12th May

More cloud in the sky today but scarcely any improvement in migrant numbers. A Tree Sparrow that dropped in briefly at the Obs garden was a nice highlight amongst an otherwise poor list from the Bill area, where Wheatear and Chiffchaff both managed a half-dozen total and singles of Sedge Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Redpoll were of very minor note; there looked be something of a surge in Swallow numbers overhead but once again this went largely unquantified. Wader variety also perked up a little, with 9 Sanderling, a Whimbrel and a Greenshank amongst the commoner fare at Ferrybridge. What little breeze there was remained stubbornly offshore for longer than expected which restricted sea passage at the Bill to 47 Common Scoter, 7 Arctic Skuas, 4 Great Northern Divers, 2 Great Skuas and 2 Pomarine Skuas; later in the day another decent Manx Shearwater movement produced sample counts of up to 640 per hour.