Hotting up for autumn...

July, a month most turn their attentions to waders, and in time sea birds.
The sea bird side of things is all okay here, in a North Sea sense, it’s just the waders that become the issue – in short, Scarborough is shite for waders!
Plenty can be seen passing off shore in ideal conditions but having the opportunity to search through good numbers and potentially find something rarer is pretty much out the question.
Sure there are a few areas along the coast that do get very, very small numbers, double figure Dunlin if one is lucky!

From the beginning of the month until the 22nd I have been spending most of my time either looking out to sea, attempting to catch Storm Petrels or strimming and other maintenance work on Johnson’s Marsh (to try and tempt a few waders down, as yet unsuccessfully) and around Hundale at Long Nab in preparation for the autumn ringing campaign.

Up to 14 Grey Heron on Johnson's Marsh during the month, here before our efforts to improve wader habitat and viewing etc.

After some back breaking strimming....

...lots of back breaking strimming!

The Pelagic on the 9th was entertaining if rather predictably quiet, and smelly!

Quiet on the bird front but some nice views of the Scarborough coastline from the Pelagic. Here Castle Hill.

Long Nab.

A birds eye view of the Nab hut.

Plenty of Auks seen, including this Razorbill.

And Puffin.

A few Gannet came in close.

As well as plenty of Fulmar.

This juvenile Kestrel was picked up steaming towards Britain while at least two miles out, birds already coming in off the continent.

It wasn't just the Kestrel seen coming in, one of two Red Admiral seen from the boat while a few miles out, several other insect species also.

Highlights over the three weeks have included a good Common Scoter count (in fact the record count for the Scarborough area) with over 2200 north on the 6th as well as a few waders south.
A failed Petrel ringing session due to torrential rain was followed a week later by a successful one, bagging a single bird.
A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull in Jackson’s Bay on the 12th, and an increase in most seabirds - Manx Shearwater and Arctic Skua most notable.
A morning at Long Nab on the 19th had a real feel of autumn to it and that the cogs were turning, over 80 Manxies, a ‘Blue’ Fulmar (as well as over 90 light), a load of waders as well as a tally of 6 Arctic Skua.

Our first attempt at Petrel ringing of the year called off due to torrential rain that flooded Crook Ness making access to the beach impossible.

A week later and the Petrel ringing evening was a success. This picture taken from the exact same spot as the one above.

A single Stormie trapped. Photograph take by Chris Bell.

Rather unexpected was this Badger seen running through a recently cropped field at Long Nab at 11.35hrs on the 19th. I don't think I have ever seen a picture of a Badger quite like that!

Of interest, this Great Egret that was present on Johnson's Marsh on the 21st June was ringed as pulli at Lac de Grand-Lieu (Loire, Atlantique, FRANCE) on 8th May 2015. It was seen at several sites in France during 2016 but this was the first sighting in 2017.

The doldrums of June.

The beginning of the month didn’t inspire me too much, with very little turning up elsewhere along the Yorkshire coast my time spent out in the field dropped.

A few hours here and there were fairly routine, much of my time out was spent tracking down Starling flocks in the hope of pulling out a Rosy – no joy.

An Arctic Skua was a welcome year tick off Long Nab on the 15^th with over 600 Swift, a few Common Scoter and a Little Egret through that day adding some extra interest.

Little Egret through Long Nab.

An early sea-watch on the 21^st, starting out at 04.35hrs, was as expected slow, however four Teal, four Curlew and two Oystercatcher gave hints that autumn was approaching.
The first decent Puffin count in Scarborough of 2017 was also noted, 106 south, seven north over a four hour watch.
In the hope of stumbling across a Marsh Warbler, a Rosefinch or something much rarer, I turned my attention to walking the hedges and fields along the cliffs. Unfortunately though the grass pollen had other ideas and I couldn’t take more than an hour or it.

A stop at Johnson’s Marsh on the off chance produced eight Grey Heron and ,to my surprise, a Great Egret, a colour ringed bird too! And although I haven’t heard back on its origins yet, some research points strongly towards this been a French bird.

Great Egret on Johnson's Marsh.

Great Egret at Johnson's Marsh.

That evening was spent passing the time in a way I am not particularly keen on, nor too knowledgeable on but with good company and the promise of a pint or two afterwards I was tempted to look at insects and plants!
Marbled Whites were pleasant enough to see, only the second time I have seen them to my knowledge, as well as three Orchid species – Pyramidal, Common Spotted and Bee.

Marbled White.

Common Spotted Orchid.

Pyramidal Orchid.

Bee Orchid.

June came to an end about as spectacularly as it began. Some southwest winds have tempted me out in the hope of some big Swift days, each time a total failure with barely double figures through in perfect looking conditions!

A Scarborough Birders AGM at the Downe Arms, Wykeham was concluded with a short trip up in to the forest where several Woodcock as well as a couple of Nightjar were year ticked.

Finally the 29^th was a morning spent at Long Nab hoping the BBA would pass by, unfortunately though it seems it did the evening before! Thick fog made for a short unspectacular watch, a few Teal, 14 Manx Shearwater as well as the first returning Redshank, seven north were the highlights!

Showy Eider at Scalby Mills during the end of the month.