The Autumn migration is underway now and with an Easterly wind blowing across the North Sea this week, there are few better places than the Spurn area to witness the passage of many bird species - arriving here from Scandinavia and resting/feeding as they make their way on to Africa. I began at 6-00 a.m, just after sunrise and the warm sunlight showed Whinchats were sitting up on tall vegetation and fenceposts. A Northern Wheatear showed next and there was a nice migratory feel as the Easterly wind drifted in from the sea. I walked along the canal area where the first two Pied Flycatchers showed, calling to each other in the hawthorn bushes. A Lesser Whitethroat and two Willow Warblers were also found here. I was aware from the bird reporting news that a Citrine Wagtail has been here for a few days and now the light was nice and bright, I went in search of this rare Siberian visitor. Close to where I needed to be, a large juvenile Sparrowhawk had just toured the area and settled in a tree. The search proved unsuccessful, as the wagtail had been seen to fly into a field of long grass and I spent a while watching Curlew flocks in another field. Within the flock I could see Black-tailed Godwits, a few Ruff and some Golden Plover. It was around midday that I got lucky with the Citrine Wagtail. It had returned to the canal area where it remained hidden, but soon flew across to the grounds of the disused hotel where it fed on the lawn, with both Pied and Yellow Wagtails. This was my second record of a Citrine Wagtail, the previous also a juv/1st w bird at Spurn. Not an easy bird to identify visually, some features are necessary such as pure white undertail coverts - no trace of yellow as in Yellow or Grey Wagtail. The bill is totally black but that is not easily seen at times. This bird had a substantial white supercilium which curled around the cheek and also has the double white wing bars showing brightly. Above, a Pied Wagtail is the rear bird which shows the Citrine to have a more brown/grey appearance and the whiter parts appear brighter too. I spent a good, long time watching this rarity which was now in an ideal viewing spot, on short grass and in the company of Pied and Yellow Wagtails for comparison. The next call was at Kilnsea Wetlands as the high tide had passed and plenty of birds should be resting there. I was pleased to see my first Curlew Sandpipers of the year, albeit rather distant as the wetland continues to dry out, in the present conditions. Above, separating Curlew Sandpiper from Dunlin in flight. Note the longer legs protruding on the Curlew Sandpiper. Wood Sandpiper, with Dunlin, left. There were many waders present today along with egrets, geese and gull flocks. A single Caspian Gull was seen together with Med Gulls and Little Gull. The Winter wildfowl flocks are beginning to arrive, below a flock of Wigeon arrive with a single female Pintail among them (lower right). There is so much to see on the Wetlands and I'm omitting chunks of it I know! The Red-necked Phalaropes have continued to stay, delighting many visitors. I went for a second look and found a large gull flushing the small waders, resulting in one of the phalaropes being pushed to the near shore which was most fortunate! A juvenile Ruff left paddling water following the gull skirmish. Leaving the wetlands, I found some Common Redstarts had arrived and were smart looking 1st winter individuals. I completed my day watching the Pied Flycatchers which are so typical of our Autumn migration here at Spurn. A day isn't long enough here, after all, I hadn't even touched on the seawatching with passing Skuas, Shearwaters and Terns. The hawthorn berries are ready for the flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings to pour in very soon!
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