Yellow Wagtastic

I ventured out around 3pm, there was a warmer feel to the weather with a light SSE breeze, there were 1-2 light showers and it felt good for a migrant or two.

I walked out from the beach road car park and walked along the shoreline, this produced 4 Little Tern and around 10 Sandwich Tern, both my first of the year.  A few hirundines flew past me and there was a light passage of c40 Swallow,  4 House Martin and 1 Sand Martin over the next 2 hours. Next up 4 Whimbrel flew overhead, calling as they passed overhead and noted at least 4 more. There was still c80 Brents on Lavendar marsh, plus c14 Eider and Great Crested Grebe on the sea.

I took up the faithful post at Gore Point around 4PM, I could hear at least 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat and Sedge warbler and shortly after a Cuckoo, which I soon located just off the boardwalk perched atop a bramble. A few Yellow Wags in 1-2's passed overhead, then I was sure I could hear Little Ringed Plover  and sure enough it called several times more as it passed overhead and kept flying south! The best was to come though, as I heard several Yellow Wagtails calling, I picked up a bunch of around c20, over the dunes and saltings, but they just kept appearing as they flew south along the dunes and saltings, an incredible flock of c150 Yellow Wags, the biggest flock I have seen in the Uk for many years!

As I started the walk back there were 5 Wheatear in the short turf before the forestry and at least two more singing Sedge Warbler near the gate.