|
Chiffchaff and Willow
Warbler - Portland Bill, March 31st 2001
photo © Martin Cade
|
| March
31st |
An
overcast, damp morning produced plenty of migrants. Around the Bill,
there were 150 Willow Warblers, 75 Chiffchaffs, 30 Goldcrests
and 25 Blackcaps, as well as 3 lingering Firecrests.
The sea produced 19 Common Scoter, 13 Red-throated Divers,
4 Sandwich Terns and a Great Skua. |
| March
30th |
Another
disappointing day, with few new arrivals. Hardly anything had
arrived overnight, but during the day a trickle of Swallows
and Sand Martins passed through, and a Buzzard was
seen flying north to the east of the island. Odds and sods around
the Bill included 20 Wheatears, 2 Blackcaps, 2
lingering Firecrests, a Fieldfare, a Bullfinch,
a Yellowhammer and a Reed Bunting. Seawatching
produced just 4 Red-throated Divers, 4 Common Scoter
and a Mediterranean Gull off the Bill. |
|
Bullfinch -
Portland Bill, March 29th 2001
photo © Martin Cade
|
| March
29th |
Migration
has virtually ground to a halt, with little evidence of any new
arrivals today. There were still a scatter of Wheatears and Chiffchaffs
at the Bill, along with 3 Black Redstarts, 2 Firecrests,
a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and a Bullfinch.
The sea produced just a Red-throated Diver and a Sandwich
Tern, and there were 4 Great Northern Divers in Portland
Harbour. |
| March
28th |
The
quietest day for common migrants for some while. Around the Bill
area there were a sprinkle of Wheatears and Chiffchaffs,
5 Black Redstarts, 4 Firecrests, 3 White Wagtails,
a Willow Warbler, a Dartford Warbler and a Bullfinch.
Seawatching there produced 6 Red-throated Divers, 6 Sandwich
Terns and a Great Skua. |
| March
27th |
Another
small flurry of common migrants arrived today. Wheatears
again totalled about 100 at the Bill, where there were also 40 Chiffchaffs,
6 Willow Warblers, 5 Blackcaps, 2 Firecrests, 2
Black Redstarts, a Golden Plover and a Fieldfare.
Seawatching at the Bill produced 40 Common Scoter, 11 Red-throated
and a Black-throated Diver and 4 Curlew. Four Great
Northern Divers, 2 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Eider
were in Portland Harbour. Belated news for yesterday: a probable
female Bluethroat was reported near Lloyd's Cottage at the
Bill early in the morning - searches today proved fruitless. |
| March
26th |
Wheatears
remained relatively numerous, with around 100 at the Bill again, but
most other migrants were in rather short supply. The total of 3 Firecrests
at the Bill included a new individual that took the number ringed at
the Obs in the last ten days to a remarkable 22. Other migrants
around the Bill included a Dartford Warbler, a Ring Ouzel,
a Fieldfare and a Black Redstart, and another 100 Common
Scoter flew east offshore. In the afternoon more than 400 Meadow
Pipits passed north over Weston. |
| March
25th |
A
male Serin paid a brief visit to the Obs garden early in the
morning, but the supply of common migrants dwindled somewhat today.
The Bill area held 75 Wheatears, 25 Chiffchaffs, 25 Goldcrests,
6 Firecrests, 2 White Wagtails and a Blackcap,
and there was another Firecrest at Pennsylvania Castle. Late
in the day a male Hen Harrier was seen flying north over
Weston. Off the Bill, spring passage of Common Scoter is now
getting going: 150 flew up-Channel during the morning. |
| March
24th |
Migrants
continued to arrive in good supply, with another fall of 100 Wheatears,
50 Goldcrests, 50 Chiffchaffs and 11 Firecrests
at the Bill. Also there were 5 Swallows, 3 Redwings, 2
Blackcaps, 2 White Wagtails, a Golden Plover
and a Black Redstart; 27 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich
Terns and a Red-throated Diver passed on the sea. |
| March
23rd |
The
calm, drizzly start to the day was quite busy, at least at the Bill,
with plenty of Wheatears, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests
around; with them were 6 Firecrests, 3 Blackcaps and a
couple of Willow Warblers. Unfortunately the arrival of
brighter weather by midday saw most of the migrants leave very
quickly, and the only birds of note in the afternoon were a steady
passage of Fulmars and Gannets, 3 Red-throated
Divers and a Manx Shearwater off the Bill. Despite plenty
of searching, the Chough was not seen today. |
| March
22nd |
The
Chough continued to show well on the East Cliffs for the
first couple of hours of the day, but then became much more elusive
and showed just briefly at midday near the dung heap beside the Bill
Road - there were no more sightings in the afternoon. Wheatears
still numbered more than 200, but otherwise there were fewer
migrants about. Three Black Redstarts, 2 Swallows and
a Firecrest were in the Bill area, a Merlin was seen
at Reap Lane, and 2 Red-throated Divers and a Sandwich
Tern passed the Bill. |
|
Chough -
Portland Bill, March 21st 2001
video-still © Martin
Cade
|
| March
21st |
Highlight
today was the appearance of a Chough on the island - the
first record for Portland, and the first in Dorset since the 1920's.
