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February 2013 Bird Sightings Round-up
Fri 1st Mar, 2013
One of the star birds of the month actually appeared at the very end of January, but saved its best performance for February – the Grey Phalarope at Filey Brigg was relocated (by the Yorkshire Coast Nature tour group!) feeding close inshore in Filey Bay, giving fantastic views as it deftly plucked its microscopic prey from the water's surface. Staying until 2nd, presumably the same bird then appeared off Flamborough Head on 4th, and again on the Head's North Marsh reserve on 11th.
The same freshwater haven continued to prove attractive to the Tundra Bean Goose (amongst other Ansers and Brantas) until mid-month, while another popular long-stayer – the Barmston / Bridlington Bay Iceland Gull – stayed put until the 25th at least. The only other white-winged gull reported was from Hornsea Mere, where another Iceland Gull came in to roost on 8th, reflecting a modest winter for them.
Filey was the place to be for quality Podiceps, with a superbly obliging Slavonian Grebe taking up residence on the East Pool at the Dams for a full week from the 11th. Always a tough bird to catch up with, it was the first of its kind to grace the reserve and better views are hard to imagine. The month's only Red-necked Grebe was a brief visitor to Filey Bay on 18th, the same day and location of a sudden and impressive surge in Red-throated Diver numbers – 165 were counted offshore at Hunmanby Gap alone. Hornsea hosted single Black-necked Grebe and Great Northern Diver from mid-month onwards.
A Black Guillemot was a quality find off Long Nab on 9th, continuing a decent run of records for the species in recent times. Unseasonal seabirds involved single Manx Shearwaters off Flamborough and Spurn, Great Skuas off Long Nab, Filey and Flamborough, and a single Pomarine Skua off Spurn on 2nd. More expected seawatching records included a few Blue Fulmars, Great Northern Divers and Velvet Scoters, while Beacon Ponds was the best spot to catch up with Long-tailed Ducks – two resided there for much of the month.
A single Common Crane toured the coast on 18th and 19th, while two were belatedly reported over Scarborough on 27th. Equally dramatic but somewhat more cryptic were Bitterns, at Beacon Ponds on 9th and at Hornsea Mere for most of February, while small numbers of Waxwings, Lapland and Snow Buntings continued to brighten up a few locations.
Spring may seem like it's been a long time coming, but the first long-distance migrants are on their way – read all about them here.