With some good seabird passage having been reported from Spurn area during the week and with the winds being from a similar direction, we decided to take a trip there. We gathered at Newhey for a 6am start with Bob K in charge. We had been informed that the Long tailed Skua breeding season in Scandinavia had been a great success due to lots of Lemmings being present, which are the main food item of this species. A pleasant trip along the M62 soon had us arriving at Spurn at 8-15am, our first stop was the sea watching hide. Lots of birders surveying the waves and beyond, then as sightings were shouted out using the off shore wind farm towers as guides we managed to see: - Sooty Shearwater, Red throated Diver, Manx Shearwater, Arctic Skua, Long tailed Skua and lots of Gannets, gulls, terns and Common Scoters in an 1.5 hour seawatch.
Then news reached us that a Barred Warbler was about 200 yards away, so we went to have a look at it. My knowledge about this species habits usually means that you have to wait quite a while for a glimpse of it as it is what we call a real skullker About 12 people stood around some low, quite sparse vegetation as we arrived, including Rossendale`s own Craig B who had found the bird, then just to prove me wrong the Barred Warbler was seen moving around, almost straight away! Thats a first I said, we all enjoyed lots of close views of this annual migrant warbler species until, news of a Wryneck in The Warren area. We headed off again and after a little wait the Wryneck was seen perched out on a convenient post, what a nice bird. A male Red backed Shrike had been found in the canal area and as Chris B had never seen one in this plumage we went for a look. The bird was a real beauty sat in a bush full of berry`s in the sunshine, what a gem. Steve B then told us that a Great Skua was flying over our heads, what a bird, then news that a Long tailed Skua was flying over the triangle was heard, but sadly not seen! Pausing to catch our breath, more news that another Wryneck had been found at the side of the road adjacent to the Canal Scrape. Upon arrival the bird was no more than 10 yards away and merrily catching ants with its incredibly long sticky tongue. Photographers clicked away merrily, some even lying in the road (none were injured during the birds stay by passing vehicles) The Wryneck performed beautifully for its admiring crowd, time for some food we all thought. A few pale bellied Brent Geese were then seen as if to remind us about the arrival of autumn, but its only August we all thought. We made our way to Kilnsea Wetlands and into the hide where lots of birds had begun to gather prior to the high tide. Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Sandwich Tern, Greylag Geese, Dunlin, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Little Ringed Plover all being present as we wound down after a busy mornings birding. A White Stork had been in the Welwick area for a while (it is part of a release scheme) so as we headed towards home we thought we might try to catch up with it. After checking out a lot of the back roads north of the B1445 as far as Holmpton no sign of the bird could be found. We headed for home on an unusually quiet M62, another good days birding at Spurn.