It was seen initially over Penn's Weare in the early afternoon, and
subsequently settled on the East Cliffs at the Bill for the rest of
the day. Migrants were still present in good supply everywhere, with
totals including 300 Wheatears, 8 Ring Ouzels, 5 Firecrests
and 5 Black Redstarts; at the end of the day a Stone
Curlew was also seen briefly at Suckthumb Quarry. |
|
Avocet -
Portland Bill, March 20th 2001.....it even walked across the Bill
Road!
photo and video-still
© Martin Cade
|
| March
20th |
A
stormy and very wet day that produced a major surprise in the form
of an Avocet that spent several hours on floodwater in the
field outside the Obs front gate. There were still quite a few
common migrants on the island, with Wheatears again numerous,
but full counts proved impossible in the wild weather. At least 1 Ring
Ouzel was still at the Bill. |
| March
19th |
Although
distinctly fewer new migrants arrived today there was still plenty
to see. Wheatears were again prominent, with more than 500 on
the island. Other migrant totals included 50 Chiffchaffs, 30 Goldcrests,
20 Stonechats, 8 Black Redstarts, 5 Ring Ouzels,
3 Blackcaps and a Firecrest. |
|
Wheatear - Obs
garden, March 18th 2001
photo © Martin Cade
|
| March
18th |
Migrants
continued to arrive in excellent numbers again today. Wheatears were
everywhere, and were conservatively estimated to number 1200 over
the whole island; other thrushes and chats included
conspicuous arrivals of Robins and Stonechats, 4 Ring
Ouzels, and single Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare.
Other migrant totals included 150 Chiffchaffs, 100 Goldcrests,
5 Black Redstarts, 3 Firecrests, 4 Blackcaps,
and single Short-eared Owl, Swallow, Willow Warbler,
Brambling and Corn Bunting; more than 60 Wood
Pigeons also arrived from the south during the day. Seawatching
produced 6 Red-throated Divers off the Bill. |
| March
17th |
A
misty, damp day saw the arrival of plenty more early migrants, with
all-island counts of 1000 Wheatears, 200 Chiffchaffs,
150 Goldcrests, 6 Ring Ouzels, 4 Firecrests, 3 Black
Redstarts, 2 Blackcaps, a Common Sandpiper, a Redstart
and a Willow Warbler. Other oddities included 6 Golden
Plovers, 2 Curlew, 2 Reed Buntings, a Grey
Heron, a Water Rail, a Lapwing, a Snipe and
a Mistle Thrush. Seawatching from the Bill produced 80 Common
Scoter, 3 Brent Geese and a Red-throated Diver. |
|
Firecrest - Obs
garden, March 16th 2001
photo © Martin Cade
|
| March
16th |
Spring
finally sprung to life today, with the first decent fall of migrants
of the year. The Bill was busy with more than 100 Goldcrests,
50 Wheatears, 25 Chiffchaffs, 13 Stonechats and
7 Firecrests; visible passage was also very conspicuous, with
totals of over 1000 Meadow Pipits, 50 alba Wagtails
and 2 Sand Martins. There were also plenty of birds elsewhere
on the island, including 5 Firecrests around Weston.
