Spurn Migration Festival 2014

I have just spent a long weekend at Spurn Bird Observatory helping out with the Migration Festival. This is the second year the event has been held and, like last year, my role was to give some of the bird ringing demonstrations. The weather was kind and provided a good selection of drift and passage migrants to the delight of the many people that attended. Guided walks, workshops, optics stands and entertaining and informative talks all helped make it a really good event. On top of that a good pub and a chance to catch up with old friends made it a great weekend. More information on Spurn Bird Observatory and the birds seen over the festival weekend can be found here and here.

Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria), a real crowd-pleaser.

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), a classic drift migrant at Spurn.

Adult male Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus).
 They don't get much better looking than this.

Adult male Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), same bird as above.

Mike Dilger, TV presenter and Patron of Spurn Bird Observatory, showed his naturalist's credentials with a really entertaining presentation.

It was not just the birds on show, the warm weather meant there were plenty of insects around like this Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum). 

Quite a few Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniculus) were on the move. The bird on the left had a plumage aberration that gave it very pale sandy wings although the rest of the plumage wasn't much paler than normal. Normal bird on right for comparison.

Another view of the 2 Reed Buntings with wings held open to show the marked difference in the colour of the wings.

Sunset over the Humber from the Crown and Anchor.

Andy Roadhouse enjoys a cigar and a pint outside the Crown and Anchor after a very busy and rewarding weekend.