26th April

With a brisk westerly still well established nocturnal migrants were again extremely thin on the ground, with the relatively good passage of hirundines during the daytime hours suggesting that perhaps a lot of birds are passing over at night without stopping - a brisk headwind or a profound change in the weather is much in demand! Swallows topped 500 at the Bill where Willow Warbler and Wheatear struggled into double figures on the ground and a passing Merlin and the long-staying Firecrest were the only very minor highlights amongst a meagre back up cast. The sea was hardly any better, with 6 Great Skuas and singles of Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver passing through off the Bill.