15th May

As the easterly winds continued to maintain the cloud-free blue skies birds began to stream up the West Cliffs leaving little in their wake. One bird that did decide to linger rather than shoot straight up the island was a Nightjar that was flushed from the fields around the Higher Light. This highlight was closely followed by the sheer number of Swifts streaming over the island with c.120/hour North for most of the morning. Waders continued to be a prominent feature both on sea-watch and on the land with three Grey Plovers now on the ledges below the East Cliffs as well as a pair past Chesil, Ferrybridge was also harbouring a lone Grey Plover, 17 Sanderling and a Knot. The Bill morning sea-watch saw singles of Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua and Sanderling whilst Manx Shearwaters provided the bulk of the passage.

Is there a more tricky bird to photograph well in daylight than a Nightjar? Despite watching today's bird pitch in under some decking at the Higher Light - and being well placed to see it when it was soon disturbed from there - we still weren't able to do any better than these token record efforts as it jinked away © Martin Cade: