20th July

Thick fog that clamped down overnight dropped a host of passing waders to audible height during the hours of darkness but, for the most part, completely messed up daytime birding. That said, there were new arrivals about, as evidenced by the 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Sedge Warbler that dropped in at the Obs, and the 59 Dunlin, 6 Curlew, 5 Sanderling, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 Redshank that cropped up at Ferrybridge. Odd glimpses of the sea during the morning and the final lifting of the fog towards evening did allow for at least 2 Balearic Shearwaters to be seen off the Bill.

Immigrant moth arrivals were a feature, with improved numbers of routine fare everywhere - including 15 Small Mottled Willows at the Obs - and notable highlights that included singles of White Satin at Sweethill and Olive-tree Pearl, Splendid Brocade and Small Marbled at the Grove.



White Satin and Olive-tree Pearl, Small Marbled & Splendid Brocade - Sweethill and the Grove, 20th July 2015 © Debby Saunders (White Satin) and Martin Cade (the trio)

An early return from a rained/fogged-off overnight mothing attempt gave us an opportunity to tap into an impressive wader 'disorientation' over the Obs during the early hours. We were too whacked to spend ages listening but in quick time Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, Redshanks, Whimbrels and Common Sandpipers all featured in what sounded to be really good numbers, including this simultaneous Whimbrel flock and Common Sandpiper (sorry, although it sounds as though there was some sort of biblical deluge afoot, the apparent 'rain noise' here is actually only drips from leaves being accentuated by the microphone!).