A complete change in the weather with clear, blue skies and bright sunshine replacing the murk of the last couple of days proved to be very challenging for shearwaters-watchers who struggled to discern the
Yelkouan/Menorcan Shearwater amongst the dwindling numbers of
Balearics present off the Bill (the day's highest count of Balearics was 40 although only 8 were left by the evening); the bird was reported from time to time until mid-morning but not thereafter. It was otherwise a quieter day on all fronts, with 3
Willow Warblers, 2
Sand Martins and a
Whimbrel the best of the migrants on the land and a small increase in
Black-headed and
Mediterranean Gulls offshore.
Large Tortoiseshells were spotted at several locations, with regular sightings at Pennsylvania Castle in particular throughout the day.
We will get back to shearwaters tomorrow but whilst everyone else has been seawatching one gallant soul has been trawling through the local gull flocks. Keith's highlights from the last week have included a Caspian Gull from Chesil Cove last weekend...
...and a small influx of non-juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls through the week (there have been a few juveniles from time to time but not nearly as many as have arrived by this time in most recent years); these two birds were at the Bill yesterday © Keith Pritchard:
