5th August

What a difference a year makes: this time last year local waters were awash with shearwaters, with every minor blow producing the likes of Cory's Shearwaters amongst multitudes of Manx and Balearics. In disappointing contrast, this autumn's first decent blow - Storm Floris hit way to the north but its influence saw the wind gusting up towards gale force far a time during the afternoon - did just about nothing for us, with 15 Manx and 5 Balearic Shearwaters about as good as it got off the Bill; Gannets did start moving in quantity, with up to 500 per hour heading east during the peak of the wind, but little else of any note troubled the scorers. There were birds about on the land but it was difficult to get amongst them and a lone lingering Reed Warbler provided the only interest amongst the scatter of commoner fare at the Bill.