Birds to See in East Riding of Yorkshire in October
182 species matching this filter.
October is a rewarding month for birdwatching in the East Riding of Yorkshire, with around 182 species recorded across its diverse habitats of coastal estuaries, chalk wolds, and low-lying farmland. The Humber Estuary and Flamborough Head attract significant numbers of autumn migrants and winter arrivals, including Northern Pintail, Common Merganser, and Eurasian Woodcock. Scarcer visitors such as Great Grey Shrike and Horned Lark add excitement for keen birders scanning the hedgerows and coastal margins.
New in October20
Resident
(135)
Arctic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticusLC
An uncommon but regular sight offshore from summer through autumn, harassing terns and gulls. Best seen from Flamborough and Spurn.
Jun–Nov
Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arcticaVU
Breeds on the Flamborough and Bempton cliffs from spring, with birds visible offshore into autumn. A much-loved sight at the colony.
Mar–Dec
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
An uncommon but iconic resident, breeding at key Humber estuary sites. Elegant black-and-white waders that sweep their upturned bills through shallow water.
Jan–Nov
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
An uncommon wader of the Humber estuary and Spurn, most numerous in winter and on passage. Feeds on mudflats with its distinctive upturned bill.
Year-round
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
An uncommon year-round resident of open farmland, often hunting along field margins and roadside verges at dusk.
Year-round
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
A rare resident, with feral birds present year-round and occasional wild Arctic migrants in winter.
Aug–Jun
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
A rare but resident species, favouring extensive reedbeds at sites like Blacktoft Sands where its distinctive pinging call carries far.
Mar–Jan
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosLC
A rare but regular visitor, favouring coastal cliffs and urban structures. Recorded from spring through to late autumn at sites like Flamborough.
Mar–Nov
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Present year-round, with the Humber wetlands hosting important numbers. Breeds at select sites and gathers in flocks during autumn and winter.
Year-round
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
An abundant year-round resident of gardens, parks and woodland. Continental migrants boost numbers in autumn along the East Riding coast.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
An uncommon resident present all year; summer breeders are bolstered by wintering continental birds visiting garden feeders in the colder months.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
A common and familiar resident throughout the East Riding, readily visiting garden feeders and nesting in boxes year-round.
Year-round
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
An uncommon but regular visitor to the Humber Estuary and coast, grazing on eelgrass and saltmarsh in winter.
Aug–Jun
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
An uncommon resident found in hedgerows, orchards and woodland edges year-round. Its soft piping call often betrays its presence.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
A common year-round resident, frequently seen soaring over the Wolds and farmland. Has increased markedly in recent decades.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
An established but uncommon resident found on lakes, gravel pits, and parkland throughout the year.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
An abundant and adaptable resident found across all habitats from farmland to urban centres. Present throughout the year.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, establishing itself in reedbeds and dense waterside vegetation. More often heard than seen.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common and familiar resident of woodland, hedgerows, and gardens. Continental migrants boost numbers along the coast in autumn.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
A common resident heard year-round, with numbers boosted by continental migrants in autumn. Increasingly overwinters in the region.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
An uncommon resident of coniferous and mixed woodland. Less numerous here than in western Yorkshire but present year-round at suitable sites.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Present year-round on farmland, estuaries, and playing fields. Numbers swell in winter with arrivals from Scandinavia and the continent.
Year-round
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
A scarce resident along the region's rivers and drainage channels. Most often glimpsed as a flash of electric blue darting low over the water.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
An abundant resident across farmland, woodland edges and hedgerows. Numbers are sustained by regular releases for shooting across the region.
Year-round
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
An uncommon resident favouring birch and alder woodland. Numbers increase in autumn and winter with arrivals from the Continent.
Sep–May
Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurusLC
An uncommon summer visitor breeding in mature woodland. Most conspicuous during spring and autumn passage along the coast.
Apr–Oct
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
Uncommon but present year-round offshore, with flocks regularly seen passing Flamborough Head. Numbers peak during spring and autumn passage.
Year-round
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
A common resident of the Humber Estuary and coastal marshes, nesting in rabbit burrows and banks.
Year-round
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon year-round resident of wet grassland and marshes. Breeds in damp meadows and is more visible in winter when flushed from ditches.
Year-round
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common resident forming spectacular winter murmurations, notably over reedbeds and piers. Breeds widely in towns, farms and open countryside.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Common year-round on lakes, gravel pits and reservoirs. Winter flocks can be large at sites like Hornsea Mere and Tophill Low.
Year-round
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of open arable farmland on the Wolds and plains. A declining species of conservation concern.
Year-round
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
A common year-round resident, breeding on farmland and moorland edges, wintering on the Humber mudflats. Its evocative call is iconic of the region.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
A common resident of the Humber Estuary and coastal mudflats, forming large winter flocks. Breeds sparingly on nearby moorland.
Year-round
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common and widespread resident of hedgerows, gardens, and woodland edges. Its shuffling, mouse-like foraging is a familiar sight year-round.
Year-round
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiacaLC
A rare but increasing feral resident, found year-round on lakes and gravel pits across the region.
Year-round
Eider
Somateria mollissimaNT
A rare resident along the coast, most reliably seen off Flamborough Head and Bridlington. Small numbers are present year-round on nearshore waters.
Year-round
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
A common resident found year-round in towns, villages and farmyards across the East Riding, often heard giving its persistent three-note cooing call.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
A rare resident, largely confined to mature woodland on the western Wolds. The East Riding lies at the edge of its range in Yorkshire.
Year-round
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
A common resident along the Humber estuary and coast, also breeding inland on farmland. Its loud piping call is a familiar sound year-round.
Year-round
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon resident most visible in winter when flocks visit alder trees and garden feeders. Breeds sparingly in conifer woodland.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
A common resident of the Wolds' arable fields and coastal grasslands, delivering its song flight year-round but especially in spring.
Year-round
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
A common year-round resident, more widespread here than in most of England. Favours farmland hedgerows and rural gardens across the region.
Year-round
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Common year-round, with large winter flocks gathering on the Humber Estuary and flooded fields. Whistling calls are a characteristic sound of the lowlands.
Year-round
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
A common and vocal resident found in gardens, hedgerows and woodland throughout the year. Its loud song belies its tiny size.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A common and familiar resident, often seen in colourful flocks feeding on teasels and thistles across farmland and gardens year-round.
Year-round
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
A rare resident, thinly spread in parkland and woodland edges. Its loud laughing call is more often heard than the bird is seen.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
Abundant year-round along the coast and inland. Breeds on cliffs at Flamborough and on rooftops in towns like Bridlington.
Year-round
European Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula hypoleucaLC
An uncommon breeder in wooded areas, most visible during spring arrival and autumn passage along the coast at sites like Flamborough and Spurn.
Apr–Oct
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
A common and confiding year-round resident of gardens, parks and woodland, often the last bird singing at dusk across the region.
Year-round
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelisLC
Uncommon resident favouring the rocky chalk cliffs around Flamborough Head, where small numbers breed alongside larger seabird colonies.
Year-round
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
An uncommon winter visitor from Scandinavia, often seen in noisy flocks feeding on hawthorn berries across farmland and hedgerows.
Sep–May
Firecrest
Regulus ignicapillaLC
A rare visitor mainly seen during spring and autumn passage at coastal sites. Occasionally lingers through winter in sheltered woodland and scrub.
Sep–May
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialisLC
Breeds on the dramatic chalk cliffs at Bempton and Flamborough, present year-round. Often seen gliding stiff-winged over the North Sea.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
A common resident on lakes, gravel pits and marshes across the region. Often overlooked among Mallards but breeds readily at sites like Tophill Low.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
An uncommon resident found year-round in coniferous and mixed woodland. Numbers increase in autumn with continental migrants arriving at the coast.
Year-round
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
Present year-round but most conspicuous in winter when large flocks gather on ploughed fields and lowland farmland across the East Riding.
Year-round
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
The largest resident gull, common along the coast and Humber Estuary year-round. Often dominates other gulls at feeding sites.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Common resident found along rivers, lakes, and the Humber Estuary. Often seen perched with wings outstretched to dry.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
An elegant resident of larger lakes and reservoirs such as Hornsea Mere, performing elaborate courtship displays in spring.
Year-round
Great Skua
Catharacta skuaLC
A rare but powerful seabird seen offshore from spring through winter, often harassing gannets. Best spotted from Flamborough and Spurn.
Apr–Dec
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Present year-round in mature woodland and parks across the region. Its loud drumming is a familiar sound in spring on the wooded western Wolds.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
Abundant resident found in gardens, parks, and woodland across the region. Its bold 'teacher-teacher' song is heard from late winter.
Year-round
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
A rare but increasingly recorded resident at wetlands and marshes. Seen in most months, reflecting its recent national expansion.
Jul–May
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
A rare diving duck, mainly seen in winter on the Humber Estuary and coastal waters. Occasionally lingers into spring at favoured sites.
Oct–Jul
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
An uncommon but year-round visitor to ditches, watercress beds, and marshy pools, often flushed from cover with a distinctive white rump.
Mar–Dec
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A common resident in gardens, hedgerows and farmland throughout the region, though numbers have declined due to trichomonosis disease.
Year-round
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
An uncommon but year-round presence on estuarine mudflats and inland pools, most frequently seen during autumn passage.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A common and familiar resident of waterways, farmland ponds, and estuarine margins throughout the East Riding year-round.
Year-round
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
A declining resident of arable farmland and field margins. Once widespread across the Wolds and lowlands, now increasingly hard to find.
Year-round
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
An uncommon wader found mainly on the Humber mudflats and Spurn, most numerous in winter. Identified by its black 'armpit' patches in flight.
Year-round
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon resident found along streams and waterways year-round. Often bobs its long tail while perched on rocks in flowing water.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
A common year-round resident found on lakes, rivers, and farmland. Feral and wild populations mix in winter.
Year-round
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
A rare resident, most often seen in winter hunting over coastal marshes and farmland. Absent during midsummer months.
Sep–May
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A common resident closely associated with farms, villages, and urban areas. Numbers have declined nationally but remain relatively stable here.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in church towers, old buildings and tree cavities. Often seen in noisy flocks with Rooks over farmland.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
A familiar sight hovering over roadside verges and farmland across the region year-round. One of the most commonly seen raptors in the East Riding.
Year-round
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Breeds in large colonies on the dramatic chalk cliffs at Bempton and Flamborough Head, a spectacular sight from spring through summer.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Common throughout the year, frequenting farmland, landfill sites, and the Humber Estuary. Peak numbers occur during summer breeding season.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
A common resident of farmland, gorse scrub and weedy fields. Flocks gather on stubble and coastal margins outside the breeding season.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident at estuarine and wetland sites after a dramatic range expansion. Readily seen at Tophill Low and along the Humber.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
A shy resident of ponds, lakes, and slow-moving waterways. Often heard before seen, with a distinctive whinnying trill.
Year-round
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
An uncommon but regular visitor to the Humber Estuary and coastal waters, most often seen on passage from spring through autumn.
Mar–Dec
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare but resident owl of farmland and parkland, sometimes seen perched on posts during daylight hours.
Year-round
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A common resident found year-round in hedgerows, woodlands and gardens, often seen in lively, acrobatic flocks moving through trees and shrubs.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A bold and conspicuous resident, common in gardens, hedgerows and farmland throughout the region year-round.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
An abundant resident found on virtually any waterbody, from farm ponds to the Humber. Breeds widely across the region's wetlands and urban parks.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A common resident of open grassland, moorland edges, and coastal fields. Large numbers move through in autumn, often calling overhead.
Year-round
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
An uncommon resident, breeding on upland moorland edges and wintering on lowland marshes and the coast. Often seen dashing low after small birds.
Jul–May
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
An uncommon resident of parkland and open woodland, often seen on playing fields. Sings its far-carrying song from treetops even in winter.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident of ponds, lakes and waterways throughout the East Riding. Easily spotted by its red frontal shield and jerky swimming style.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A familiar common resident on rivers, lakes, and ponds across the region, breeding widely each spring.
Year-round
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanusLC
A familiar sight off the Yorkshire coast year-round, with the huge Bempton colony being one of mainland England's only gannetries.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
A common but declining resident, breeding on farmland and gathering in large winter flocks. Its tumbling display flight is a classic spring sight.
Year-round
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
An uncommon but elegant duck, present mainly in winter on the Humber and surrounding marshes. Absent during midsummer, returning from August.
