It eventually brightened following overnight, heavy rain and a misty, overcast start; winds were relatively light and essentially from the south-west while the temperature rose to a maximum of 13 degrees C. Unsurprisingly, the weather conditions resulted in an increase in summer migrants, with 11 Ring Ouzels particularly noteworthy; this represents the largest spring count this century. A drake Garganey overflew the Golf Course before relocating to waters at North Marsh and immediate surroundings. A Crane circled the Dykes at 1705hrs before it drifted east and then settled on stubbles near North Marsh. Wader interest included 26 Curlews at North Moor, five Snipe and a Green Sandpiper at Thornwick Pools, while two Water Rails were also unearthed. The juvenile Iceland Gull re-appeared, initially off the Fog Station it relocated to fields west of Old Fall. Passerine migrants included seven House Martin, 24 Swallows, two Grasshopper Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, two Goldcrests, two Tree Pipits, 30 Fieldfare, a Redwing, seven Wheatear, a Yellow wagtail, five Siskin, three Brambling, a Lesser Redpoll and a Corn Bunting.
Seawatching was rewarded with a Blue Fulmar flying north, three Bar-tailed Godwits south and a second calendar-year Common Gull showing features of ‘heinei’ also moving south.
An increase it migrants was also evident at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, where sightings included a Short-eared Owl, 42 Swallows, a Grasshopper Warbler, two Goldcrests, two Wheatears, a White Wagtail, six Yellow Wagtails, a Redpoll sp. and two Brambling.
