Spurn Bird Observatory Migration Festival (MigFest25)

For the last few years I've been helping Chris man the Bird Obs Council stand at Migfest. We've had some great times with lots of laughs and some good birds. It's a real family event and it's heart warming to see so many youngsters enjoying themselves with bemused parents and grandparents in tow. It's also a great opportunity to catch up with friends we don't see often enough! 

This year the event was held over the weekend of the 12-14th September and we set off early from Cheshire to get to Spurn in plenty of time to set up the stand in the marquee and do a bit of birding - after we'd set up camp in Kew where Chris sleeps in his well equipped van and I pitch my ARB swag alongside.

Once we'd done that we set off for the Crown & Anchor for lunch and a couple of beers before spending the afternoon wandering around the Spurn recording area. Highlight was a Garden Warbler along Green Lane and a male Siberian Rubythroat.......unfortunately a metal one fastened to someone's gate! 

With registration for the event opening at 5 pm we wandered back and spent time talking to Chris Galvin (Opticron) who along with Neil (Swarovski) was joining us for dinner at the pub later that evening. The weather by now had turned pretty grim with heavy rain and strong winds so a lot of people were sheltering in the marquee.

Fortunately it soon blew through and the rain was replaced double rainbow as we returned to our temporary home to drop binoculars and camera's off before joining the others at the pub for a meal. As the evening progressed the pub filled up with friends from years past and the atmosphere was alive with the sound of voices and anecdotes from past birding triumphs and previous years MigFest's.

Eventually, when we got kicked out at closing time, it was time to get some sleep before the 1st full day of  MigFest25. 

Waking early to the sound of two Magpies chattering above my swag and Woodpigeons coo-ing around us I waited for Chris to surface and put the kettle on for that all important first brew. Once that had been accomplished we had our porridge before walking the short way down to the marquee where we were met with the smell of bacon wafting up from the kitchen area manned by the incomparable and indefatigable 'Spurn Ladies' who could no doubt teach an army field kitchen a thing or two about cooking in tents! 

Bacon butties it was then... followed by breakfast pastries. Oh, go on then, I'll have one.

Although there weren't as many species of bird around this year some of the numbers were impressive with Meadow Pipits streaming down the Spurn peninsula in their thousands. 

Lots of events and walks had been arranged and inbetween visitors wandered around the various stalls in the marquee with Chris and I talking to people about the work of the bird observatories and how people could get to visit them. 

The Saturday evening BBQ is always a highlight and as usual was well attended. With the Great Newsome brewery having a bar in the main marquee, with both draft and bottled beers, the evening proved to be very enjoyable with many exhibitors staying behind to have a natter and a few beers before the marquee closed down around 9 pm. After the late night in the pub the previous evening and a long day an early night was in order! 

Sunday morning was a repeat of Saturdays  - right down to the bacon and egg rolls and breakfast pastries. A few migrants were being reported as grounded with Pied Flycatcher, Redstart and Spotted Flycather all being reported. Enjoying a break with yet another brew in the sunshine with Mark Pearson we had a flyover Tree Pipit along with a Yellow Wagtail among the Meadow Pipits still streaming past. 

The feeling of summers end was definitely prevailing and we settled into a slightly lethargic torpor. All that changed when one of the Spurn radios burst into life with news of a very confiding juvenile Red-necked Phalarope being seen close in on the river Humber off the sea defences at Kilnsea. A thirty minute brisk walk was averted when we were offered a lift in one the vehicles Spurn Obs were using to ferry people around over the weekend. As we were walking towards our lift one of the mums, whose young 11 year old had spent time chatting to us both,  approached us and asked if we could take him with us and she'd get her car and catch us up! We duly obliged and a very excited youngster squashed into the back of the pickup in anticipation of a 'lifer'

What a stunning little bird. Showing well was an understatement. Our young charge was literally quaking with excitement and forgot the camera settings he was supposed to be using. Luckily Birdguides Sam Viles helped him out. Emphasising once again what the events all about. Max's mum appeared and took over responsibility for her son as Chris and I walked back to the marquee glad to stretch our legs after a morning of relative inactivity (walking from our end of the marquee to the kitchen area didn't really count as exercise and certainly didn't counteract the number of calories we were consuming after every trip....)

Our young friend appeared just as we'd settled down for lunch to thank us for helping him get his lifer. A lovely moment.

Jack Taylor, unbeknown to him at the time, had photographed the bird with his iPhone and had captured me and Chris photographing the bird on the seawall below him as it worked its way along picking up small invertebrates off the surface of the water in front of an appreciative crowd of around 100 people.

With the event winding up at 3 pm we were soon packed up and on our way along a very wet and windy M62 to home. MigFest was done for another year.