A very successful trip thanks to the leader Julia Smith who organised everything and who wrote the following report.  Thanks also to Christine Gregory and Dave Hallam for the photos.

It was a lively group of 16 birders that met on Sunday 8th Oct to head off to Spurn. Mike Conroy advised us that if we stopped off at Easington, just before we arrived, we had the chance to see a Red-backed Shrike and a

Red-backed Shrike

Rosy Starling. Our driver was happy to oblige so we stopped, headed down the lane and there it was – what a treat! It was quite happily bouncing around in the hedgerow. Sadly, no sign of the Rosy Starling.

On arrival at Spurn, everyone split up in different directions and groups which may account for the final great number of 62 spots, with roe deer, seals and red admiral/green veined butterflies (and fossils!) as an added bonus. Particular highlights were a Lapland Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher and a couple of members caught a Long-eared Owl flying over their heads. Amazing!

The Bluebell cafe still serves an excellent cuppa and bacon butty and we hope that they continue to be available when the new, sadly still controversial, YWT visitor centre opens. It’s construction was observed to be well on the way.

A great day, the weather was dry and the drive home was bathed in sunshine. Happy birders!

Stonechat

Lesser Redpoll

Knot in flight

Eight members chose the dry but chilly weather to visit this fabulous reserve rather than stay at home where as I understand it, the weather was not so kind.

We benefitted enormously from the fact that there was a particularly high tide peaking at about 08:40 that morning and thus driving thousands of waders onto the scrapes. (Sea water had got as far as the sea wall in places which is unusual.)  As the sea receded, many of the waders returned to The Wash providing a dramatic change between morning and afternoon viewing with few waders after lunch although still one special species remained.

59 species were seen during the day, the best of which, in no particular order were:
Great White Egret 1, Spoonbill 1, at least 4 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Greenshank, 9 Little

Stint, a Grey Plover, 1 Sandwich Tern, a Whooper Swan, Yellow Wagtails and a couple of

Wheatear. However, it was the shear numbers of quite common waders which was probably the most impressive feature of the visit. There were literally several thousand Black-tailed Godwits creating an evocative background sound with their chattering

(probably discussing where they were going to go for breakfast), hundreds of Dunlin and Ringed Plover and one visitor counted 80 Linnets. Added to this, there were quite a few Swifts still about and all the hirundines plus a large flock of Goldfinch which would rise en masse from the thistles as you passed.  As you walked along the sea wall, it was fabulous to have House Martins drifting past at head height in the strong wind and only a few feet away.

And then there were the other animals!

In spite of missing out on the Wood and Pectoral Sandpipers, which remained stubbornly elusive, we had a wonderful time and if you get the chance to go in the next week or two it could prove a worthwhile experience.

The good photos were provided by the proper photographers on the trip – the rubbish ones were digiscoped!

The weather forecast was foul causing even the trip leader to bale out.  However, three hardy souls braved the elements and reported as follows:

You (i.e. the trip leader) were right to cancel. It rained for the 4 hours we were there. Visibility was bad and there was very little movement.
We saw 51 species including Barn Owl, Greensand, Dunlin, Marsh Harrier, Spotted Redshank, Snipe & half a dozen Ruff in a wide variety of plumages . We dipped on the female Montague’s Harrier that had been reported twice the day before and also that morning before we arrived. Also surprisingly absent were Avocets, Spoonbills and Bearded Tits, all of which we had expected to see.

It can’t have been that bad Ron, if you managed to see 51 species or were you counting plants as well?