17th April

A pretty decent 'bit of everything' mid-spring day: the continuing Wryneck provided some scarcity interest, the tally of nearly 150 migrants ringed at the Bill was evidence enough of there having been a good flurry of grounded arrivals, whilst even the sea was able to chip in with some seasonable movement; considering the ever present clear blue sky it was visible passage that was the poor relation, with hirundines in particular very under-represented. Willow Warblers didn't quite monopolise on the ground but not a lot else got a look in, with 250 at the Bill alone where the 40 or so Chiffchaffs came a very distant second on the numbers front; variety is slowly improving, with a dozen Redstarts, 4 Ring Ouzels, 4 Pied Flycatchers, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, a White Wagtail and a Sedge Warbler amongst the all-island scatter of less frequent fare. The sea was hard work in the offshore breeze but did eventually return a surprisingly creditable 87 Common Scoter, 65 Bar-tailed Godwits, 14 Red-throated Divers, 12 Whimbrel, 10 Sandwich Terns, 3 Arctic Skuas and 2 Eider through off the Bill. Five Bar-tailed Godwits and a Sanderling were the pick of the waders at Ferrybridge.

The Reap Lane Pied Flycatcher © Pete Saunders...


...and the Ferrybridge Sanderling © Debby Saunders:


Two things just made for one another: blackthorn blossom and Willow Warblers © Martin Cade: