4th April

Dare we say it, today was a tad disappointing. With the wind swinging round to the southeast and early morning patches of cloud developing we were hoping for the flood gates on land and sea to open slightly wider than proved to be the case. On the other hand we shouldn't complain: it was a beautiful day and far from devoid of interest. Walking up the West Cliffs, we were treated to the first steady passage of Swallows at about one a minute, along with plentiful alba wagtails, Meadow Pipits and Linnets, a handful of both the other common hirundines, a Sparrowhawk and a Golden Plover - all heading rapidly northward. It was not so busy on the ground though: the first Serin of the year dropped in at Blacknor but routine migrants were only very thinly spread and didn't include much more of note beyond 4 White Wagtails, 2 Black Redstarts and a Bullfinch at the Bill. Whimbrel was another addition to the year-list (3 off the Bill and a single off Chesil) from the seawatchers, but their rewards didn't otherwise extend much beyond a small passage of Common Scoter and Red-throated Divers (including 147 and 13 respectively through off the Bill), 6 Shoveler off Chesil and Bill and 4 Little Gulls off Chesil. A Sanderling at Ferrybridge was the third and final first for the year.