1st May 2013 – bright and sunny SW2/3
Rarities
An exceptional start to the month with a Bee-eater hawking over roadside horse paddocks at Biggar before drifting off low over the fields to the north.
Offshore
Morning observations (0715-0900) provided 72 Common Scoter, 46 Sandwich Tern, 36 Manx Shearwater, 34 Arctic Tern, 15 Razorbill, 11 Kittiwake, 7 Red-throated Diver, 5 Gannet and 4 Guillemot.
Grounded Migrants
As is typical on Walney when something exciting does turn up there was little else grounded. Additional sightings involved just 21 Wheatear, 3 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler and single Cuckoo, Goldcrest and Chiffchaff. However, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler are now lightly dispersed in breeding localities across the island.
Diurnal Migration
Four Lesser Redpoll were the only species of note logged.
Wildfowl and Waders
A few Teal continue to linger and waders included 6 Whimbrel.
