Rillage Point (nr Ilfracombe)

In contrast to the dearth of Manx Shearwaters off Berry Head – and surprisingly for the wind direction, which is not normally very productive off this stretch of the North coast – there were hundreds of Manxies passing towards the Atlantic this morning, presumably having all been driven up the Bristol Channel overnight. In an hour, from 07.55 I made a conservative count of 500, all streaming West. Also small numbers of auks, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Fulmars, but no Storm Petrels. Six Swifts low over the water far out to sea were also going West, as were three House Martins; a trickle of migration still going on, or weather-displaced like the seabirds?