Spurn Migration in April

Sun 19th Apr, 2026

Over the bank holiday weekend, I made my weekly trip to Spurn as usual. Early April is always an interesting time of year, with the last of the winter visitors sprinkled here and there, and spring starting to bloom, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

With extra time for birding over the long weekend, I decided to initially explore Easington. Possibly overlooked by visitors, many great birds have turned up here, and so the chances of bumping into an early spring migrant felt promising. Already, Common Chiffchaffs were singing, the sun was shining, and it felt as though winter had finally released its grip. I headed to the top end of Vicar’s Lane and was pleased to hear my first Willow Warbler singing it’s familiar cascading song! Although I didn’t manage to spot it, I’ve always found so much enjoyment in listening to birds. Listening to my first singing Willow Warbler solidified that spring was finally here…

Common Chiffchaff - Spurn Bird Observatory April 2026 © Holly Fox

Or so I thought. The next few days consisted of heavy rain and strong winds - welcome Storm Dave! After making such an effort to visit Spurn, I felt the pressure to still bird in these conditions. Storms here can feel exciting, possibly bringing in new birds, and so with this in mind, my friend Harry and I headed out, planning to walk The Triangle.

We made our way through Church Field, with the sound of ringing tapes initially causing some excitement. It was here we found a Firecrest in one of the nets! We notified Paul Collins the Spurn Bird Observatory Ringer in Charge, who came to ring it, providing amazing views of this vibrant little bird. The next morning, I heard a Firecrest calling loudly in the observatory garden. Determined not to be fooled by the tapes again, I initially ignored this, until curiosity kicked in. I followed the sound, and not long after, a Firecrest appeared above my head!

Firecrest - Spurn Bird Observatory April 2026 © Holly Fox

I watched this bird for a while, catching insects and feeding up, ready to make the long journey across the North Sea and back to continental Europe. I noticed this bird didn’t have a ring unlike the one caught yesterday, meaning it must be a different individual.

That same day, the Spurn charity bike race was set to take place amidst the storm. Everyone was dressed up in costume and Kilnsea was alive with the buzz of visitors and regulars alike, all dancing and chatting in the Crown garden. It was lovely to spend time with everyone, and after a while, a few of us made our way to The Warren with the hopes of spotting some more spring arrivals.

The first Sandwich Tern of the year gave a lovely fly past, but the real highlight was a surprise Minke Whale, about 400m from the coast! I’ve seen many in the North Sea on passage during September, but never expected to encounter one so early in the year. Big thanks to Harry for spotting!

Minke Whale - Spurn Bird Observatory 3rd April 2026 © Harry Appleyard

Full of excitement from the previous evening, I made the plan to go to Easington Gas Terminal and then head to Sammy’s Point – both great birding spots. A quick flash of a red tail darting into the rocks opposite the Gas Terminal quickly caught my attention. Was that a redstart? 10 minutes waiting and no sign. I thought I’d gone mad. That is, until a Black Redstart popped up further down the rocks in front of me. Success! I watched for a while, happy knowing migration was really beginning.

Black Redstart - Spurn Bird Observatory April 2026 © Holly Fox

I continued the walk down to Sammy’s Point, finding a Northern Wheatear in the first paddock. Birds seemed to be trickling in around the recording area, having seen quite a few around in the last couple of weeks already. Regardless, I enjoyed watching this stunning male feeding away.

Northern Wheatear - Spurn Bird Observatory April 2026 © Holly Fox

Despite the strong winds, I continued up along the Canal Path, seeing my first two Barn Swallows of the year charging up the Humber – they didn’t seem like they wanted to stick around! Migration always strikes me, and seeing these birds passing through Spurn was magical. I’d had such a special weekend, with the mix of spring visitors, interesting weather, and the surprise Minke Whale. It always pays to get out despite a little bit of rain; you never know what you might find.

Holly-Marie Fox