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Mark Pearson
 
Welcome to the third migration round-up of the autumn, this time for the month of October. As in previous summaries, as part of the same area (and only a short walk west of the reserve!) we've included neighbouring Buckton in our summaries to give a better overall picture of what's happening locally. So, with potentially the most exciting month in the migration calendar upon us, did October flatter to deceive, or did it live up to the hype and deliver on its promises? If you thought Bempton was all about seabirds, you might want to think again.....
 
 
Firecrest (Paul Reed)
 
It all started promisingly enough, with five Common Buzzards in the area, 94 Pink-footed Geese heading south from their Arctic breeding grounds, and three Yellow-browed Warblers - tiny Siberian sprites that are becoming a regular fixture of the autumn here at Bempton - in the Buckton area, all on 1st. A good smattering of migrants over the next few days included several Stonechats, Redstarts, commoner warblers, single Pied Flycatcher and Whinchat, several Bramblings and a nice influx of Ring Ouzels, peaking with seven at Buckton and three at Bempton on 6th.
 
 
Great Grey Shrike (Mark Thomas)
 
The star birds of the first week, however, both stayed a few days and allowed plenty of admirers to catch up with them - a superbly tame Lapland Bunting on the reserve for several days from 5th, and a Great Grey Shrike at Buckton. Not a bad first week! Four Wheatears on 8th still had a long way to go, but 430 Pink-feet on the same day were almost back on their wintering grounds; four each of Ring Ouzel and Stonechat and a White Wagtail added more quality, and the second week of the month still had plenty more in store. A Great Northern Diver off the viewpoints on 9th was the first of several sightings, the same day a Short-eared Owl in off the sea provided a suitably vivid image of continental immigration, and two new Yellow-browed Warblers materialised, at the reserve and Buckton respectively.
 
 
Lapland Bunting (Dave Aitken)
 
Several more Ring Ouzels arrived over the coming week, plus a Whinchat and a few more Stonechats. A Little Owl at Buckton was unusual on 11th, but the day was more notable for the first major influx of Goldcrests, with at least 90 there (40 of which were ringed). Hard though it may be to believe, these tiny, delicate little migrants routinely make North Sea crossings, often in seemingly deadly conditions...
 
 
Yellow-browed Warbler (Mark Thomas)
 
Another Yellow-browed Warbler on the same day was followed by two more - on the reserve and at Buckton - on 12th & 13th, with a Firecrest also in the mix - well worth meticulously checking through those 'crest flocks, then (and the best was yet to come). Bempton hosted a new Great Grey Shrike on 14th (found by warden Dave Aitken) - and with the first half of the month already having provided a fantastic array of land-based migrants, much more would surely be a luxury. But with the weather system fixed in a very promising position (easterly winds from a long way away), there was no time for laurel-resting, and October turned out to be the month that kept on giving...
 
 
Olive-backed Pipit (Lee Johnson)
 
The 15th was one of those cracking autumnal days you dream about as an east coast birder, and RSPB's Mark Thomas must have been pinching himself to make sure he was awake at Buckton - not content with trapping and ringing an Olive-backed Pipit, he also caught a Pallas's Warbler, found a second, and had tasty back-up in the shape of Snow and Lapland Buntings, one Long-eared and three Short-eared Owls, 90 Goldcrests and a Firecrest.
 
 
Pallas's Warbler (Lee Johnson)
 
Classic late autumn incomers the following day included Water Rail, Woodcock, 200 Redwings and a whopping 250 Goldcrests in the area, with another Firecrest and 15 Barnacle Geese on 18th. A quiet few days followed - the first and last time in October that could be said - but a Siberian Chiffchaff on the reserve on 23rd kicked off another run of quality birds, and was followed by a Black Redstart in Bempton village on 25th, two more Lapland Buntings at Buckton on 26th, a locally super-rare Spotted Redshank at Buckton pond on 30th, and - just to round things off perfectly for staff and visitors alike - a superb Hen Harrier hunting gracefully around the Seabird Centre on 31st. It'll take a lot to beat all that next year, but you never know.....
 
Mark James Pearson
 
Special thanks to Flamborough Bird Observatory - for daily sightings, see here.
 
Black Redstart (John Beaumont)