A much improved list from today's efforts despite the stiff westerly breeze being very reluctant to die down. The return of an offshore gull flock lured back a considerable number of Yellow-legged Gulls, with at least 25 logged during the course of the morning seawatch and later up to 18 loafing birds settled in the fields; 30 each of Mediterranean Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull were also lingering, with another 22 Lesser Black-backs also departing to the south; an unseasonable Great Northern Diver was a surprise among the morning's passage offshore that also included 24 Common Scoter, 11 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Arctic Skuas and 2 Whimbrel. A Reed Warbler was new at the Bill, with 32 Sand Martins, 16 Swallows and 2 Little Egrets on the move overhead and the odd dispersing Blackcap and Chiffchaff also getting on the tally. Ferrybridge also attracted one or two newcomers, most notable of which was a lone Black-tailed Godwit; 54 Mediterranean Gulls, 10 Sandwich Terns, 3 Dunlin, 2 each of Shelduck, Curlew and Redshank, and the lingering Knot were also there.
After all the tern horror stories from elsewhere it's pleasing to see that at least some young like this Sandwich Tern at Ferrybridge have survived to fledge successfully © Pete Saunders:
