25th April 2021 - Kettleness, Ring Ouzel and Grasshopper Warbler

An early start saw me arrive at Kettleness at 6.15am. A sunny morning but very cold as temperatures dropped overnight. The drive across the moors produced two Barn Owls hunting the roadside verges and a single Snipe standing proudly on a fence post. Two Red Grouse shot low across the road.

Arriving at Kettleness, the first birds in evidence were a couple of Swallows around the farm buildings. Chiffchaffs were in evidence in the gully as were a few Blackbirds, a close relative of the days target bird Ring Ouzel. 

Today’s route was a walk along the cliffs to the top of the steps at Runswick Bay and then back along the back path to return to Kettleness. The tide was low so I was hoping for waders on the scar but just a few Oystercatchers and single Curlew today.

Willow Warblers had increased in numbers with at least 14 across the site plus 6 Whitethroats which were new for the year.

The sea was quiet with the expected Fulmars and Kittiwakes along the cliffs. 2 Gannet flew north.

Coming to the end of the walk, a Wheatears was in the Triangle field near the Scout Hall. A scan of the field then produced another Wheatear before a fine male Ring Ouzel emerged from the ditch by the hedge to start feeding at the field edge. Reaching for my camera, I was then surprised to see another male join the first. Wonderful birds, a few had been turning up at easy coast sites, so I had hoped to find one this morning.

As I left Kettlensss, I opted to walk a short way down the farm track just past Goldsborough. Another Whitethroat was singing away and in the distance amid the constant sound of Skylarks was a reeling Grasshopper Warbler. Halfway down the hedge was a bramble patch, and it was sitting in the open reeling periodically