10th May

Under clear skies and with a fresh easterly blowing, the West Cliffs were always going to corner the bulk of the day's visible passage and perseverance there paid off with first a Red-rumped Swallow and later a Honey Buzzard heading through; numbers-wise, House Martins and Swallows were both moving through at around 300 per hour, with Swifts just making 100 per hour and Sand Martins still passing in the dozens; a Marsh Harrier and a Hobby also headed north, as did 12 Yellow Wagtails and several Spotted Flycatchers. Grounded arrivals hardly featured, with only Wheatear amongst the commoner migrants just about managing a double figure total at the Bill; a single Cuckoo there was the only minor oddity on offer. Despite a seemingly favourable wind direction the sea was quiet, with nothing better than 3 Great Northern Divers and an Arctic Skua through off the Bill.

Both Guillemot and Razorbill eggs are proving popular with one of the Ravens at the moment © Joe Stockwell (flying) and Barry Titchener (settled):



...in fact the crows were going out of their way not to endear themselves to us today - this Jackdaw was ripping apart a Slow-worm © Barry Titchener:


 On the butterfly front Dingy Skippers are now on the wing (in these photos a male at the top and a female at the bottom) © Ken Dolbear:



And finally, many thanks to Andrew Jordan for some more lovely photos of Monday's Spectacled Warbler that we certainly don't need an excuse to indulge in © Andrew Jordan ajordanwildlife: