2nd April

Although we're stuck in samey conditions - blazingly bright and sunny with a naggingly strong northeasterly a constant feature - and the birding is in a more of the same vein we have the consolation that the repeats make decent enough viewing, with strong showings over the sea and overhead again today; the land remains the poor relation, with a lone Firecrest easily the best of the thinnest of groundings at the Bill and a slight increase to 70 Dunlin the only evidence of wader arrivals at Ferrybridge. The sea was well-watched with almost identical totals at Chesil and Bill that included 555 Common Scoter, 12 Shoveler, 7 Grey Plovers, 3 Eider, 2 Red-throated Divers and singles of Velvet Scoter, Whimbrel and Arctic Tern. Overhead passage was tricky to tap into today, with a lot of the movement occurring well out beyond both West Cliffs and Chesil, but Meadow Pipits and Linnets both reached the many hundreds level, with hirundines getting into the several dozens.