Spurn last Sunday

I spent the day at Spurn last Sunday. Although it was windy it wasn't cold at all and the wind had dropped from its very strong gusts the day before. The car thermometer said 13 degrees which was OK for 09:30 in the morning and with a hope of higher temperatures later.

I had seen reports of Black Redstarts being seen and also a Firecrest so these were possibles for the day, but the bird I really wanted to see was Wheatear. We usually have Wheatear back on the Pennines before this date but I hadn't seen one yet so that was my target bird for the day.

I walked the triangular route from the Blue Bell first and saw the usual common birds around there (Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Turnstone, Shelduck) and I was told that the Firecest had been trapped and released around the chuchyard area. I spent a while searching, but in vain I'm afraid. I found my first migrant in Willow Warbler, and it was great to hear its song again after a very long winter. There had been a good influx of WWs overnight and they were found regularly through the day.

As I got back to the car park I looked over the small ponds and there were 3 Wheatear just next to a Brent Goose. Fantastic birds looking in good condition and in full breeding plumage. I could relax now and just enjoy whatever turned up as the target bird had been found.

After a nice lunch at the cafe I set off to walk down to the point in warm sun and good walking conditions as the wind was keeping me cool. Over to my left a male Ring Ouzel flew over the grass and landed on the hedgerow. What a smashing bird and a real bonus.

Around the canal scrape hide there were several remains of frogs and toads that had not made a successful road crossing and I saw a toad attempting the journey -

As I was watching a car came along so I made sure the toad made it OK to the other side.

When I reached the YWT hut I found that the road was still closed to the point from storm damage to the road earlier this year, so cars couldn't go any further, but land rovers etc were able to get to and from the Pilot/Life Boat station to keep them operational.

 

 

 YWT will be losing a fair amount of revenue through the migration season with the road being closed to cars.

I took to the beach for a while and scanned the mud to see if anything different was around and there were 9 Grey Plover mixed in with the other birds. There was also a sad sight along the tide line - a dolphin sp. had become stranded and died -

I carried on and got back onto the footpath. Down at Chalk Bank I was sitting having a rest when a Roe Deer came strolling into view. It took its time to decide what to do then it was off and running, it jumped the fence and disappeared.

A few yards further on and 7 Wheatear came flying through the grassy area leading up to the Heligoland trap so I walked slowly along with them and enjoyed the great views they gave me. One flew onto the old debris and it was too good an opportunity to miss what with my sense of humour y'know -

Spring is sprung

 

I reached the lighthouse, having met and walked for 15 minutes with a knowledgeable visitor from Southampton on the way.

Spurn Lighthouse

White paint could do with another coat...

Willow Warblers were in the gardens of the empty houses down at the point, feeding quite openly as they had just arrived, and not skulking as they do normally -

I set off to walk back to the car park and had a few more Willow Warblers in the scrub -

There was also a Chiff Chaff singing in bushes just off the road. Then I had the shock of the day as I pushed through buckthorn bushes to get back onto the path, I put up a Woodcock! I had not expected that and it took me a second or two to get the bins onto it as it disappeared into the distance.

Strange lighting - these markers are green not blue?!

The Hebridean sheep that have been drafted in to keep the buckthorn down were munching away in the warmth of the afternoon sun -

 

To break the journey from trudging down the path I went onto the eastuary side beach again and scanned the mud flats for birds. In with the Redshank and Dunlin were a few Ringed Plover and 6 more Brent Geese, though they were a long way out and the photos have been severely cropped -

Ringed Plover and Dunlin

View back to the car park and of the damaged road area with a Coastguard vehicle approaching

The remainder of the walk back was uneventful apart from seeing about 20 Fieldfare and Redwing with a large of c.100 Starling, and when set off to drive home at 17:30 the temperature had reached 18 degrees. So, I'd enjoyed a really good day out doing what I enjoy - walking in the fresh air and birding, with one or two decent photos as well.