During the whole of the weekend, the calls of Sandwich terns provided the background noise as adults moved back and forth over the peninsula. The adults would be carrying fish and were often being followed by their fledglings. Sandwich Terns do not breed at Spurn, but ringing recoveries indicate the birds have bred in Dutch islands. After breeding, individuals gather at Beacon Ponds and fish offshore from Spurn. At dusk, flocks collect to fly to sandbanks off the Lincolnshire coast to roost. Over a thousands have been counted at Spurn during this time of the year. We saw many scaly backed young at Kilnsea Wetlands and Beacon ponds. Sandwich terns winter in West Africa and Arabia and they are a stark reminder that migration is not a simple north-south movement and that often includes local and regional movements to good feeding grounds, resting, moulting and roosting.
A Sandwich Tern with gulls loafing at Kilnsea Wetlands. I watched an adult Mediterranean Gull also in the same spot.
Beach Combing
The north sea was so flat the kids practiced at skimming stones.
A large beached Edible Crab, Cancer pagurus
Ringed Plover demonstrating its superb camouflage on the shingle.
We found some egg cases of the Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula. Identified with the Shark Trust identification key for egg cases.
Some of our party crossing the breach. This is the section of the peninsula that was washed over by winter storms in December 2013. It is walkable most of the time, but not at high spring tides. Check tide-times before attempt crossing the breach.
Graham and Mike found and excavated an almost complete skeleton of a Harbour Seal, Phoca vitulina, under the tarmac of the old road. They donated it to the YWT.
Insects
Spurn is well known as a bird migration hotspot, but it is also a great spot for insects as it has many diverse habitats.
A Scaeva pyrastri hoverfly, a known migrant that often appears in the wake of heat waves.
Magpie Moth, Abraxas grossulariata
Six-spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae, a day flying moth.
A short stroll from the breach back to the discovery centre allowed us to watch the patches of flowering Sea lavender scattered on the green marsh. It was high tide and a group of Golden Plover and Whimbrel were resting on the edge of the marsh.
Clubley's Scrape is a well hidden gem at Spurn, as it is not visible from the coastal path or from the road to the peninsula. It is a set of three shallow ponds excavated in 1992. All held water, although were much lower than usual. I spent some time watching dragonflies there.
One of the Clubley's scrapes.
Male Black-tailed Skimmer resting on the dry mud, a typical activity of this species.
A male Emperor patrolling its scrape empire.
Male Common Darter on a board. Several pairs were ovipositing on the scrapes.
I spent a few minutes watching the Snipe from the hide at Canal Scrape. A pair very close to the hide windows.
Snipe.
Snipe.
One of the Swallows breeding inside the Canal Scrape hide.
Westmere Farm and Kilnsea WetlandsAfter settling in my accommodation I walked through the farm footpath to Kilnsea Wetlands. A Small Tortoiseshell and a Red Admiral fluttered on the hedgerows and field edges, which had many flowering thistles. I spotted the shapes of two hares on the crop. They run to the other side of the field.
Brown Hares.
One of the scrapes at Kilnsea Wetlands, holding a pair of Avocets with a grown chick.
I spent some time in the hide at Kilnsea Wetlands. It is best at high tide, when waders and gulls move in from the mudflats, but there were many birds still.
Dunlin.
Lapwing.
Knot.
Avocet and chick.
Flock of Sandwich Terns fly over.
A Pied wagtail hovers gathering insects from the shore surface.
Five Pied Wagtail fledglings descend upon the adult to be fed.
The stunning sunset view we got when walking back from a meal at the Crown and Anchor pub.
