17th July

Another hope-filled day as both Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler trapped in the Crown Estate Field nets heralded the beginnings of autumnal passage. A smattering of additional migrants included a Hawfinch at Oldhill, two new Blackcaps in Culverwell and a trickle of Swifts and Sand Martins. The sea was lively once again with a steady influx of common passage birds joined by 16 Balearic Shearwaters. Ferrybridge was also showing signs of life with a new Little Gull, 30+ Common Terns, 17 Dunlin and a flock of 7 Little Egrets.

In non -avian news the sea provided a host of marine species with a Compass Jellyfish off the West Cliffs as well as six of the Bottle-nosed Dolphin pod, four Harbour Porpoises and a Grey Seal.

The din of the Common Tern flock at Ferrybridge was almost loud enough to drown out the usual roar of the traffic ©Pete Saunders:



A freshly emerged second generation Small Copper from High Angle Battery ©Ken Dolbear: