JANUARY 2008
The Desert Wheatear just made it into 2008 at Cromer Point (2nd), with its companion the Northern Wheatear (to 19th). The Water Pipit was also faithful to Cromer Pond. Long stayers included a Scaup and Black-throated Diver at Burton Riggs and a Chiffchaff there (6th-7th). A redhead Smew was at Wykeham Lakes, and Velvet Scoter and Great Northern Diver passed Marine Drive (4th). Gulls included Little Gulls at Scalby Mills (4th) and Marine Drive (6th), plus a Glaucous Gull at Scalby Mills (21st). An excellent find on a birdrace was a Grey Phalarope off Marine Drive (6th) one of 111 species seen locally that day by the Scarborough Team. One species which did elude them was a Twite seen briefly at Cromer Point. A White-fronted Goose moved around with the Greylag flock and up to six Pink-footed Geese were at Scalby Lodge Pond with 1400 over Ravenscar (28th). Male Hen Harriers were seen at Sawdon (14th), and Stoupe Brow (28th), and two Short-eared Owls were at Star Carr. Good numbers of Crossbills were in the forests and a Great Grey Shrike was in Langdale Forest (23rd). The month ended with another good wader when an Avocet flew south at Cromer Point (31st).

FEBRUARY 2008
Long staying winterers included the Wheatear and Water Pipit at Cromer Point. Six Mediterranean Gulls were at Holbeck Car Park including the ever faithful Serbian ringed bird. Forty Brambling were at Dalby Forest together with good numbers of Crossbills. Crossbills were also widespread in Langdale and Wykeham Forests. The Black-throated Diver (to 17th) and Scaup (to 23rd) were at Burton Riggs, and two White-fronted Geese were at Wykeham Lakes (23rd). Up to eight Snow Buntings could be found at Scalby Lodge (9th).

MARCH 2008
Up to five Mediterranean Gulls frequented their usual haunt of Holbeck car park in South Bay, a different bird at Scalby Mills (3rd). Purple Sandpipers roosting at the harbour peaked at 37. Other long stayers included a female Scaup at Burton Riggs, and a Red-breasted Merganser at Seamer Road Mere. Three Whooper Swans joined the Mute Swans at West Ayton Carr. Common Buzzard movement included one over Cromer Point (6th), and one over Howdale Moor (14th). A female Smew was seen at Wykeham Lakes (9th to 16th), and a Brent Goose there (18th). Six Waxwings were on the edge of the recording area at Pickering (11th) and the first returning Chiffchaff at Scalby Beck (11th). Glaucous Gulls were at Cayton Flash (14th) and Seamer Tip (27th). Two “Nordic” Jackdaws were reported at Seamer Tip (27th). A Little Gull visited Scalby Lodge Pond (24th). The last day of the month saw the first Wheatear at Scalby Lodge and two White Wagtails at Cromer Point.

APRIL 2008
Star birds were a Hoopoe at Scalby Lodge Farm (26th), Great Grey Shrike at Old Scarborough Tip (15th), and two Northern Bullfinches at Stile Scrub (5th). The month started with a Little Ringed Plover at Scalby Lodge Pond and two Ring Ouzels at Ravenscar. Two Avocets and a Hooded Crow put in a brief visit to Scalby Lodge Pond (3rd). Bramblings visited gardens by North Cliff Golf Course mid month, peaking at five. A Ring Ouzel was at Scalby Lodge (18th) and a migrant Green Sandpiper at Cloughton (22nd). The first Grasshopper Warbler was at Scalby Nab and Redstart at Scalby Lodge (23rd). Two more Ring Ouzels were at Ravenscar (24th), and a breeding plumage Spotted Redshank was at Cayton Carr (25th – 28th) and a Black-tailed Godwit (27th – 28th) plus a Black-tasiled Godwit at Scalby Lodge Pond (27th). Black Redstarts appeared at Scalby (25th), and Langdale End (26th). A Firecrest was at Castle Hill, Blue-headed Wagtail at Sclby Lodge with 25 Yellow Wagtails and 20 Wheatears (28th).

MAY 2008
A male Grey-headed Wagtail was at Scalby Lodge Pond (3rd/4th) plus a Hooded Crow there. A Black Tern flew over Wykeham Lakes (4th). A total of at least eight Wood Sandpipers passed through Scalby Lodge Pond. A Black Redstart was at Marine Drive (17th) and three Little Egrets flew north at Cloughton (18th). An unseasonal Long-eared Owl was at Cromer Point (19th) and the first Yellow-legged Gull of the year at Scalby Lodge Pond (22nd). The first Hobby was over Burniston (23rd) and an Osprey flew over Langdale Forest (25th). An easterly airflow livened things up in the last week; Red-backed Shrikes at Stoupe Brow (24th), and Castle Hill and Scalby (31st).Two or three Icterine Warblers, two Marsh Warblers, a Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher were at Castle Hill (28th to 31st). A Pied Flycatcher was also seen at Sycarham Wood, Cloughton Wyke (27th). Other raptors included Red Kite over Scalby (30th) and the only Marsh Harrier over there the next day. Crossbills were numerous and widespread in the forests, 60 at Harwood Dale Forest the largest flock (30th).

JUNE 2008
Two sightings of Black Kites over Wykeham Forest was the highlight of a relatively quiet month (10th and 29th). A Grey-headed Wagtail was at Scalby Lodge Pond (2nd) followed by a Quail at Stoupe Brow, Ravenscar (4th). A late Fieldfare was at Cayton Carr (8th) and several Turtle Dove sightings came from the forests. Honey Buzzards were showing well at the Wykeham Forest Raptor Viewpoint with up to three birds seen at once. Crossbills were also very evident in all the forests. A Merlin at Scalby Lodge Pond (24th) was unseasonal. Waders started to return in the last week including Spotted Redshank at Scalby Lodge Pond (25th), both Bar and Black-tailed Godwits and Common Sandpipers on the move. A Little Gull was also seen at Scalby Lodge Pond (30th).

JULY 2008
A Little Egret was at Scalby Lodge Pond (1st). Waders were moving through in good numbers; Scalby Lodge Pond scoring a Green Sandpiper, several Greenshanks and Whimbrels, and a Wood Sandpiper. A Pomarine Skua flew north off Marine Drive (6th), the same day seeing 2470 Swifts flying south along the coast. Southerly passage at Long Nab (7th) included a Hobby, Short-eared Owl and 1500 Swifts. Wykeham Forest Raptor Viewpoint was quite productive with up to seven Honey Buzzards, eight Goshawks, three Hobbies, Osprey, and Marsh Harrier in the latter half of the month. Three Mediterranean Gulls had returned to South Bay (4th), and a Yellow-legged Gull and Mediterranean Gull were in the Wykeham Lakes gull roost (17th). Northerly winds brought some interesting sea birds starting with a Velvet Scoter past Marine Drive (19th), the first Sooty Shearwater past Long Nab (20th), followed by three the next day there and a “Blue” Fulmar and 400 Arctic Terns moving back north. The first Wheatears of autumn were at Cromer Point (27th), and 90 Common Terns plus a Little Gull were roosting at Scalby Mills (29th).

AUGUST 2008
Star birds were a Black Kite over Scalby (23rd), a Raven at Hilla Green (26th), and a Sabine’s Gull past Long Nab (8th). There were some good coastal wader movements the best daily tally of 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 50 Knot, 10 Greenshank, and a Spotted Redshank (18th). Three Osprey sightings; south past the Castle Headland (10th), over Hackness (16th), and south-west over Snainton (20th). Honey Buzzards and Goshawks continued to show well at Wykeham Forest Raptor Viewpoint, plus several Hobby sightings including three at Langdale Forest (17th). There was a series of Marsh Harrier records starting with one south at Long Nab (14th), Hackness (15th), and up to three along the coastal strip between Burniston and Scalby Lodge (17th to 29th). A Hen Harrier was at Fylingdale Moors (21st). A Wood Warbler at Scalby Beck was a good find (10th). A Long-tailed Skua and two Roseate Terns passed Long Nab (18th). Two Yellow-legged Gulls joined a roost of 600 LBB Gulls at Wykeham Lakes (20th).

SEPTEMBER 2008

A Great White Egret at Long Nab (1st) was a new species for the district. Easterly winds brought a selection of rare/scarce migrants. A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling visited feeders in a Burniston Garden (24th – 27th), a Wryneck was at Long Nab (7th), two Red-breasted Flycatchers to Castle Hill (16th), a Barred Warbler at Long Nab (15th) and four Yellow-browed Warblers (from 15th). On the sea Balearic Shearwaters passed Long Nab (12th), and two past Marine Drive (23rd), two Sabine’s Gulls flew past Marine Drive (22nd), and a Roseate Tern past Long Nab (3rd). Raptor passage along the coast (13th – 19th) saw a minimum of 12 Honey Buzzards (plus six probables), an Osprey, Hobby  and several Sparrowhawks. A Nuthatch at Castle Hill was a surprise first for the site (17th).

OCTOBER 2008

An adult White-billed Diver in full breeding plumage flew close south past Long Nab (29th), plus a Grey Phalarope and two Black-throated Divers. A Pallas’s Warbler was at Castle Hill (30th) and a Waxwing there the next day. A Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Cromer Point (7th), and a showy Yellow-browed Warbler at Scalby Lodge (8th). Two Long-tailed Skuas and 12 Sooty Shearwaters passed Long Nab (3rd), and three Pomarine Skuas there (2nd), plus one off Jackson’s Bay (15th). Several Great Northern Divers were seen, up to three past Long Nab. A Curlew Sandpiper was at pools on Eastfield Industrial Estate (2nd/3rd), 63 Barnacle Geese flew north at Long Nab  (3rd). Jack Snipes were found at Cromer Point and Scalby Lodge Pond, up to two at the former site (13th). Six Mediterranean Gulls were in South Bay, and two Arctic Terns off Long Nab (29th). Whooper Swans frequented Scalby Lodge Pond in the third week with up to 15 seen (25th). Up to three Lapland Buntings were seen in coastal stubble, and 11 Snow Buntings came in off the sea at Long Nab (29th). Two Twite were at Cromer Point (16th), and one past Long Nab (19th).

NOVEMBER 2008
The star bird was a Radde’s Warbler at Castle Hill(7th), the first district record. The same day produced both Pallas’s and Yellow-browed Warblers at the Castle Headland. A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Hundale, Long Nab (8th), and a Ring Ouzel at Cloughton (9th). Waxwings were seen at Castle Hill, Scarborough town centre, and Cloughton (5th-9th), two at East Ayton (28th), and one at Langdale Forest (30th). Four Bewick’s Swans paid a brief visit to Cayton Carr (1st). Seabirds were driven inshore by fresh winds early month, 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 10 Velvet Scoters, 9 Long-tailed Ducks, 3 Little Auks, and a Leach’s Petrel were all recorded. A Long-tailed Duck and Great Northern Diver lingered around the harbour mid month, plus an Arctic Tern there (4th-7th). Two Lapland Buntings were at Long Nab (2nd). A Common Swift was a late sighting at Hilla Green (6th). A juvenile Iceland Gull frequented the harbour (7th – 27th) plus possibly a different bird at Burton Riggs (28th), and up to six Mediterranean Gulls were in South Bay. Three Great Grey Shrikes were found in the forests, one at Wykeham Forest (15th-19th), and two in Langdale Forest (30th). A Red-necked Grebe was in the harbour (29th-30th).

DECEMBER 2008
Long stayers included a Red-necked Grebe in the harbour, moving to North Bay towards the end of the month, 6 Mediterranean Gulls at Holbeck, 47 Purple Sandpipers at their high tide roost on the East Pier, a Red-breasted Merganser and two Eiders at the harbour. Two Great Grey Shrikes were wintering in Langdale Forest with a third at Wykeham Forest. A Common Redpoll was also in Langdale Forest (8th), another good inland passerine being a Snow Bunting at West Ayton Carr (14th). Iceland Gulls were at the harbour (9th) and Wykeham Lakes (27th). Glaucous Gulls were at Cromer Point (17th), and Seamer Tip (29th/30th). A Bean Goose made a brief visit to Scalby Lodge Pond (7th), and the only Great Northern Diver was at South Bay (12th). A showy Water Rail was at Northstead Manor Gardens. A Curlew count between Gristhorpe and Cornelian Bay totalled 160. The end of the month saw a Hooded Crow and “Nordic” Jackdaw at Seamer Tip (29th/30th).