Trip reports
Field Trip to Spurn Point
Clouded Yellow by RO
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Almost as soon as we disembarked from the coach a crossbill that had been seen further along the spit, flew over, calling loudly. Reports of a great grey shrike arriving early caused a search of all the likely places, without any positive results. It was pleasing that most of the scrub contained birds and soon most of the commoner birds such as linnets, goldfinch, reed buntings and yellow hammers, were quickly spotted. The first redwings were seen by some of the group, but not all!
The church yard provided spotted flycatcher, pied flycatcher and chiffchaffs, but the search for the elusive great grey shrike continued for some with a long distance walk to Sammy's Point. Despite being a long hot walk the shrike seemed to want to remain unseen, but curlew and godwits provided good views, with a weasel and roe deer also seen.
On the Beacon pools brent geese rested after their long migration, demonstrating that despite the warm sunshine, autumn was very close. A sandhill crane that was further north was reported heading south and all hoped it might make landfall at Spurn, but the next report was that it was in Suffolk! However the pallid swift flying along the north coast was 'claimed' at our site and indeed a swift sp. was seen and it was left to individuals to decide if it could be claimed by them!
A total of 68 species was seen, with jack snipe and velvet scoter being two of the highlights, depending on the view taken on the pallid swift. There was plenty to see on the reserve and the writers highlight was the spotted flycatcher, the first of the year, showing how this once common bird as declined.
It was also interesting to observe the real 'twitchers' dashing about with radios at the ready, constant broadcasts sending them scurrying of to some obscure location, to view some possible rarity, that may or may not have been. All seemingly ignoring the wealth of 'commoner' wildlife easily available to appreciate by mere birders!
RO