17th June

Just when the land seemed like it was giving up the ghost, the sea stepped in to provide some entertainment today. This year has been poor for Manx Shearwaters, with a maximum count of 500 on both the 18th April and 3rd May being a well below average peak for the spring; today saw over 1000, first on the move eastward but later many swilling and shearing among the summer gull flock. This spectacle was accompanied by two Pomarine Skuas during the morning and another in the evening.

The two morning Poms were full adults heading west - failed breeders? - but this one that passed by during the evening was a scratchy-looking sub-adult of some sort © Martin Cade:

The Shag families in the seabird colony at the Bill are coming along nicely with parents regularly bringing in food to their pterodactyl-like chicks © Erin Taylor