Aug–May
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
A common resident on shallow lakes and wetlands, with numbers boosted by continental birds in winter.
Year-round
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, seen around coastal cliffs and increasingly in urban areas. Regularly hunts waders and pigeons at Spurn.
Year-round
Pink-footed Goose
Anser brachyrhynchusLC
Uncommon but regular, with large skeins passing over in autumn and winter en route to and from roost sites.
Sep–May
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
A declining resident found on lakes and gravel pits year-round. Winter numbers are boosted by continental arrivals at sites like Hornsea Mere.
Year-round
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritimaLC
A rare winter visitor to rocky outcrops at Flamborough Head and Bridlington harbour, absent during midsummer months.
Sep–May
Razorbill
Alca tordaLC
A year-round resident breeding on the Bempton and Flamborough chalk cliffs, rafting offshore in winter. Numbers have been declining.
Year-round
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
A rare and irruptive resident, appearing in conifer plantations mainly from summer into autumn. Numbers vary greatly between years.
Jun–Nov
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
A rare but increasing resident, now seen year-round soaring over farmland and the Yorkshire Wolds.
Year-round
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Present year-round on the Humber Estuary mudflats, with large winter flocks. Numbers peak from autumn through spring.
Year-round
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurioLC
A rare visitor, mainly seen at coastal migration points in spring and autumn. Once bred in Britain but now chiefly a scarce passage bird.
May–Oct
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
An uncommon introduced resident found on arable farmland, particularly on the Yorkshire Wolds. Often seen in small coveys along field edges.
Year-round
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
Uncommon but regular offshore, especially in winter. Often seen flying low over the sea past Flamborough Head and Spurn Point.
Year-round
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
A common resident found year-round on the Humber Estuary mudflats, coastal marshes, and wet grasslands, with numbers boosted by winter arrivals.
Year-round
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
A common winter visitor arriving from Scandinavia in October, feeding on berries in hedgerows across the Wolds and lowland farmland until spring.
Sep–May
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common resident breeding in reedbeds, ditches and damp scrub. Winter flocks form on farmland and at wetland roost sites.
Year-round
Ring Ouzel
Turdus torquatusLC
A rare passage visitor in spring and autumn, typically seen on coastal headlands and moorland edges during migration periods.
Apr–Nov
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
A common resident breeding on shingle beaches and estuarine shores. Found year-round along the Holderness coast and Humber estuary.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Common in towns and along coastal cliffs. Feral populations thrive in Hull and Bridlington, while wilder birds inhabit the Flamborough chalk cliffs.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of rocky shorelines and chalk cliffs. Regularly seen along the Flamborough and Bempton coast.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
A common resident of the agricultural lowlands, nesting colonially in tall trees. Large rookeries are a characteristic feature of East Riding villages.
Year-round
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
An uncommon resident along rocky shores and harbour walls, particularly at Flamborough Head and Bridlington, flipping stones to find invertebrates.
Year-round
Ruff
Philomachus pugnaxLC
An uncommon year-round visitor to freshwater marshes and wet grasslands, most conspicuous during autumn passage at inland wetland reserves.
Year-round
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
An uncommon resident of sandy beaches along the Holderness coast and Spurn, running along the tideline in small flocks year-round.
Year-round
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
Hunts low over the Wolds and coastal marshes year-round. Numbers increase in winter when continental birds arrive at sites like Spurn and Blacktoft Sands.
Year-round
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common year-round resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland. One of the earliest songsters, often heard singing from late winter onwards.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
A common year-round resident, hunting small birds in woodland, hedgerows, and gardens across the region.
Year-round
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A common resident of farmland and parkland, nesting in tree holes across the Wolds and lowlands. Often seen feeding on stubble fields in winter.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
Present year-round on coastal scrub and gorse-covered clifftops. Numbers bolstered in winter by birds from the continent.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A rare and nocturnal resident of mature woodland, more often heard hooting at night than seen in the East Riding.
Year-round
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
A rare visitor, mainly noted on passage in spring and autumn at wooded coastal sites. Has declined significantly as a breeding species.
Apr–Oct
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
A rare but year-round resident, creeping up tree trunks in mature woodland. Easily overlooked due to its quiet habits and cryptic plumage.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
An uncommon but widespread resident, breeding on lakes and reservoirs. Numbers increase in winter with arrivals from northern Europe.
Year-round
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
A secretive year-round resident of reedbeds and marshy ditches, more often heard squealing than seen. Wetlands around the Humber are key sites.
Year-round
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
An uncommon resident of lowland marshes and reedbeds, often quartering over wetlands at sites like Blacktoft Sands and Tophill Low.
Year-round
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
An uncommon passage and coastal wader, most evident in spring and autumn. Its distinctive rippling call separates it from the larger Curlew.
Jan–Oct
Whinchat
Saxicola rubetraLC
An uncommon passage migrant through scrubby coastal habitats in spring and autumn. Declining as a breeder across much of England.
Apr–Oct
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
An uncommon winter visitor to wetlands and flooded fields, with bugling calls heard from October to April.
Oct–May
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant resident found in woodlands, parks, gardens and farmland throughout the region. Large flocks gather on arable fields in winter.
Year-round
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
Scarce but increasingly recorded, mainly in late summer and autumn. Look among Herring Gull flocks at the Humber Estuary and coastal tips.
Year-round
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
A common resident of hedgerows and farmland across the Wolds and lowlands. Males sing their distinctive song from exposed perches.
Year-round
Breeding
(20)
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaLC
Breeds in small numbers at coastal colonies from April. Passage birds are seen offshore at Flamborough and Spurn into autumn.
Apr–Oct
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A familiar summer breeder around farmsteads and villages, arriving in April and lingering into November before its African migration.
Apr–Nov
Common Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusLC
An uncommon summer breeder found in reedbeds at sites like Tophill Low and the Humber wetlands from April to October.
Apr–Oct
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
An uncommon breeder along streams and reservoir edges, bobbing characteristically on rocks. Present from April to October.
Apr–Oct
Common Tern
Sterna hirundoLC
An uncommon summer breeder, nesting at gravel pits and the Humber Estuary. Present from April to October on passage and breeding.
Apr–Oct
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferrugineaNT
An uncommon visitor from May to October, favouring coastal scrapes and estuarine margins, often mixing with Dunlin flocks on passage.
May–Oct
Garden Warbler
Sylvia borinLC
A rare breeding visitor arriving in April, favouring dense scrub and woodland edges. Easily overlooked due to its plain plumage and skulking habits.
Apr–Oct
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
A rare summer breeder on shallow wetlands, arriving in April and departing by October. A declining species in the UK.
Apr–Oct
House Martin
Delichon urbicumLC
A common breeding visitor nesting under eaves in towns and villages, gathering mud for its distinctive enclosed nests from April.
Apr–Oct
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca currucaLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving from April, favouring tall hedgerows and scrubby thickets across the region's farmland and woodland edges.
Apr–Oct
Little Stint
Calidris minutaLC
A rare visitor from May to October, most often seen in autumn at coastal scrapes and freshwater pools alongside other small waders.
May–Oct
Manx Shearwater
Puffinus puffinusLC
Uncommon offshore, mainly seen from Flamborough Head and Spurn during passage from late spring through autumn.
May–Nov
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
A common summer visitor breeding in colonies along river banks and sand quarries, often seen hawking insects over waterways.
Mar–Oct
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensisLC
The commonest breeding tern in the region, nesting at Spurn and along the coast. Noisy flocks plunge-dive offshore from spring to autumn.
Apr–Oct
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striataLC
An uncommon and declining summer breeder arriving in May, favouring woodland clearings and mature gardens where it sallies for insects.
May–Oct
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
A rare visitor from spring through autumn, occasionally lingering into November at estuarine pools and coastal scrapes on the Humber.
Apr–Nov
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
An uncommon breeder on open ground along the chalk cliffs and Wolds. Passage birds are widespread along the coast from March to October.
Mar–Oct
Whitethroat
Curruca communisLC
A common summer breeder found in hedgerows and scrubby field margins from April to October, delivering its scratchy song across the Wolds.
Apr–Oct
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilusLC
An uncommon summer breeder favouring scrubby woodland and hedgerows, with numbers declining in the region in recent decades.
Mar–Nov
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
A summer breeder on arable farmland and wet meadows, arriving in April. A declining species nationally; the lowlands here remain a stronghold.
Apr–Oct
Non-breeding
(11)
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
An uncommon winter visitor from Scandinavia, often mixing with Chaffinch flocks in beech woodland and farmland stubble fields.
Sep–Apr
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to coastal waters, most likely in winter months. Occasionally lingers into spring off the Holderness coast.
Oct–May
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to rivers and lakes, mainly from October to April. Less frequent here than in upland regions further west.
Oct–Apr
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
An uncommon winter visitor to woodland and hedgerows, arriving from October. Continental birds boost numbers, sometimes appearing in gardens during cold snaps.
Oct–Apr
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
An uncommon winter visitor to inland lakes and reservoirs from October to April. Tophill Low and Hornsea Mere are reliable sites.
Oct–Apr
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestrisLC
A rare winter visitor, occasionally found on stubble fields and coastal saltmarshes around Spurn and the Humber in autumn and winter.
Oct–Feb
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A rare and secretive winter visitor to marshy areas, arriving from September. Easily overlooked, it tends to flush only at very close range.
Sep–Feb
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicusLC
A rare winter visitor and passage migrant, favouring stubble fields and coastal margins. Spurn and the Holderness coast are key sites.
Sep–Mar
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
A rare winter visitor to coastal waters, arriving from October. Occasionally seen from headlands or in sheltered bays along the Holderness coast.
Oct–Jan
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalisLC
An uncommon winter visitor to the coast, often seen on shingle beaches and dunes along the Holderness shore from October to March.
Oct–Mar
Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fuscaVU
A rare winter visitor to coastal waters, typically seen from October. Best looked for among Common Scoter flocks off the Holderness coast.
Oct–Jan
Passage
(16)
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
A rare non-native vagrant, with occasional sightings likely involving escapees from wildfowl collections.
Oct–Jan
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulusLC
An irruptive winter visitor, arriving in variable numbers from late autumn. Flocks descend on berry-laden trees in towns and hedgerows.
Oct–Dec
Great Grey Shrike
Lanius excubitorLC
A rare autumn passage visitor, occasionally seen perching prominently at coastal scrub and hedgerows in October. A scarce but regular vagrant.
Oct
Grey Phalarope
Phalaropus fulicariusLC
A rare autumn passage visitor, most likely seen after strong westerly gales in October along the Holderness coast or at Spurn Point.
Oct
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
A rare passage visitor, occasionally seen at coastal migration points in spring and autumn. Its massive bill makes it unmistakable when found.
Oct–Apr
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
A rare autumn passage visitor, occasionally seen in October on coastal waters and sheltered bays along the Holderness coast.
Oct
Little Auk
Alle alleLC
A rare late-autumn and winter visitor, sometimes driven close inshore or even inland by North Sea gales. Most records from October to December.
Oct–Dec
Long-eared Owl
Asio otusLC
A rare passage visitor in spring and autumn, sometimes found roosting in coastal scrub at migration hotspots like Spurn.
Oct–May
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotosLC
A rare autumn passage vagrant from August to October, occasionally turning up at freshwater marshes and flooded fields.
Aug–Oct
Pomarine Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinusLC
A rare autumn passage migrant seen offshore from August to November, most reliably spotted during seawatches at Flamborough Head.
Aug–Nov
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
A rare passage visitor from autumn into winter, seen along the coast and occasionally on the Humber. Most records fall between September and December.
Sep–Dec
Red-flanked Bluetail
Tarsiger cyanurusLC
A rare autumn vagrant from Asia, occasionally found in coastal scrub and gardens from September to November at East Riding headlands.
Sep–Nov
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopusLC
A rare autumn visitor from Scandinavia, occasionally appearing over coastal farmland and marshes in October and November.
Oct–Nov
Sooty Shearwater
Ardenna griseaNT
Scarce seabird seen from headlands like Flamborough and Spurn during autumn seawatches, mainly August to November.
Aug–Nov
Twite
Linaria flavirostrisLC
A rare passage and winter visitor, occasionally found on coastal saltmarshes and stubble fields from late autumn into early spring.
Oct–Mar
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
An uncommon autumn passage migrant from Siberia, regularly turning up at Spurn and Flamborough in October coastal falls.
Sep–Nov