lodge Pond a few months ago.

Returning to the ‘obs’ for a hot beverage proved a good move, scanning out the back soon produced a male Ring Ouzel flying north (having presumably been in Crook Ness) while a little more distant a male Marsh Harrier also flew north at 09.13hrs – only 15 minutes later.

Walking south migrants were few and far between – however a Tree Pipit at Cromer Point was most welcome. Passage continued, and may have even picked up a notch, during my walk back, leaving me totals of single Sparrowhawk and Magpie, 29 Carrion Crow (still no Hoodie!!) and five Swallow north as well as two Flava, 151 Linnet and 10 Goldfinch south.

Wheatear at Long Nab.

Wheatear at Long Nab.

A slight deviation away from patch resulted in seeing close to bugger all at Scarborough Mere, although a few young birds were around including these rather cute Greylag goslings, at least they are cute when compared to the ugly monstrosity they will all soon develop into!