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Mark Pearson
 
September is one the best months for experiencing migration on the east coast, and there was plenty of action at Bempton and Buckton during the month. Keen-eyed locals and visitors alike picked out a succession of incoming goodies, and although the first part of the month was quiet, quality and quantity both improved significantly as the days passed ....
A Cuckoo and a Sedge Warbler (above) at Buckton on 2nd preceded five Snipe which arrived in off at the reserve on 5th, before a mini-arrival of classic September migrants began on 10th. Encouraging drift conditions from the continent brought two Redstarts, two Pied and one Spotted Flycatcher to Buckton, followed by both flycatchers at Bempton the next day. It was the 12th, however, that really delivered; Two Redstarts, a Garden Warbler and both flycatchers on the reserve were a nice haul, but over at Buckton, a similar cast (plus a Marsh Harrier) were upstaged by an Icterine Warbler, later trapped, ringed and released by RSPB's Mark Thomas.
Icterine Warbler (David Aitken)
 
Five Redstarts and a Spotted Flycatcher on the reserve on 15th were followed by a Grey Wagtail, a Blackcap, two each of Wheatear (below) and Goldcrest, four Whinchats and a Redstart at Buckton on 17th; alongside a Marsh Harrier and two Goldcrests, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Treecreeper were welcome woodland scarcities on the reserve the next day.
A good variety of migrants both overhead and grounded at Buckton on 19th included three Common Buzzards, five Sparrowhawks, 60 Lapwings, eight Golden Plovers, nine Whinchats, a Reed Warbler, a Goldcrest and a locally rare Yellow-legged Gull. The buzzard action kicked in even more impressively the next day, with a minimum of 13 moving through the area, while a Great Northern Diver lumbered south-east over the reserve.
Garden Warbler (David Aitken)
 
A quiet few days followed before an excellent record of three Cranes heading south over Speeton (on the western edge of our area) on 25th - they were later seen heading south across the Humber at Spurn. Overhead action - or visible migration - continued to make the headlines on 26th, when 239 Pink-footed Geese heralded the beginning of this species annual arrival into the UK.
Redstart (Mark Thomas)
 
The last few days of the month, meanwhile, hinted strongly at an impending arrival from further north and east, and after the first Redwing of the season on 27th, the first Yellow-browed Warbler was uncovered at Buckton, followed by two more in the trees by the village pond there on 30th. Were they the harbingers of a bigger arrival around the corner? Tune in next time to find out....
 
Mark James Pearson
 
Thanks to David Aitken at Bempton RSPB and Flamborough Bird Observatory for supplying records (and to the many observers who reported their sightings to them).