Flamborough Bird Observatory

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Storm Petrel and Moth Night 23rd July 2011

The Observatory ran a successful Storm Petrel ringing night on July 23rd Saturday - 9.15 pm together with East Yorkshire RSPB Local Group and the East Yorkshire Ringing Group together with the Yorkshire Naturalists Lepidoptera Group who ran a m Ringed Storm Petrel at South Landing courtesy of Flamborough Bird Observatory oth trap for the evening, 26 visitors to the night including new members of the Observatory - which was great to see. .

The evening started with an introductory talk from Andrew Lassey on the procedure for ringing Storm Petrels, explaining how mist nets and the lure would be operated, together with talking of some of the history of Petrel ringing at Flamborough. Whilst it fell darker the moth trap was set up on the top of the cliffs along the path of the nature trail. Ian Marshall and Lenora Bruce ran the trap and had a reasonably successful night given the wind conditions with nearly 30 species trapped.

Many of the guests headed away by midnight but an intrepid few stayed another hour and were r Details of wing and feather pattern - Storm Petrel FBO ewarded with a single Storm Petrel into the net at 0045 (though at least another was seen flying around the net). Fortunately the bird was immaculately behaved and following processing with weight confirmed, there was ample time for discussions of its feather condition and really close examination of the identification features

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Flamborough Bird Observatory

The origins of Flamborough Bird Observatory

Ornithological records from Flamborough Head in the historic East Riding of Yorkshire in England, date back to the 19th Century.

The fascination with the splendid cliffs and their thousands of nesting seabirds is obvious, but the attraction of the head to migrant birds was well known to some of the taxidermists of that time, such as Matthew Bailey. The history of his specimens and associated field observations were summarised in 1872 and 1894, mainly be John Cordeaux. Their intriguing lists inspired much of the endeavour of the earliest Flamborough Ornithological Group members.

In the 20th Century, observations on the Head, except those on the seabird colonies, became fitful. Even in the post-war boom of birdwatching, Flamborough Head was left largely un recorded. Spurn Point and its observatory prospered; Filey Brigg held sway for seabirds, whilst the huge white-cliffed cape slumbered!