With a hint of east (finally) in a blustery southerly wind, a front moving through in the morning, and a day off (well, part of one at least), I headed to Flamborough early on, and after waiting for the downpours to pass, the clearing skies happily soon began raining birds. One of those mornings where it's just a privilege to witness migration in full swing, the stars of the show arrived in flocks, bounding in against increasingly clearer skies, either pitching down or making haste further inland.
With (seemingly) nothing rare among their ranks, it really didn't matter - seeing the drama unfold on days like these never gets old. The most numerous species involved were Song Thrushes, Bramblings and Skylarks, all of which were comfortably into three figures in my notebook, as well as plentiful Redwings and Fieldfares, Siskins and Chaffinches, a few Ring Ouzels, Whinchats, Stonechats, Chiffchaffs and Redstarts and a personal tally of eleven well scattered Yellow-browed Warblers; an acredula-type Willow Warbler dancing in the Sycamore canopy received extra points for acting and looking rare, but ultimately it was a day to lap up the action and enjoy the ride.
