I've been fortunate enough to get down to Spurn on the last 3 days and it is fair to say that migration id in full swing with any number of common migrants prevalent on each visit.
Saturday was a bit disappointing as the east wind and rain failed to deliver especially as this was preceeded by a nagging southerly wind keeping everything hunkered down.
The best bird from a photographic perspective was a pied flycatcher at sammy's Point, the only other bird of note for me was the Yellow-browed warbler.
Sunday was an altogether different affair.Calm winds and clear skies.I started off at the Crown and Anchor and walked south along the river bank.It was obvious that there was a significant movement occurring as meadow pipits passed overhead, swallows moved over the humber and grey wagtails were evident overhead and along the shoreline.First grounded migrant was a redstart followed by willow warblers and wheatears.
I walked past canal bushes and there were a number of new birds including gold crests more redstarts and whinchats on the grasses by the humber.
I stopped off at the gate and as the tide ebbed I thought I would try for some wader flight shots.redshank, dunlin, knot as well as the odd whimbrel and curlew (one carrying a crab) kept me busy.Some whinchats landed nearby and posed nicely and then one profiteer in the name of a sparrow hawk dropped in not 20 yards away and I reeled off a series of shots as it carried an unfortunate whinchat away.
I retraced my steps and had another encounter with the (or another ) sparrow hawk. Nothing more of note until I reached the churchyard where a pied flycatcher and yellow browed warbler showed quite well.
I had another trip on Monday morning and there was more fog (but no wind) I headed for the gate and as soon as I got out of the car an osprey drifted slowly south.Not a lot around the canal and churchyard save for the odd redstart and pied flycatcher.Even rain on the back of an easterly wind didn't make a big difference.
A golden plover posed nicely just south of Cliff Farm.
I had a walk up to Sammy's Point and spent most of the afternoon there.Three redstarts, a pied flycatcher a spotted flycatcher and a couple of willow warblers and wheatears provided photographic opportunities at least.
Back to Kilnsea for a distant red-backed shrike and finished up watching a redstart, pied flycatcher and spotted flycatcher in Cliff Farm.
All in all avery nice few days, hopefully the winds and rain might bring something new for the weekend.