got to splash point mid morning, didn't see a single bird for quarter of an hour and was about to leave, then all of a sudden the tap was turned on. funny how sea passage can start and stop so abruptly and at unexpected times... was there anything moving early morning i wonder. i ended up staying to midday seeing 23 arctic skua, 1 pom, 4 bonxies and 7 manxies.

at west rise the red-rumped swallow was showing very well going up and down the embankment on the south side of the recreational field, early morning before it warmed up. back home a sedge warbler was singing in a front garden of a house just a few doors down - i could hear it from mine so it's on the list! always good to see birds completely out of habitat.

two west rise ticks today. the red-rumped swallow was inevitable - after three springs of watching here i had a feeling this year would be the one. shows what patch birding is about when you get nearly as excited about seeing a knot!

rumper!

bit of rain did the job today. lots to see at west rise, lake crawling with hirundines mostly sand martins (house martin year tick!), 2 common sands, a dozen yellow wags including the bird in the pic below, hobby, swift, 2 lesser whitethroats singing in the carpark. wish i'd had more than half an hour, days like these are the best of west rise birding.

on 24th did a seawatch at splash point. highlights: flock of 13 eider (year tick!), arctic skuas, nice views of little gulls, btd, mixed flocks of brents and waders high up. lots of brent for such a late date, nearly 1000 and passage heaviest when i was leaving

crazy coincidence this morning. went to check wilmington on the off chance the red-rumped swallow reported last night would still be there, then carried on to beachy. got out the car at birling to see a swallow coming in off the sea. 'funny, looks like a red-rumped swallow....fuck it IS a red-rumped swallow!' bird came right overhead and continued towards belle tout wood with a swift (1st of year) hot on its tail. what are the odds? somehow i've only managed to see one (!) rumper in the uk before which was at guildford in 1997. had a quick march round the belle tout area in a grim northeasterly but the place was devoid of migrants.

on 11th the first reed warbler at west rise and on 12th a common sandpiper there.

on 13th a fantastic fall of willow warblers at beachy. not much variety tho - new for the year were ring ouzel, redstart, whitethroat and firecrest.

on 15th a light passage at splash point with bonxie, little tern and tree pipit new for the year.