January field meeting to the East Coast

January’s YOC trip was to the East Coast, it was a decent turnout with 13 people coming along. Having driven through heavy rain, we were rather concerned about whether starting at Filey Brigg was a good idea. However, the rain stopped soon after arriving though the wind did not so it was difficult to focus on anything from Carr Naze. To find some shelter, we headed down to the Brigg itself. Good views of a dozen or so Purple Sandpipers, a couple of Red-throated Divers, Shags and a close Rock Pipit were highlights for most though a few people saw Little Gull and one or two saw a Black-throated Diver fly past. Despite much searching we failed to find the Surf Scoter that had been seen recently.

After that we headed to Holbeck car park at Scarborough for lunch where 10 Mediterranean Gulls were a treat, including one first winter and one second winter. From here we spent some time scanning the sea from below the car park and picked up an active Black-throated Diver. Then to Marine Drive where a pair of Peregrines showed well on the cliffs and close views of more Red-throated Divers and Guillemots were had offshore. After much searching, we found the Black-necked Grebes in the harbour and, with the tide high by then, had close views of the Purple Sandpiper roost, and a few of us saw a Little Gull really close in. We then enjoyed the grebes again in the last of the light before the return journey.

Rob Chapman