The return of a stiff wind - this time a northeasterly rather than the southwesterlies of late - was a rude awakening at dawn although it was no doubt a factor in stirring things up enough that 2 Cory's Shearwaters passed through off the Bill - one soon after dawn and the second later in the morning. In the light of this the sea garnered plenty of attention and did give up one further reward in the form of a passing
Osprey, but otherwise 280
Kittiwakes, 25
Manx Shearwaters, 23
Black-headed Gulls, 14
Common Scoter, 13
Sandwich Terns, 8
Mediterranean Gulls, 7
Arctic Skuas, 4
Sanderling, 2
Balearic Shearwaters and a
Yellow-legged Gull were the more conventional movers. The strength of the wind dashed hopes of worthwhile returns from the land: there was a spread of 60
Wheatears and 30
Willow Warblers at the Bill, where 3
Yellow Wagtails and 2
Pied Flycatchers provided further interest on the ground and 180
Swallows, 60
Sand Martins, 11
Tree Pipits, a
Little Egret and a
Snipe were amongst the visible migrants overhead. The Ferrybridge miscellany included 8
Sandwich Terns, 3
Sanderling, 2
Knot and singles of
Whimbrel,
Kittiwake and
Yellow Wagtail.
Although a couple of Pied Flycatchers were nice to see at the Bill...
...it was signs of Tree Pipit passage picking up that provided the best of the passerine interest at the Bill © Martin Cade:
And some of this morning's Ferrybridge action: Grey Heron, Knots and Whimbrel © Pete Saunders:
