After Monday`s news that a first year female Collared Flycatcher had been caught and rung at the warren at Spurn had got a few of us thinking and with easterly winds still blowing. Now as it would be a new bird for two of our group and that a good supporting cast of birds that were also present, a trip was organised. As I always seem to say about Spurn is that the day after the event, most birds seem to carry on with their migration overnight (I was too be proved wrong on this occasion). Nearly a full team left Shaw on a warm morning around 6-15am with myself driving. Its always important to get past the Leeds area as soon as possible during the week or you will suffer the worst traffic congestion, we managed this and passed through Hull without any problems. News that the Collared Flycatcher & Icterine Warbler were both still present was very welcome news!
We headed straight for the warren where around 20 or so birders were gathered and when asked about both birds, the news was good. After around 10 minutes the well-marked female Collared Flycatcher was on show chasing and catching it favourite food items, quickly followed by a delightfully marked Icterine Warbler, what a great start to the day. A nice walk along the canal area soon had us all looking, albeit distantly, at 2 Red backed Shrikes both juvenile types. Whinchat, Meadow Pipit and Swallows all received a little attention from the shrikes, good to watch really. Again we moved on, this time to Kilnsea Wetlands, a little less busy after last weeks car accident. As the tide was in lots of birds were seen and we soon managed to locate: - 2 Little Stints, Pectoral Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2 Spoonbills, Mediterranean Gulls, Greenshank, Dunlin and a pleasing mixture of gulls and terns. In St Helen`s, Kilnsea churchyard another Icterine Warbler was seen along with a few Pied Flycatchers that seemed to be in every area that we visited, quite a major fall. A Common Redstart at Cliff Farm was also busy feeding and fluttering its rusty tail. We had managed to see all the main birds that we had come to see at Spurn, which is not a common thing to do, so it was time to have seconds at the Collared Flycatcher and the bird did not disappoint. After such a great days birding we decided that, as it was 2-30pm that we would head for home and avoid the rush hour traffic. Well we almost did, until we reached the Huddersfield area when the M62 ground to a halt, we managed to reach Rochdale by 5pm all of us having had a memorable day out.
