After a couple of days ‘otherwise occupied’ Long Nab called out early morning on the 26th, 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.
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.
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| Colour ringed Common Sandpiper at Scalby Mills - initial research suggests it may have been ringed in Spain - awaiting details. |
The 27th 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 28th! A reeling Grasshopper Warbler in Style Scrub was very welcome though and saved the day – these northerlies can’t end soon enough.
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| Grasshopper Warbler in Style Scrub being typically elusive. |
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| A showy singing Chaffinch at Scalby Mills after a heavy shower. |
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