Monthly Archives: April 2014

April 1, 2014

April Sightings

By hornseamere

30th April – (GB)

KP late morning

drake Scaup
drake Goldeneye
1 Swift

29th April – (GB)

KP am

drake Scaup
3 Wigeon
3 Goldeneye

1st Field in pm

Little Egret on Swan Island
2 Egyptian Geese off swan Island
Little Gull
300+ Sand Martin
40+ Swallow
25+ House Martin
1 Swift

29th April – (MR,LI,BMJ)

from KP in am

1 Wheatear
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Common Swift
drk Scaup off 1st field reedbed
Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end
Grey Heron

Wheatear – Kirkholme Point

28th April – (MR)

3 Wheatear on KP around midday/early aft (MR,SP)
2 Yellow Wagtail over KP
drk Scaup off 1st field early am
2 Egyptian Goose
2 Reed Warbler 1st field reedbed early am
Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end
drk RCP off Swan/Tree Island
White-fronted Goose off KP
Curlew + Yellow Wagtail on southside (LB)
20 Linnet Heslop’s/Ouzel Hedge (MR,LB)
15 Yellowhammer Ouzel Hedge set-a-side
6+ Chaffinch Ouzel Hedge set-a-side
2 Tree Sparrow Ouzel Hedge set-a-side
Grass Snake in Bull Hole (SP)

Wheatear – Kirkholme Point

Grass Snake in Bull Hole – Simon Pugh

Mappleton area – (MR)

1 Barn Owl (ringed/band on right leg) quartering cliff top fields

Barn Owl – classing the place up

Barn Owl – with prey (prob Field Vole)

Cowden – (MR)

1 Wheatear

Mere – (GB)

KP am

Little Egret on Swan Island
2 Grey Heron-plus one flying high to East
2 Sparrowhawk
drake Red-crested Pochard
2 Wigeon
Whimbrel flew east
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk early pm (permit access only)

2 Grey Heron
4+ Buzzard
3 Marsh Harrier
2 Sparrowhawk
3 Wigeon
drake Scaup
3 Goldeneye
Cuckoo plus another calling at Wassand
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Swallows back on territory at Wassand

27th April – (MR)

2w Iceland Gull flew east over Mere 11:30
1 ‘commic’ Tern flew east along northside late am
1 Common Swift over Heslop’s early aft
Cetti’s Warbler singing east end (MR,LB,JS)
drk Scaup Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)
1+ Reed Warbler 3rd field
1 Cuckoo heard west end
2 Yellow Wagtail over 2nd field
15 Yellowhammer Ouzel Hedge set-a-side
8 Chaffinch Ouzel Hedge set-a-side
1 Yellow Wagtail Ouzel Hedge set-a-side (LB)
Dunlin, Whimbrel, Cetti’s Warbler (singing), Reed warbler from KP early am (LI)

2w Iceland Gull over Mere from 3rd field

Cowden – (MR)

3 Cuckoo thru
1 Short-eared Owl in off over clifftop, briefly settled then north
Grasshopper Warbler reeling
3 Shelduck north
1 Curlew north

Cuckoo thru Cowden early am

Cuckoo early am Cowden

Short-eared Owl in off clifftop

Short-eared Owl

Shelduck

26th April – (LI)

2w Iceland Gull on Mere 07:00 from 2nd field
Barwit + Whimbrel over
male Ring Ouzel in set-a-side Ouzel Hedge
Little Egret
fem Wheatear on KP in pm
Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end
White-fronted Goose KP

2 male Wheatear + 2 Fieldfare Cliff Road, Hornsea

KP am – (GB)

2 Grey Heron
2 Sparrowhawk
Arctic Tern flew ESE
2 Egyptian Geese
2 Great Crested Grebe
12 Gadwall
60 Tufted Duck
2 Wigeon
Wheatear
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk pm (permit access only)

2 Grey Heron
2 Buzzard
2 Marsh Harrier
2 Sparrowhawk
Hobby
22 Great Crested Grebe
32 Gadwall
2 Wigeon
4 Shoveler
4 Pochard
165 Tufted Duck
Long-tailed Duck
drake Scaup
Common Sandpiper
60+ House Martin
20+ Sand Martin
12 Swallow
4 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
6 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Siskin

25th April – (GB)

Sea roak and mist for much of the day with some heavy showers

KP pm

11 Yellow Wagtail
Wheatear
Jack Snipe
Masses of hirundines hemmed in
c550 Sand Martin
c160 Swallow
c120 House Martin
drk Scaup

Please be aware that Wassand Hide and the Woodland Walk will be closed between noon-4pm on Monday 28th April 2014

Bewholme – (LI)

1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Common Sandpiper

Grimston – (TI)

Of interest a Nightingale caught and ringed at Grimston

Nightingale at Grimston

24th April – (LI) from KP in am

2 Bar-tailed Godwit north
Greenshank over west
Egret sp flew west towards Decoy area
Redpoll
Yellow Wagtail
Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end
Pink-footed Goose
drk Scaup
2 Common Sandpiper
pair of Marsh Harriers over east end

Cowden

male Whinchat
Grasshopper Warbler
1 Cuckoo

KP am – (GB)

drake Scaup
drake Red-crested Pochard
2 Wigeon
drake Goldeneye
2 Sparrowhawk
3 Grey Heron
Little Egret
Yellow Wagtail over
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wassand/Decoy Hide/Woodland Walk-am (permit access only)

5 Grey Heron
Little Egret
4 Buzzard
4+ Marsh Harrier
3 Sparrowhawk
20 Great Crested Grebe
28 Gadwall
3 Wigeon
female Goldeneye
8 Shoveler
6 Pochard
drake Red-crested Pochard
6 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
4 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Long-tailed Tit

23rd April – (LI) in evening

1 Hobby
1 Cuckoo
4 Ring Ouzel in set-a-side just west of Ouzel Hedge

KP in am (GB)

3 Grey Heron
Long-tailed Duck
Drake Scaup
2 Sparrowhawk
Yellow Wagtail
c40 Sand Martin
12 House Martin
25 Swallow
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk pm (permit access only)

3 Grey Heron
4 Buzzard
4+ Marsh Harrier
Sparrowhawk
18 Great Crested Grebe
3 Egyptian Geese
Wigeon
26 Gadwall
2 Shoveler
Goldeneye
135 Tufted Duck
4 Pochard
drake Red-crested Pochard
drake Scaup
Yellow Wagtail over
4 Blackcap
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
male Ring Ouzel
2 Egyptian Goose Wassand car park (RW)

Egyptian Geese, Wassand car park – Rich Willison

22nd April – (TM,MR)

Cetti’s Warbler singing early am from east end
2 Yellow Wagtail over 2nd field
2 Reed Warbler 2nd/3rd field
Long-tailed Duck in Bull Hole off KP in am
1 Oystercatcher on KP
1 Common Sandpiper on KP
1 Yellow Wagtail on KP

Reed Bunting – 1st field

Long-tailed Duck from KP

Wassand/Decoy Hide (permit access only)

12 Gadwall
11 Great crested Grebe
2 Shelduck
3+ Marsh Harrier
2 Common Buzzard
c5 Ring Ouzel from the Woodland walk (MR,TM,RL,ML)
2 Fieldfare
2 Coal Tit
2 GS Woodpecker

recordshot of 3 of the 5 Ring Ouzel seen today

Ring Ouzel from the Woodland walk

East End/KP in pm – (RL,ML)

Yellow Wagtail
1 Egyptian Goose
14 young Mallard on KP
Common Buzzard
Goldeneye
1 Common Swift, drk Scaup, Yellow Wagtail (GB)

21st April – (MR,TM)

Cowden

1 Wheatear
1 Cuckoo
1 Whimbrel
Grasshopper Warbler
Lesser Whitethroats
Whitethroats

Mere

Little Egret on Swan Island in am
Curlew over west
Reed Warbler 2nd/3rd field hedge
4 Ring Ouzel (3 male, 1 fem) – Wassand Woodland walk (permit access only)
drk Scaup in pm off 1st field reedbed
3 Wigeon
White-fronted Goose Swan Island

1st field-Heslops am – (GB)

2 Grey Heron
female Velvet Scoter
2 Sparrowhawk
Yellow Wagtail over
6+Sedge Warbler
2 Lesser Whitethroat
Whitethroat
3 Blackcap
Great Spotted Woodpecker

KP am

No sign of Long-tailed Duck
Egyptian Goose
10+ Swallow
4 House Martin
20+ Sand Martin

Wassand/Decoy hide – (GB,SB,DB,BMJ et al,permit access only)

