Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre: January 2004

January 31st A wet and windy morning gave way to a drier but stormier afternoon, and the only news was of the Black Brant still at Ferrybridge, 3 Slavonian Grebes and a Great Northern Diver in Portland Harbour and 2 Eider and a Common Scoter off the Bill. January 30th Any last vestige of cold weather was swept away by a strengthening south-west wind that brought with it higher temperatures, overcast skies and occasional rain showers. The Black Brant and a single Mediterranean Gull were again at Ferrybridge, 3 Eider were lingering off the Bill and 15 Common Scoter, 6 Red-throated Divers and a Great Skua passed through off the Bill.

Golden Plover - Portland Bill, January 29th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 29th The overnight dusting of snow had precious little effect on birds, with the only new arrivals being 8 Brent Geese, 6 Song Thrushes, 5 Fieldfares and 3 Golden Plovers at the Bill, and 11 Linnets, a Redwing and a Fieldfare at Reap Lane. The 2 Eider remained off the Bill, where 6 Common Scoter and 5 Red-throated Divers also flew past, and 2 Firecrests were in Top Fields at the Bill and later in gardens at Sweethill. January 28th The Black Brant and 2 Mediterranean Gulls were again at Ferrybridge, 2 Eider were still off the Bill and 2 Goldcrests and a Firecrest were at Pennsylvania Castle. During a brief blizzard after dark several Golden Plovers were heard calling over Southwell.

Mediterranean Gull - Ferrybridge, January 27th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 27th The Black Brant was again at Ferrybridge, where 6 Little Egrets and 2 Mediterranean Gulls were also still present. Odds and sods at Portland Harbour included a reappearance of the Sandwich Tern, as well as 6 Great Crested, 3 Black-necked and 2 Slavonian Grebes, a Great Northern Diver and a Black Redstart. Off the Bill, 2 Eider were still lingering and 2 more Red-throated Divers flew past; on the land there, a solitary Fieldfare was the only indication of any cold weather movement from further afield.

Black Brant and Dark-bellied Brent Geese - Ferrybridge, January 26th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 26th The Black Brant returned to Ferrybridge today, where there were also 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese. The only other news was of a Black Redstart at Southwell, 3 Common Scoter and 2 Eider settled off the Bill and 10 Red-throated Divers flying past there. January 25th Calm, sunny conditions saw a few birds on the move off the Bill, where 21 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, 17 Common Scoter, 3 Eider and a Shelduck passed through during the morning. Two Purple Sandpipers were still at the Bill and the wintering Goldcrest remained in the Obs garden. Elsewhere, a Siskin was at the Eight Kings Quarry, Portland Harbour produced 9 Black-necked and a Slavonian Grebe, 3 Great Northern and 3 Red-throated Divers, 3 Eider and a Kingfisher; 2 Mediterranean Gulls were at Ferrybridge, but although the Black Brant remained on the Fleet it hadn't appeared at Ferrybridge by midday.

Black Brant - Portland Harbour, January 24th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 24th There was a quality new arrival today in the form of a Black Brant in amongst the Brent Geese at Ferrybridge and along the shore of Portland Harbour; 2 Mediterranean Gulls were also at Ferrybridge. The Bill remained quiet, with just a couple fly-by Red-throated Divers, the resident group of Common Scoter and Eider still offshore and 4 Purple Sandpipers on the shore below the Trinity House obelisk. January 23rd A pre-dawn sighting of a Barn Owl at Weston was a good start to the day, but otherwise the only change was there being just the faintest of hints of spring in the air: a Skylark was in song for the first time at the Bill and a total of 11 Black-headed Gulls trickled up-Channel off the Bill. Seven Common Scoter and 2 Eider remained off the Bill, where a lone Red-throated Diver also flew past; 4 Purple Sandpipers and a Turnstone were also still at the Bill. January 22nd With rain setting in soon after dawn and persisting throughout the day the only birding possible was some seawatching from the shelter of the Obs; 11 Common Scoter and 2 Eider were settled off the East Cliffs and a single Red-throated Diver flew past.