Everything was conspicuously on the move, and by afternoon most of
the migrants had filtered away to the mainland. Seawatching at the
Bill produced 12 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver
and the first Sandwich Tern of the year, and during the
afternoon the first-year Glaucous Gull was watched following
a fishing boat off the East Cliffs. |
| March
15th |
A
light passage of pipits and wagtails continued, and
there were also a couple of new Goldcrests, a Wheatear
and a Chiffchaff at the Bill. Three Mallards roamed
the island throughout the day, and 4 Common Scoter passed the
Bill. |
| March
14th |
Apart
from a constant trickle of pipits and wagtails moving
north, the only new migrants today were a Redwing at the Bill
and a Chiffchaff at Weston; a singing Blackcap at
Weston was presumed to be a wintering bird. Seawatching at the Bill
produced 8 Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver, as
well as the first sighting of Puffin since the very early
arrivals back in February; a single Purple Sandpiper was also
on the rocks at the Bill. |
| March
13th |
Meadow
Pipits and alba Wagtails continued to pass through in
small numbers, but no other new migrants were seen on the land. Off
the Bill, a Mediterranean Gull arrived from the south in the
morning, and a second-winter Glaucous Gull was reported
flying west at midday. In the afternoon the first-winter Glaucous
Gull, first seen a couple of days ago, was again at
Ferrybridge. |
| March
12th |
The
only new migrants today were a few more Meadow Pipits and alba
Wagtails trickling northwards. Seawatching from the Bill
produced 50 Gannets, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Common
Scoter and a Red-throated Diver, and there was still a Black
Redstart at the Bill. Two Eider and a Great Northern
Diver were in Portland Harbour, and there was another Black
Redstart beside the Harbour near the Oil Tanks. |
| March
11th |
Foggy
and wet weather saw the arrival of a few more new migrants, with the
Bill providing 2 Chiffchaffs, a Wheatear and a Redwing,
as well as a conspicuous increase in grounded Meadow Pipits;
6 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Turnstones were also still
there. Five Great Northern Divers and a Slavonian Grebe
were in Portland Harbour. |
| March
10th |
Still
not much action, with the Bill producing the first Sand Martin
of the year, but otherwise just a lone Goldcrest, a Purple
Sandpiper and a Red-throated Diver. Late news for
yesterday: a first-winter Glaucous Gull was apparently at
Ferrybridge, but there has been no sign of it there today. |
| March
9th |
Spring
may have arrived, but the birds still don't seem to have realised.
At the Bill the first Goldcrest and the first 2 Linnets
of the year showed up, but otherwise the only new migrants were a
very few Meadow Pipits and alba Wagtails trickling
through, and 30 Brent Geese moving east offshore. |
| March
8th |
More
fine weather, but still not many birds about. Another Wheatear
showed up at the Bill, and there were also a few Meadow Pipits
and alba Wagtails passing north over the island. |
| March
7th |
A
better day, with fine weather and a few birds. The first 2 Wheatears
arrived at the Bill, and there were also several new Stonechats,
2 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones and a Black
Redstart there. |
| March
6th |
The
promised milder weather unfortunately arrived with a strengthening
wind and heavy rain, and the only noteworthy report was of a trickle
of Meadow Pipits and alba Wagtails moving north up the
West Cliffs. |
| March
5th |
Very
little to show for efforts today. Seawatching at the Bill produced a
Red-throated and an unidentified Diver. Also at the
Bill there were 2 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Fieldfares and
the first 2 Rooks of the year. |
|
An island rarity -
snow at the Bill, March 4th 2001
photo © Martin Cade
|
| March
4th |
The
day begun - very unusually - with the second snowfall in a week,
although it again produced no cold weather movement. Seawatching
provided most of the noteworthy birds of the day, with 2 Red-throated,
a Black-throated and 3 unidentified Divers seen off
the Bill. Elsewhere a Merlin was seen at Southwell. |
| March
3rd |
The
cold weather and access restrictions kept most birders indoors, and
not much was reported again today. Five Common Scoters and a Red-throated
Diver passed the Bill, and there were single Black Redstart
and Purple Sandpiper there. A Great Northern Diver and
a Black-necked Grebe were off Portland Castle, and there was
a male Black Redstart at Weston. |
| March
2nd |
Despite
a bitter easterly wind the first visible passage of the spring was
noted today, with 16 Meadow Pipits and an alba Wagtail watched
arriving from the south at the Bill. Also at the Bill a lone Red-throated
Diver passed offshore, and 3 Common Scoter and single Purple
Sandpiper and Black Redstart were seen. A single Pale-bellied
Brent Goose was again at Ferrybridge. |
| March
1st |
The
month started in very low-key fashion, with the only noteworthy
sighting being of a single Red-breasted Merganser passing the
Bill. |
