20th August

Just a hint of an upturn in passage today as the relentless wind of recent days finally begun to subside. Numbers were far lower than might have been hoped for the last third of the month but variety at the Bill included 30 Wheatears, 25 Sedge Warblers, 20 Whitethroats, 10 each of Yellow Wagtail and Willow Warbler, 2 Little Egrets and singles of Redstart, Grasshopper Warbler and Reed Warbler. An impressive 320 Ringed Plover topped the numbers at Ferrybridge, where 64 Dunlin, 8 Sanderling and singles of Knot and Redshank were also on show, whilst seawatching at the Bill came up with a steady southbound passage of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 11 Sandwich Terns, 8 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Arctic Skuas.