15 Oct - One of my most memorable birding days in the UK for a long time, prompted by the first mainland record of Siberian Accentor (following on the heels of the first for the UK as a whole, in Shetland). I left home at the fairly civilised hour of 5.30am, and arrived on site knowing the bird was present for a 3rd day - by 9.15 I was watching it feeding, down to a distance of 3m. A striking Accentor that I've seen previously in China, and a product of the prolonged easterlies of the last 2 weeks. These same winds meant the Spurn peninsula was heaving with migrants - the first bird I saw when parking was a Short-eared Owl coming in - and thousands of winter thrushes were arriving overhead, mainly Redwings, but Fieldfares and Song Thrushes also in evidence, with continental Blackbirds and a juvenile Ring Ouzel also seen. The hedges were heaving with Goldcrests, and amongst them I saw 2 Firecrests and 2 stunning Pallas's Warblers,
the latter seen well in the sun that appeared late morning, showing its stripes and yellow rump. A Dusky Warbler was uncharacteristically obliging in the canal zone reeds, and a Jack Snipe bobbed in the grass from the hide while a Woodcock flew round.
A Shorelark had been obliging for a couple of days by the Bluebell car park, and posed for the camera while creeping across the shingle. Bramblings were also around both perched and moving through, together with Tree Sparrows, Siskins and Redpolls.
Redstart and Black Redstart also obliged later at Easington. Even a last few Swallows were moving south. Late morning, both Bean and White-fronted Geese moved through S overhead. Lots of birds, and many birders, a classic east coast birding experience, exciting, and very memorable. And fantastic organisation by the Spurn staff on site, especially parking, to avoid upsetting local residents.
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