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April 2014 bird sightings round-up

Sun 4th May, 2014

There were many avian highlights over the course of the last month here on the coast, but there was one that will live long in the memories of those who were lucky enough to connect. Over the course of a rollercoaster 48 hours or so, a (Eurasian) Crag Martin toured the picturesque limestone outcrops of Flamborough Head, alternately frustrating and delighting pilgrims by disappearing for long periods and then giving breath-takingly close views as it hawked insects above the caves and beaches. 

Initially located on the morning of the 11th, the bird frequented much of the headland's southern flanks before going awol, only to be found behaving similarly along the peninsula's northern coastline. Only the second for Yorkshire, it was still present on the early morning of 13th but disappeared for good soon after. 

Found almost simultaneously (and providing great back-up, or consolation, depending on your luck) on the outer head, a Tawny Pipit stayed for more than a week, with presumably the same bird briefly relocating to Scarborough on 24th. Richard's Pipits also put in guest  appearances at both Filey and Spurn, with an apparently small-looking individual at the latter site initially causing some ID problems.  

A singing Iberian Chiffchaff on private land at Grimston was another fantastic find along the underwatched Holderness coast on 13th, amazingly the second of its kind to be found there by the same observer in recent years. Serins are a regular feature of spring at Spurn, and two on the 12th  were therefore far from unexpected – but a flyover at Hunmanby Gap on 17th certainly was, of a very rare bird in the Filey recording area. Monopolising rare finches on the day, a Northern Bullfinch flew north over East Lea at Filey just an hour or so later. 

Long Nab's first Short-toed Lark was a great find on the clifftop path on 20th, giving fantastic views for much of the day. Scarce congeners book-ended the month neatly, with a Shorelark at Bempton on 1st (with another at Grimston) and a Woodlark at Spurn on 30th. Rarer wagtails were represented by a Grey-headed at Flamborough on 28th and a Blue-headed at Filey on 23rd, while more exotic spring overshoots came in the shape of presumably the same Red-rumped Swallow at Flamborough and later Spurn on 5th and Hoopoes at Kilnsea, Bridlington and Skipsea. 

Rarer waders were at a premium, although a Marsh Sandpiper briefly at Hedon and  Dotterels over Filey and Stone Creek saved the day somewhat late in the month; rarer wildfowl were equally hard to come by, with the highlight being a male Ring-necked Duck at Spurn on 1st. A report of a singing Bluethroat at Howden was intruiging but apparently unsubstantiated, while a Yellow-browed Warbler at Spurn on 30th was somewhat easier to confirm, sadly having flown into a window. Similarly-sized sprites that thankfully didn't suffer a similar fate came in the shape of Firecrests at Spurn, Filey and Long Nab. 

A slightly below par performance for a majestic species saw Cranes over Filey, Bempton and latterly Spurn, with a transitionally-plumaged White-billed Diver rewarding regulars there on 19th. The same site hosted its earliest ever Wryneck (by ten days) on 4th, and a Siberian Chiffchaff three days later.