I have always wanted to visit Spurn Point and I managed to do that on Saturday 27th of October.I have seen it on television and in photographs and have heard about it through other birdwatchers but nothing can prepare you for a visit as every day is a very different day.
I set off at 7am and picked up a friend from Manchester.The sun was rising and a number of Gull species were swooping to the floor, picking up scraps from the night before.
We arrived at Spurn about 10.30am and within seconds noticed large numbers of Thrushes, mainly Robin, Redwing and Blackbird.After speaking to the staff at the information centre we headed in the direction of the sea-watching hide but it was full.Reports came in a Short-toed lark was at post 55. Some of the birders headed off towards it.We decided to go to the Canal Scrape Hide where a Jack Snipe was showing.At first it was very hard to locate and it took a while for me to spot it.It did bob and move into the open a little.Other birds of note were plenty of Blackbirds and Redwings, some Fieldfares and Bramblings, a Ring Ouszl and a Water Rail.This was the second time I have seen Bramblings, the last in December 2010 at Martin Mere.We then walked to the Caravan Park where Snow Buntings had been sighted.We were soon distracted by the number of Blackbirds and Robins accompanied by Fieldfares and Redwings.Some Blackbirds and Robins allowed us to get very close.Were they quite tame or just exhausted and had little energy to fly?I decided to push on for the Snow Buntings which showed eventually.They were present and feeding on the floor.They did not stay for long as they flew out of view.
We did not have enough time to walk out to Spurn Point itself but we walked halfway there.There were more thrushes out there as well as Stonechat and Waders.A Sanderling was on the path, which some people thought was a Snow Bunting!They thought they had got a lifer but I had to break the bad news sadly!Back at the sea watch hide Gannets, Kittiwakes, Common Scoters could be seen regularly.Little Auks flew past too but I had no scope so no luck with the first few attempts.I did not think I would have seen one but luckily one was in flight for a while and a number of people in the hide got the tick they so wanted.
At times the day was sunny but then it would rain heavily and hail.The wind was strong and a cold north-westerly.My friend had never been on such a birding trip so he moaned about the weather.I told him the weather was the least of the problems today and many birders brave much worse.Many other birds were sighted such as Olive-backed Pipit, Sootys Shearwater, Short-toed larks which would have been firsts for me.Other interest sightings were Great Grey Shrikes, Waxwings, Little Gulls, Long-tailed Ducks, Velvet Scoters but were not seen by me.It is a place I hope to go to again but next time in the Spring and September.I am glad I managed to gadd Jack Snipe and Little Auk onto my list.It is always a nice feeling to add more to a list especially birds that are harder to see.It was also good to see everyday common birds in a setting which we see them in less often.Some of the birds looked like they had just come from over the sea, others feeding after a long flight and others just flighty and nervous.The day ended very well with a Little Owl flying across the road as we left the nature reserve.
