Little Ringed Plover - Ferrybridge, 8th May 2015 © Joe Stockwell
8th May
A day not without its highlights - notably a likely Bonaparte's Gull off Chesil early in the morning - but ultimately considerably less interesting than both the forecast and the prevailing conditions might have suggested. The mix of a waft of south-easterly together with cloud and occasional spits and spots of rain, had looked promising for a fall of migrants, but although Swallows in particular were passing through in sometimes spectacular numbers (not far shy of 5000 per hour at times) from quite soon after dawn there were modest numbers at best on the ground. Although neither has been at all numerous for some while, Chiffchaff overtook Willow Warbler to get up to 20 at the Bill, where a similar total of Wheatears represented the only other double figure total; a noticeable improvement in variety everywhere included a Corn Bunting at Barleycrates Lane, a Firecrest at the Craft Centre and singles of Little Ringed Plover and Black Redstart at Ferrybridge. Visible passage was less varied but did come up with singles of Merlin at the Bill and Hen Harrier and Hobby over/off Chesil. Over the sea the continuing paucity of terns was perhaps the most notable event; highlights amongst the tally of things that did show up included 81 Whimbrel, 2 Great Northern Divers, 6 Pomarine Skuas, a Greenshank and an Arctic Skua off Chesil and 5 Great Northern Divers and 2 each of Pomarine Skua and Arctic Skua off the Bill.
