15th May

Our heady days of spring - migrants galore, skua flocks and a smattering of rarities - are beginning to seem like a distant memory as damp, dreary and resoundingly birdless conditions look to be getting well established; on the bright side, at least our conservation crops are getting a good watering after suffering at the hands of April's severe rainfall deficit. The frequency of today's showers restricted coverage of the land but it was apparent that precious little had dropped in overnight: 2 Whimbrel, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and singles of Wheatear and Chiffchaff were the only new arrivals logged at the Bill; elsewhere, Ferrybridge couldn't muster more than 3 Sanderling and a late Common Gull. A steady westbound movement of Manx Shearwaters off the Bill was enlivened by 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Great Skuas and a single Arctic Skua also on the move there.