4th May

A something of nothing day with early cloud failing to drop migrants in any quantity at all; a rapid clearance saw hirundines get moving but even their passage was steady rather than spectacular. On the ground only Wheatear (50) and Willow Warbler (30) managed double figure totals at the Bill where Swallow sample counts got up to around 250/hour; Sand Martins were unexpectedly numerous, with 70 through along West Cliffs in 75 minutes, whilst Yellow Wagtails continued their good run with 7 more through at the Bill and others elsewhere. Very minor oddities included a Marsh Harrier over at the Bill and singles of Grasshopper Warbler and Bullfinch grounded there. The calm conditions were hardly conducive to rewarding seawatching, with 2 Great Skuas and singles of Red-throated Diver and Pomarine Skua through off the Bill and 137 commic terns, 27 Arctic Terns and singles of Great Skua and Arctic Skua through off Chesil.

A Harbour Porpoise was in Chesil Cove during the evening.

Three Clouded Yellows heading north at the Bill during the morning included one that was watched arriving in off the sea.

More for fun and to try and learn something new, just lately we've started tinkering around with remote nocturnal recording ourselves rather than always relying on the goodwill of Nick and Joe; our efforts aren't as diligent as these stalwarts in as much as we've rarely got enough time to do more than skim the recordings for the obvious close calls rather scour them in detail for all the faint distant stuff but it has been remarkably educational. Last night's nice overcast conditions saw plenty of wader passage overhead but also one slightly freaky thing when a Shelduck (a female if our reading of BWP is correct) passed over during the early hours: