A gentle headwind was just enough to drop a steady arrival of passerines today, with
Meadow Pipits featuring in numbers for the first time this spring and a few
Chiffchaffs and
Goldcrests at least briefly grounded at the Bill. The inbound
Meadow Pipit tally over the Obs reached well into three figures, with plenty more visible in the distance heading along West Cliffs where there was unfortunately no meaningful coverage; a few
Pied and/or unidentified
alba wagtails were tagging along, with 2
Golden Plovers and singles of
Wood Pigeon,
Grey Wagtail and
Siskin also logged at the Bill and the season's first
Sand Martin through at Barleycrates Lane. On the ground,
Chiffchaffs and
Goldcrests totalled 10 and 5 respectively at the Bill, where there looked to be a few extra
Stonechats about and the overwintering singles of
Cetti's Warbler and
Firecrest also put in appearances. The sea was quiet, with 5
Red-throated Divers the best of it off the Bill.
A nicely pollened Chiffchaffs amongst the new arrivals at the Bill...
...where the overwintering Cetti's Warbler made the day-sheet for only the second time this year - it measures up to be a female so wouldn't have been expected to burst into song and give itself away in that manner but if a bird like this can escape detection for so long in the vicinity of the Obs it does make you wonder how many other similarly furtive scarcities make landfall here and end up completely overlooked © Martin Cade:
Meadow Pipits made up the numbers overhead but the odd tag-along like this Golden Plover provided some additional interest © Martin Cade:
