A trip to Spurn on Halloween

The last day of October is Halloween, but it is also the last day in the season for the Spurn Explorer bus I've been using quite a bit this year. It is a foggy start with a promise of sunny weather later and the sun does start shining when I alight at Easington Caravan park. It is still cold, but with barely any wind it becomes mild as soon as the sun starts shining. I walk along the beach exploring the dunes and shingle. Two Stonechats feed on the bushes at the northernmost Beacon Lagoon, with some Redshanks also in attendance. A large flock of Linnets are picking seeds from dry Prickly Saltwort plants just above the tideline

Male Stonechat

Redshanks.

Stonechat.

Linnets.

A view of Beacon Lagoon.

I find the six Shore Larks by the lagoons, feeding on seeds of the Sea Asters and other low growing saltmarsh plants. They are staying together in a loose flock.

I next walk to the Beacon Pond hide and flush a Clouded Yellow from the path. A flock of 27 Twite fly calling over the hide. I have an early lunch and watch the good diversity of birds, with the tide still being quite high: Dunlin, Knot, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Shoveler and Wigeon. Afterwards, I head to Long Bank to try to spend more time watching the Shore Larks.

Reed Bunting.

Little Egret.

The path to Beacon Ponds hide.

Male Red-weined Darter. I see a hawker size dragonfly which dips behind the reeds and I can't find it again. Later I spot some Common Darters.

Pink-footed Geese with a Barnacle Goose.

Kestrel.

Grey Herons.

Shore Lark.

Three Shore Larks, there is a fair amount of chasing and squabbling, but the birds tend to move loosely together.

Grey Plover.

After Beacon Ponds, I head to Kilnsea Wetlands. There is only a little bit of water, and some Lapwing and gulls are on it. After, I head to the Discovery Centre for a hot drink. In the afternoon, I walk around the triangle and up Beacon Lane up to the hide. 

A Greylag flock at Kilnsea Wetlands, which has only a little bit of water.

One of the highland cattle grazing the wetlands.

And one of three highland cattle grazing the borrow pit.

The bus leaves back for Hull as the sun sets. The combination of winter birds, migration and the dragonflies and other insects in the lovely weather will be something I will remember from this day.