Yellow Wagtail over
3 Grey Heron
Sand Martin
Little Egret
4 Common Buzzard
10+ Swallow
6 Marsh Harrier
2 House Martin
3 Sparrowhawk
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
20 Great crested Grebe
8+ Blackcap
2 Shelduck
4 Wigeon
12 Gadwall
4 Ring Ouzel
4 Shoveler
4 Goldeneye

1st field late pm – (GB)

c220 sand Martin
60+ Swallow
20 House Martin
drk RCP
drk Scaup

20th April – (MR)

2 Ring Ouzel Wassand Woodland walk (permit access only) mid aft
drk RCP
2 Arctic Tern over Mere (MR,EH,JH)
10+ Sedge Warbler between 1st field + Heslop’s
5+ Lesser Whitethroat along southside
drk Scaup off 1st field
Long-tailed Duck off KP (EH,JH)
2 Egyptian Goose Wassand car park
1 Jay Wassand

1 of 2 Ring Ouzel – Wassand Woodland walk

Sedge Warbler – 1st field reedbed

Sedge Warbler – contemplating a summer at the Mere

Arctic Tern – distant from 2nd field, 1 of 5 seen thru the Mere today

drk Scaup – off 1st field reedbed

KP am – (GB)

3 Grey Heron
Egyptian Goose
Long-tailed Duck
Red-crested Pochard
Goldeneye
2 Sparrowhawk
3 Arctic Tern flew ESE
40+Sand Martin
20+ Swallow
20+House Martin
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Woodland Walk/Wassand Hide (permit access only)

3 Grey Heron
4 Buzzard
5 Marsh Harrier
3 Sparrowhawk
1+ Peregrine-with a female chasing a Shoveler
2 Shelduck
20+Great Crested Grebe
10 Sand Martin
30+ Swallow
1 House Martin
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker-pair copulating
6+ Blackcap
4+Chiffchaff
2 Treecreeper

19th April – (MR)

Cowden

Grasshopper Warbler Cowden clifftop scrub
8+ Lesser Whitethroat
5+ Whitethroat

Grasshopper Warbler

Brown Hare – Cowden

KP am – (GB)

3 Grey Heron
Long-tailed Duck
Red-crested Pochard drake
2 Sparrowhawk
Yellow Wagtail
60+ Sand Martin
10+ Swallow
20+ House Martin
Great Spotted Woodpecker

1st field pm

c200 Sand Martin
10+ Swallow
10+ House Martin

18th April – (GB)

KP am

3 Grey Heron
Long-tailed Duck
2 Sparrowhawk
Curlew flew east
Redshank
400+ Sand Martin
70+ Swallow
40+ House Martin
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wassand Hide am

4 Grey Heron
4 Buzzard plus 2 gaining height and heading NE
6 Marsh Harrier
2 Sparrowhawk
18 Great Crested Grebe
Shelduck
Drake Goosander
8 Goldeneye
8 Shoveler
c40 Sand Martin
12 Swallow
15+ House Martin
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
6 Blackcap
6+ Chiffchaff
Treecreeper
1 Common Crossbill in the pines (JH)

17th April – (GB)

KP am/late aft

Long-tailed Duck
c320 Sand Martin
40+ Swallow
25+ House Martin
1 Yellow Wagtail on KP (BP)

16th April – (GB)

KP in am

Long-tailed Duck
2 Sparrowhawk
2 Whimbrel flew NNW
Great Spotted Woodpecker
20+Sand Martin

Wassand/Decoy Hide in am (permit access only)

4 Grey Heron
4 Buzzard
5 Marsh Harrier
2 Sparrowhawk
2 Egyptian Geese
2 Shelduck
16 Goldeneye
c60 Sand Martin
1 House Martin
2 Swallow
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
8 Blackcap
6+ Chiffchaff
2 Treecreeper

1st field in pm

c160 Sand Martin
2 Swallow

15th April – (GB)

KP in am

Long-tailed Duck
White-fronted Goose
RC Pochard
Kingfisher
Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Sparrowhawk
30 Sand Martin
2 Swallow

1st/2nd field late aft

c160 Sand Martin
4 Swallow
8 House Martin
11 Goldeneye

Wassand/Decoy hide – (MR,permit access only)

Bittern at west end
drk RCP
4 Marsh Harrier
2 Coal Tit
8 Goldfinch
2 Willow Warbler Wassand wood
Egyptian Goose in Wassand car park

