Little Ringed Plover - Ferrybridge, 24th April 2014 © Martin Cade
...the phone came to the rescue again when we got caught out without our 'proper' recording equipment and the plover turned out to be quite noisy:
24th April
Although decent enough birds in their own right, it's probably fair to say that a late April date coming up with a Short-eared Owl at Barleycrates Lane, a Green Sandpiper on the Portland Marina breakwater and a Little Ringed Plover at Ferrybridge as the highlights won't live long in the memory. After yesterday's little hiatus there was at least a small arrival of new migrants on the ground, with 100 Willow Warblers, 50 Wheatears, 10 Blackcaps and 10 Chiffchaffs providing the numbers at the Bill; visible passage was poorly recorded but hirundines were certainly passing over in quantity, with 12 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Tree Pipits and a Hobby all adding to the mix over the Bill. Sea passage was never really strong enough to grab the attention, but totals of 19 Whimbrel, 10 Great Skuas, 5 Arctic Skuas, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Red-throated Diver from the Bill and 100 Bar-tailed Godwits, 20 Whimbrel and an Arctic Skua from Chesil were all of note; the Iceland Gull also lingered on for another day at the Bill.
