Advances in our fortunes have been incremental to say the least but today's subtle shift in wind direction from northeast to northwest brought with it a small improvement in migrant numbers and variety. Single
Cuckoos singing at Southwell and heading north at the Bill were the first this year, whilst single
Pied Flycatchers - at Thumb Lane and Portland Castle - were popular; numbers included 50 each of
Wheatear and
Willow Warbler on the ground at the Bill and
Swallows passing through at a rate of a few dozen per hour by the afternoon. Also worth a mention were at least one
Red Kite that did a tour of the island, 3
Whinchats at the Bill, 2
Yellow Wagtails and a
Tree Pipit overhead at Fancy's Farm and 4
Arctic Skuas, 2
Red-throated Divers and a single
Great Skua through off the Bill.
The odd single Pied Flycatchers that have popped up here and there so far this spring have been very good at passing over the Bill and successfully finding the little patches of habitat that most match their ultimate destinations - this one was in the tiny but ever-reliable clump of trees at Thumb Lane © Duncan Walbridge:
The day's 'blink and you nearly missed it' Kite was of the Red variety © Martin Cade:
