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Migrant Birds and Raptors Galore!

Thu 26th Sep, 2024

With three Bird Observatories and many other great locations on the Yorkshire Coast for birds we are blessed when it comes to receiving incoming migrant birds! The past two weeks have been memorable not only for very rare birds but for numbers of scarce and common migrants. Our YCN tours have certainly come up smelling of roses, most memorably on 19th September, when our planned itinerary on the Wolds and Coast tour crashed headlong into the best day at Spurn all year! Britain’s third-ever Masked Shrike (taking up residence at Rose Cottage) was joined by Great Grey Shrike, Olive-backed Pipit, Red-breasted Flycatchers, Redstarts, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and lots of Whinchats. One of the best things about Spurn is its waders, and we ended the day watching the spectacular roost at high tide, where thousands of Knot were joined by a large selection of other species as well as the first returning Brent Geese.

Day Two was spent in the North Yorkshire Forests, famed for their birds of prey. Despite rain early in the morning, the sun mostly shone and so did the raptors! Two Goshawks, 12 Common Buzzards, two Peregrines, two Sparrowhawks and three Kestrels -  all before lunch! During that meal we stopped at one of our favourite Crossbill locations and hey presto! five Common Crossbills appeared: two females,a beautiful brick-red male and a streaky juvenile.

A total of 106 species for the two days was a fabulous haul. Our group left more than satisfied not only with the birds seen but also with the top-quality food and accommodation from award-winning Highfield Farm. Keep an eye out for 2015 dates coming very soon!

As we go to press the winds are due to go back easterly next week, just in time for our next Birding Discovery Day!....

Richard Baines