A day of brisk south-westerlies, increasingly balmy temperatures and a memorably epic movement of hirundines this morning. Peaking for approx 90 minutes (between 0800 and 0930), perhaps our biggest ever count of Swallows and House Martins flooded south, with counters positioned at Carr Naze and Hunmanby Gap nigh-on overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers involved. Allowing for duplication (and bearing in mind many were missed), minimum counts of 10,150 Swallows, 3650 House Martins, 210 Sand Martins and 22 Swifts were logged – an amazing event! (KC, NC, MJP).
Hirundines over Carr Naze (Mark Pearson)
Back-up was provided by a notably large count of 2147 Meadow Pipits through the Gap, and combined site counts of at least 25 flava and 20 alba Wagtails (all south); the sea was predictably quiet, with c400 Teal the pick.
Curlew Sandpiper at the Dams (Mark Pearson)
Other highlights involved a Curlew Sandpiper at an otherwise quiet Dams this afternoon (MJP et al.), and an adult Yellow-legged Gull at the Gap this evening (KC).