Bumper year expected for Lapland bunting

It is one of the most numerous of the arctic passerines and ranges from Lapland all across Siberia and Canada to Greenland.

This promises to be a bumper year for them. Normally between 200 and 300 arrive in the British Isles mainly in September and October but this year there have been unprecedented numbers arriving since the end of August with three figure totals reported from many sites in Scotland and Ireland and huge numbers passing through Iceland.

The Fair Isle observatory had a record flock of 195 last month.

The majority are thought to have come from Greenland, helped by the prevailing winds in August and September, and a bumper breeding season.

Lapland buntings rear their families quickly incubating their eggs and fledging young in less than a month and perhaps the milder conditions in Greenland have enabled them to rear two broods.

It is likely that in the coming weeks more will move south to Filey, Flamborough and Spurn, so far a flock of 50 has been seen in a stubble field at Buckton, 28 at Kilnsea, 19 at Spurn, and 15 at Long Nab, Burniston.

In summer plumage, the male Lapland bunting is a handsome bird with a bold black and white head pattern and bright chestnut nape.

But by autumn this finery has gone and both sexes have streaky brown plumage although they still retain a chestnut patch behind the head.

They also have very long hind toes and claws which give them their North American name of longspur.

A rare vagrant, a rustic bunting was still present this week in a setaside field near North Landing, Flamborough.

This bird, a first winter or female, should be wintering in South East Asia.

The rustic bunting has expanded its breeding range over much of Sweden, Finland and parts of Norway but is still a rare sight on the Yorkshire coast with only some 60 previous records in the county.

Shore larks were seen at Long Nab, Burniston and South Gare, Cleveland although so far there have only been one or two snow buntings.

Great shrikes continue to be seen along the Yorkshire coast with up to three at Spurn and two at Flamborough. Yellow-browed warblers continue to be reported and a wryneck has remained at Carr Naze, Filey.

Four Slavonian grebes have been seen at Hornsea Mere, one from the RSPB's Skua and Shearwater Cruise from Bridlington and one inland at Lakeside, Doncaster.

An American golden plover, slightly smaller and slimmerthan our resident bird and with a broad white stripe over the eye, has been with a mixed golden plover and lapwing flock on a flooded field near the village of Great Heck, East Yorkshire.

An adult Sabine's gull called in briefly at Bank Island in the Lower Derwent Valley between York and Selby while a rough-legged buzzard was reported hovering over Sutton on the Forest near York.

The 2011 Yorkshire Wildlife calendars produced bywildlife tutor Michael Flowers, are now available. They feature 27 pictures, plus text on what to see and where to see it each month, and cost 7.50. See www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.com or contact Michael on 07946 625688 or email: [email protected]. Mention this column, and 1 for each calendar purchased will be donated to Spurn Bird Observatory

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CW 9/10/10