Late Spring at Spurn 2

May 30, 2023

The latest visit to Spurn has been Wildlife packed to say the least.

It started on Friday evening with some great views of a displaying little ringed plover at Kilnsea Wetlands. A vocal black-tailed godwit and common sandpiper added further interest.

I setup my new moth trap in eager anticipation and put some peanuts out for the badger and set the trail camera.

Next morning I was up early and a few moths were in the trap, the best being a spanking gold spot.

All the peanuts were gone, and I set off for a wander around Kilnsea. Not much in the way of migrants but news of 5 little stints on Kilnsea Wetlands had me hot-footing it there and sure enough 5 spring spangled jewels were feeding in front of the hide.

I had a wander around Kilnsea in the afternoon and 2 brimstone, 7 wall and 11 orange tips were the highlight as well as a first common blue of the year.

A lovely sunny evening was rudely disrupted by news of a harrier on the Humber side near the Riverside Hotel.

Distant views and discussion over the radio suggested it maybe a Montagu’s harrier. It seemed to linger around Easington straight so I headed down there in the car and a small crowd assembled on the road edge. It had gone down in a field and there was no further sign. After a short while it came up and quickly went to ground again. The crowd got bigger and waited with bated breath. Out of nowhere came a spanking male hen harrier and as it flew over it flushed the montagu’s. They both interacted for a short while, then the hen harrier carried on north. The montagu’s lingered for a while before heading off north west over Easington.

Another night on the moth trap produced some better numbers, this time the highlight being a smart brimstone.

I had a ride down to Kilnsea Wetlands and a green-winged teal had been seen. After a while it made a re-appeared and stayed distant often associating with a garganey and Eurasian teal.

The afternoon was quite cool as was the evening. I had yet another look on Kilnsea Wetlands but there was no change. A couple of vocal cuckoos provided a lovely backdrop around Sykes Field in the late evening.

Another run of the moth trap produced low numbers, however it did yield the weekends best moth- a very smart small elephant hawk moth- a first for me!

Monday morning dawned very cold and a quick look on Kilnsea wetlands proved that the green winged teal had departed.

A ruff came close to the hide briefly to add to the wader fest.

I headed for home mid morning having-had a most enjoyable wildlife packed weekend. I can’t wait for next time to do it all over again.

Green-Winged Teal, Garganey and Eurasian Teal

Late Spring 1

May 30, 2023

I didnt get round to posting my photos from a recent visit to Spurn so here they are.

From the weekend of the 20/21 May.

Spring has sprung at Spurn

May 03, 2023

Spring has sprung at Spurn

My trip to Spurn this weekend started on Friday night with a nice walk around the triangle at dusk.
The obvious change since the last visit was a marked increase in the numbers of warblers around.
The ever vocal sedge warblers were singing seemingly from every piece of cover and also willow warblers were whistling their evocative tune.
A couple of deer made for a nice scene out on the Saltmarsh made for a typical dusk scene and swallows feeding over canal scrape gave a great opportunity for some backlit shots.
Saturday morning dawned dull. A quick look around Sykes Field produced more warblers including the resident and very vocal Cetti’s warbler.
A low tide around 8am meant very few waders around so I bypassed Kilnsea Wetlands and carried on to Sammy’s Point. One of the long staying wheatears remained and a couple of whimbrel were on the Humber.
After Sammy’s I made my way to canal scrape. A water rail was visible in the gloom and a lesser whitethroat was calling in the car park.
Hirundines were visible from the bank with swallows, sand martins and my first house martins of the year all on show.
Later we went for a walk around Kilnsea. By now the sun was out and it was turning into a lovely Spring day. Quite a few butterflies were on the wing mainly peacocks and small tortoiseshells a single large white and the highlight was a brimstone. Another first for the year in the form of a swift was drifting south over the triangle.
Another wander up to Sammy’s Point produced more warblers and yet another first of the year this time in the form of a cuckoo. A sprinkle of yellow wagtails added to the Springtime feel as well as a small scattering of wheatears along the rocks.
The day ended with clouds and a scattering of rain.
Sunday morning again dawned dull. I spent some time at the Warren watching migration. A trickle of linnets was the main feature but two more firsts for the year in the form of little tern and tree pipit were the highlights.
Another walk up to Sammy’s Point produced a singing grasshopper warbler as well as a barn owl and some more wheatears on the rocks.
The weekend was more about the birding than the photography with no less than 9 additions to the year list.
Easterlies forecast for the week surely they must produce something rare?

East Yorkshire Wildlife Blog

Who is 'East Yorksire Wildlife'?

Recent Blog Posts:

Subscribe

Connect

Late Spring at Spurn 2

Late Spring 1

Spring has sprung at Spurn