17th May

A rather low-key day after the recent excitements with no more than a trickle of expected mid-May migrants on the ground and overhead. The numbers were again overhead, with arriving Swifts and Swallows both getting into three figures with House Martins just getting past 50; the majority of the single figure totals of Spotted Flycatchers, Tree Pipits and Yellow Wagtails also involved birds heading straight through. It was tough going on the ground, with a light scatter of Reed Warblers, 2 Whinchats and a lone Grasshopper Warbler the best that could be mustered around the south where the two long-staying Corn Buntings were both still present. Offshore, 3 more passing Arctic Skuas were of note at the Bill.