Cowden early am

5 Lesser Whitethroat
Sparrowhawk
Yellow Wagtail north
1 Redpoll south

14th April – (GB)

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

4 Grey Heron
3 Buzzard
2 Sparrowhawk
6 Marsh Harrier including a “cream-crown” with missing tail feathers
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
c40 Sand Martin
3 Blackcap
Treecreeper

1st field late aft

220 Sand Martin
1 Little Gull

13th April – (MR)

Lesser Whitethroat 2nd field late morning

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only) early aft

4+ Marsh Harrier
3 Common Buzzard
fem Velvet Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
drk RCP
Shelduck
150+ Sand Martin
4 Swallow
3 Grey Heron
Treecreeper
Blackcap

Treecreeper – Wassand wood

KP in am – (GB)

Long-tailed Duck
drake Red Crested Pochard
10 Sand Martin
6 Pied Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Sparrowhawk
2 Oyster Catcher

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only) in am (GB)

4 Buzzard
7 Marsh Harrier plus 2 “cream-crowns”thermalling high and moving off to NE
2 Sparrowhawk
2 Egyptian Geese
2 Shelduck
34 Goldeneye
c40 Sand Martin
5 Grey Heron
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
4 Blackcap

Bewholme am – (GB)

8 Shelduck
5 Wigeon
6 Shoveler
Pink-footed Goose
2 LRP
2 Oyster Catcher
2 White Wagtail
12 Pied Wagtail

Cowden mid morning – (MR)

1 Whitethroat
3 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
Willow Warbler
30 Sand Martin
5 Swallow
2 Grey Partridge

Grimston – early am (TI,AJ,MR)

Iberian Chiffchaff, 1 in private area, access could not be arranged.

Iberian Chiffchaff – Grimston

Some more photo’s of the Iberian Chiffchaff at Grimston from Ade Johnson

Iberian Chiffchaff, Grimston – Ade Johnson

12th April – (GB)

Kirkholme Point in am

Long-tailed Duck

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

140 Sand Martin
35 Swallow
1 House Martin
3 Marsh Harrier
2 Common Buzzard
108 Goldeneye
248 Tufted Duck
20 Shoveler
20 Great crested Grebe
8 Grey Heron
5 Blackcap

1st/2nd field in pm

90 Sand Martin
5 Swallow
3 House Martin
1 Little Gull

Flamborough – (RW)

Crag Martin – bonkers stuff at North Landing

11th April – (MR,TM)

Wassand/Decoy hide mid aft (permit access only)

Bittern flew past hide to reedbed left of hide 15:45
drk RCP
2 Egyptian Goose
2+ House Martin
4+ Swallow
100+ Sand Martin
4+ Marsh Harrier
2 Common Buzzard
6 Blackcap
Grass Snake

Dunlin over Mere
Long-tailed Duck
1 Barnacle Goose
2 Shelduck
2 Oycs 2nd field
Lesser Whitethroat 1st/2nd field hedgerow
2 Blackcap
Willow Warbler 2nd field
Yellow Wagtail over 2nd field

Flamborough – (MR,TM,TI,AJ,RL)

1 Crag Martin

Cowden early am – (MR,TM)

3+ Willow Warbler
4 Blackcap
Curlew over
6 Meadow Pipit
Peregrine

Wassand/Decoy hide in am (GB,BMJ)

5 Blackcap
2 Redwing
4 Common Buzzard
5+ Marsh Harrier
Peregrine over west
35 Goldeneye
110 Tufted Duck
1 Swallow
10 Sand Martin

Kirkholme Point in pm – (GB)

c50 Sand Martin
2 Swallow

10th April – (RW)

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

4+ Marsh Harrier
3 Common Buzzard
drk RCP
3 Egyptian Goose

Egyptian Geese – Rich Willison

drk RCP

Common Buzzard – Rich Willison

Common Buzzard

Some of the Marsh Harriers from the Wassand hide – Rich Willison

Kirkholme Point + 1st/2nd field – (RW)

2 Yellow Wagtail on KP
White-fronted Goose from 1st field
Lesser Whitethroat 1st field/2nd field

1 of 2 Yellow Wagtail on KP – Rich Willison

White-fronted Goose off 1st field – Rich Willison

White-front with Greylag off 1st field

9th April – (BP,GB)

Wassand/Decoy hide in pm (permit access only)

c30 Sand Martin
2 Swallow

Kirkholme Point

Long-tailed Duck
4 Little Gull

8th April – (LI)

3 Willow Warbler + Blackcap 2nd field
1w Little Gull
3 Marsh Harrier over Heslop’s
Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only) – (WFC,BMJ)

200+ Sand Martin
6+ Swallow
6 Marsh Harrier
2 Common Buzzard
Spotted Redshank flew west 15:00

Kirkholme Point – (GB)

Long-tailed Duck

7th April – (GB,KD,MA)

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

Red-necked Grebe
6 Pintail
drk RCP
2 Wigeon
6 Marsh Harrier
4 Common Buzzard
Peregrine
2 GS Woodpecker
4 Blackcap
200+ Sand Martin
10+ Swallow

6th April – (LI)

Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end this evening
Rock Pipit over
1w Little Gull
Slavonian Grebe off 2nd field/Heslop’s this evening
2 Egyptian Goose
100+ Sand Martin
3+ Swallow
Marsh harrier over Heslop’s

Wassand/Decoy hide – (GB, permit access only)

10 Blackcap
4 Redwing
3 GS Woodpecker
4 Common Buzzard
5 Marsh Harrier
Red-necked Grebe
pair Garganey
Velvet Scoter
2 Egyptian Goose
drk RCP
40+ Sand Martin
2 Swallow

5th April – (TM,LI,GB,GD)

Great White Egret off Swan Island in am/around Cormorant Trees/Lady Island late pm
Little Egret off Swan Island in am
Long-tailed Duck off KP
drk RCP off KP
60+ Sand Martin off 1st field in pm
Lesser Whitethroat 1st field

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

3 Blackcap
4 Redwing
4 GS Woodpecker
6+ Common Buzzard
5 Marsh Harrier
Red-necked Grebe
pair Garganey
Velvet Scoter
7 Grey Heron
45 Sand Martin
1 Swallow
1 House Martin

Bewholme – (LI)

4 Ruff
1 LRP
4 Oycs
7 Shelduck

Grimston – (TI)

4 Corn Bunting
Black Redstart
Yellow Wagtail
2 Blackcap
Goosander
Brent Goose
Marsh Harrier + Red Kite

4th April – (MR,GB,EH)

Long-tailed Duck off KP
22 Sand Martin
1 Swallow
1 House Martin
Great White Egret on Swan Island late pm (GB)
Lesser Whitethroat in pm 2nd field
c200+ Sand Martin off 2nd field in pm

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

Red-necked Grebe
fem Velvet Scoter
drk RCP
4 Marsh Harrier
2 Common Buzzard
8+ Swallow
1 House Martin
35+ Sand Martin
6+ Redwing
Treecreeper
3+ GS Woodpecker
1 Blackcap
Tawny Owl
Peregrine over west

fem Velvet Scoter – Decoy Bay

drk RCP – Decoy Bay

the odd couple – Decoy Bay

Common Frogs – from Wassand/Decoy hide

Grimston – (TI)

3 Black Redstart
Wheatear
6 Chiffchaff
Good no’s Redwing + Fieldfare
Spotted Redshank

Cowden – (MR)

Barn Owl
30+ Linnet

3rd April – (MR,LI,GB)

48 Sand Martin from KP early am, c82 Sand Martin late pm
2 Swallow
2 House Martin
Curlew over KP
Long-tailed Duck
1 Lesser Whitethroat 2nd field bank am/pm
1 Willow Warbler 1st/2nd field
4+ Chiffchaff
1 Goldcrest

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

Red-necked Grebe
pair Garganey with 4 Teal
4 Marsh Harrier
2 Egyptian Goose over west
pair Common Buzzard
Curlew over
Treecreeper
Blackcap

2nd April – (GB)

in poor conditions birds noted

Long-tailed Duck off KP

Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

Red-necked Grebe
Kingfisher
3 Marsh Harrier
1 House Martin

1st April – (TI)

Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end
2 Blackcap
Redshank off KP
Shelduck off KP
Dunlin off KP
Long-tailed Duck off KP
2+ ad Little Gull from KP

Velvet Scoter off KP (GB)
1 House Martin

Wassand/Decoy Hide (permit access only)
(RL,EH,JH,BMJ,Mr&Mrs Curtis)

Red-necked Grebe
pair Garganey
2 Marsh Harrier
RCP
Swallow + House Martin