23rd March

It's a pretty poor show when quiet conditions and lightly overcast skies at this juncture come up with a Wheatear tally for the whole Bill area of just a single individual, but so it came to pass today. In truth there was a light spread of other routine migrants, at least for the hour or two after dawn when 10 Chiffchaffs, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests and a Bullfinch were all new in at the Bill, but it certainly wasn't busy anywhere; 3 Redwings and a Siskin also showed up later at the Bill, a Black Redstart was new at Southwell and 2 Blackcaps, 2 more Firecrests and a Black Redstart at the Bill were additional lingerers from recent days/weeks. Once the cloud cover broke up a light overhead passage of Meadow Pipits and alba wagtails developed and 90 Wood Pigeons also headed north along West Cliffs. Some samey sea passage included 20 Common Scoter, 8 Red-throated Divers and a Red-breasted Merganser through off the Bill and lower numbers of the same limited variety off Chesil; additionally, a Grey Plover passed over Ferrybridge and a settled Puffin appeared at the Bill auk colony for the first time since the year's first sighting a couple of weeks ago.