Easterly winds bring goldfinches galore

Easterly winds have brought many more migrating birds to the Yorkshire coast, some in record numbers.

There was a huge influx of 4,975 goldfinches to the Spurn peninsula on Wednesday last week, beating the previous bird observatory record of 4,650 set on October 7, 2004.

These are goldfinches from Scandinavia and northern Europe all of which migrate south in autumn to anywhere around the Mediterranean while there are ample supplies of seeds to feed on.

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British goldfinches are only partial migrants. Part of the population, mainly the males, stay here throughout the winter and increasing numbers are now being seen at garden birdfeeders, tempted there by niger seeds which they favour.

The females, which share the same black, white and red head markings as the males but which have slightly shorter bills, move across to France, Spain and Portugal for the winter, a pattern seen in several other finch species, particularly chaffinches.

More winter thrushes have been on the move, particularly redwings, song thrushes and blackbirds while large numbers of ring ouzels have been seen along the coast, with 21 present one day at Flamborough Head.

Great grey shrikes have continued to be seen along the coast in what must be a record arrival andthree have now been reported inland in Yorkshire – one along the track from Kettlewell to Hag Dyke in the Yorkshire Dales, one in a quarry at Holmfirth and one briefly at Ossett. A wryneck was seen at Clapham.

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Lapland buntings continue to be seen all around the English coastline and with many reports of individuals seen inland. In Yorkshire, one was seen flying over Swillington Ings, near Leeds, a first for the site, and another over Redmires reservoir, South Yorkshire.

Chiffchaffs have also been moving down the coast with at least 60 seen at Castle Hill, Scarborough, while a Siberian chiffchaff was seen at Flamborough.

Goldcrests have also been seen in large numbers and two firecrests were seen with them at Spurn Point.

Yellow-browed warblers have continued to be reported all along the east coast while one was seen inland at the Nosterfield nature reserve, North Yorkshire.

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Radde's warblers were seen at Filey Country Park and Kilnsea, while a dusky and an Icterine warbler were both on Castle Hill, Scarborough. Pallas's warblers were seen at Filey and Flamborough where at least three were present.

Rustic and little buntings, up to four shore larks, red-breasted flycatcher, barred warbler, hawfinch and corncrake were among other birds seen at Spurn.

A grey phalarope, Slavonian grebe, black tern and velvet scoter were on Hornsea Mere. A North American vagrant, a red-eyed vireo, was seen at Seaton Carew, in Cleveland, while an adult red-backed and great grey shrike were both at South Gare where a wryneck and hoopoewere also seen. A red-flanked bluetails was at Saltburn. Two ospreys have spend several days at a fishery near Crockey Hill, North Yorkshire while three Cetti's warblers, a drake ferruginous duck, seven common scoters, a female scaup and two red-crested pochards were at Wintersett reservoir.

A drake scaup and red-breasted merganser were seen at Anglers Country Park and drake long-tailed duck and scaup was at Swillington Ings.

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There have been several inland sightings of juvenile gannets, including one rescued by reader Mrs Jane Leach and her husband from a moorland road near Queensbury, West Yorkshire late at night. The angry bird was secured in a duvet cover before being taken to their home. The following day it was collected by the RSPCA and later released none the worse for its experience.

CW 16/10/10