23 October 2022- Spurn/Kilnsea/Easington

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Pallas's Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Jack Snipe, Ring Ouzel, Spotted Redshank

Had a day trip to Spurn and area with Andrew and Simon. The weather forecast wasn't looking good, with lots of rain forecast from mid-morning, but we arrived around 8:30, and wandered around Vicar's lane at Easington. A few Goldcrests were around, with one Chiffchaff seen. There had been reports of both Pallas's and Yellow-browed, but we couldn't find either, until we started heading back to the car, when Andrew picked up a warbler in the hedge. Initially thought to be Yellow-browed, it soon showed its crown stripe and proved to be Pallas's. Unfortunately it was soon lost to view. We then headed to the Crown & Anchor car park at Kilnsea where a Yellow-browed was present, and after a few minutes, managed reasonable views of the bird. It appeared much whiter and less yellow-toned than the Pallas's.

Moments later it began to rain heavily, and continued to do so for the next three or four hours. We retired to the Canal Scrape hide and spent the whole time in there, waiting for the weather to break. A Jack Snipe was ever-present at the back of the pool, but always distant and usually obscured, and a male Ring Ouzel appeared a couple of times, feeding with Redwings. A couple of Swallows passed through, but otherwise we were mainly watching the Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Dunlin and a couple of Common Snipe on the pool, in the deluge.

At around 3pm it began to clear, and after a cup of coffee and a bite to eat in the cafe we ventured out again. Andrew and I had brief views of a Firecrest, but sadly Simon didn't get onto it. Other birds seen were several Little Egrets, Grey Plovers, a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits and a few of Stonechat and Reed Buntings. Goldcrests seemed to be the commonest small bird.

Before heading home we called in at Kilnsea Wetlands where a few new species for the day were seen, including Shoveler, Pintail, Golden Plover, Avocet, Mediterranean Gull and a single Spotted Redshank among the roosting Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits.

Jack Snipe, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 3200