Winter's heralds blow in from the Arctic

The first little auks of the year were being seen all along the east coast brought down from the high Arctic, while there was a good selection of other seabirds including large numbers of pomarine skuas and sooty shearwaters.

Whooper swans were arriving here in increasing numbers from their breeding grounds in Iceland, helped by the prevailing winds with 27 at Spurn, 19 at Potteric Carr, four at Thryberg Country Park, South Yorkshire and up to 30 in the Lower Derwent Valley between York and Selby where there is a regular winter herd at North Duffield Carrs.

On Monday, the first Bewick's swans were back at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust's reserve at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, the earliest date they have returned therefrom their breeding grounds in northern Siberia since 2003 when the first were also back on October 18 and raising fears of cold weather to come.

There were also more arrivals of pink-footed geese from Iceland with large numbers flying across the region while 32 brent geese were seen over Stainton, South Yorkshire and 40 barnacle geese at Hornsea Mere.

Rough-legged buzzards were seen over Buckton and Flamborough Head and four on Sunday at Spurn, the first record for five years there.

More sightings as the week progressed have raised hopes that there might be an influx of these birds underway after a successful breeding season in northern Scandinavia,helped by an ample supply

of voles for food.

This willbe welcome as rough-legged buzzards have been few and far between in the region for several winters now.

Seven northern bullfinches were seen at Spurn, larger and more colourful than our resident species and with a trumpeting call rather thanthe mournful whistle produced by our birds.

More than 20 mealy or common redpolls have also been reported along with lesser redpolls.

At least three waxwings were seen there while singles were reported at a number of other coastal sites and three in trees outside Burton Agnes hall near Bridlington while a juvenile rose-coloured starling was present in a garden at Easington.

Two Mediterranean gulls were back at the Holbeck Hall car park on South Cliff, Scarborough while a hooded crow was in Jackson's Bay and Richard's pipit at Cromer Point, Burniston.

A dusky warbler continued to be seen at Castle Hill, Scarborough while a

yellow-browed warbler was also there.A firecrest was in the Arndale Ravine and Siberian chiffchaff in a garden near the Church Ravine at Filey. A red-necked grebe was in Filey Bay.

Inland, jack snipe were arriving back for the winter withup to 20 at Wheldrake Ings in the Lower Derwent Valley, nine of which have been caught and ringed so far. There are also at least 600 common snipe on the reserve plus increasing numbers of wildfowl, including 2,000 wigeon and 1,500 teal.

A jack snipe has also been reported at the Fairburn Ings reserve near Castleford.

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CW 23/10/10