May

                                   Total number of species for year 137

28th

The only notable event today was a spectacular movement south of 5000 to 6000 Common Swifts as a front moved through at 11.30hrs.

27th

Before the rain set in at approx. 11:00hrs there was a steady movement of hirundines along the cliff-top as well as a Yellow Wagtail, two Hobbys and, in front of a rain squall, about 100 Common Swifts. On the sea a Grey Heron, Great Skua and a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver flew north, and at 10:30 hrs the 'Bird of the Day', a Common Crane, came in off the sea and flew west inland.

26th

A very poor day, only birds of note were 3 Whimbrel and a Great Skua flying north.

25th

An Osprey flew north at 16:05hrs

21st

An hours seawatch produced nothing but a Dunlin and, new for the year, a Manx Shearwater north at 11:40hrs

20th

The light north-westerly, our best wind for migrants, brought in a Serin at 05.30hrs, a Marsh Harrier at 08:40hrs and a first summer Montagu's Harrier at 11:45hrs. Apart from these there was a steady trickle of Swifts, Swallows and finches plus four Tree Sparrows, four Siskins,two Yellow Wagtails and two Turtle Doves.

In the area there were 2 Reed Warblers and 2 Greenland race Wheatears.

19th

A trickle of Common Swifts came in of the sea and moved north as did a Red Kite at 07:05hrs. On the cliff-top were three Greenland race Wheatears, a Whinchat, two Reed Warblers and two Turtle Doves.

13th

The change of wind to a light south-easterly brought a trickle of new migrants moving north along the cliff-top. There were 15 Swifts, 30 Swallows, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Turtle Dove (new for the year), 2 Hobbys and a Wheatear. Two more birds new for the year were a Wood Warbler that sung in the Farm Wood and a Bee-eater that flew north over the Empty Wood at 08.40.

On the sea there was a small passage of Common Terns. 

6th

A change in the wind direction from north-easterly to south-westerly had made little difference to bird migration and there was only a smattering of hirundines moving as well as 4 Yellow Wagtails [one a Blue-headed] and a single Hobby.

In the area were, newly arrived, a Wheatear, Willow Warbler and 2 Common Swifts.

5th

A very cold morning of 5hours seawatching produced 6 Red-throated Divers,

155 Gannets, 31 Common Scoters, 2 Marsh Harriers (coming in and moving north),

6 Grey Plovers, 4 Dunlin, 58 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Whimbrels, 1 Pomarine Skua,

4 Arctic Skuas, 5 Great Skuas, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Little Gull, 81 Black-headed Gulls,49 Common Gulls, 46 Sandwich Terns, 25 Common Terns, 5 Arctic Terns and 12 Guillemots