Shag trapped in fishing net and drowned auks being winched onto a fishing boat - Portland Bill, January 17th/18th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 21st More of the same at the Bill, where 4 Red-throated Divers and many thousands of auks passed through offshore, 7 Common Scoter and 3 Eider were still lingering off the East Cliffs and 5 Purple Sandpipers and a Turnstone were on the shore at the Bill. Elsewhere, 190 Brent Geese and 2 Little Egrets were at Ferrybridge and 3 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Slavonian Grebes and a Kingfisher were in Portland Harbour. With so many seabirds off the Bill it is distressing, but perhaps not surprising, that many are being caught as by-catch of fishing operations there.

auks - Portland Bill, January 20th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 20th Despite there still being plenty of common seabirds off the Bill - auks, for example, were passing at more than 5000/hour at times during the morning - the only noteworthy fly-by was a single Red-throated Diver. On the land the wintering Water Rail and Goldcrest were both still at the Bill. The only other news was of 7 Black-necked and a Slavonian Grebe and a single Great Northern Diver in Portland Harbour.

Cormorant - Portland Bill, January 19th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 19th A much quieter day in blustery north-westerlies. Just 3 Red-throated Divers passed the Bill, where the 7 Common Scoter and 3 Eider were still lingering offshore. January 18th Another clear, sunny day saw Red-throated Divers on the move in quantity again, with 49 passing the Bill through the day. Four Red-breasted Mergansers also passed through, the group of 7 Common Scoter and 3 Eider were still present off the East Cliffs and 3 Purple Sandpipers and a Turnstone were present at the Bill. The calm conditions allowed a good look at Portland Harbour, where there were 195 Red-breasted Mergansers, 7 Black-necked and 2 Slavonian Grebes, 4 Wigeon, 2 Eider and single Red-throated and Great Northern Divers. Elsewhere, a Chiffchaff was at Wide Street and at dusk a Woodcock and a Long-eared Owl were seen briefly in flight at Verne Common. January 17th The arrival of quieter weather and clear skies prompted a few birds to get moving off the Bill, where 21 Red-throated Divers, 7 Wigeon and 2 Pintail passed through during the morning; 17 Common Scoter and 3 Eider were also still settled off the East Cliffs. Elsewhere a Firecrest visited a garden at Tilleycombe and at dusk a Long-eared Owl was seen at Verne Common. January 16th The Common Scoter flock increased to 22 off the Bill where the 3 Eider were also still present; a Little Gull also lingered offshore and a Mute Swan flew south. The only other news was of 2 Mute Swans at Ferrybridge.

Sandwich Tern - Ferrybridge, January 15th 2004 © Martin Cade

January 15th A Sandwich Tern was again at Ferrybridge in the afternoon but there was otherwise little change, with the group of Common Scoter and Eider still off the Bill and 3 Red-throated Divers passing through there. January 14th The wintering group of Common Scoter and Eider remained off the Bill, where 2 Red-throated Divers also flew past; rather more unexpected was the flock of 100 Starlings that arrived in off the sea at the Bill and carried on northwards. January 13th The only noteworthy birds reported were the group of Common Scoter and Eider still lingering off the Bill. January 12th Another day of extremely little interest. The customary group of Common Scoter and Eider were again off the Bill, where a lone Red-throated Diver also flew past. The only other news was of 2 Black Redstarts at Southwell. January 11th Seven Common Scoter and 3 Eider remained off the Bill, 3 Red-throated Diver flew past there and, in increasingly stormy weather late in the day, an unseasonable Manx Shearwater also flew past. Two Purple Sandpipers were still at the Bill, whilst elsewhere there were 2 Slavonian and a Black-necked Grebe and 2 Common Scoter in Portland Harbour. January 10th Seven Common Scoter and 3 Eider were still off the Bill and 3 Red-throated Divers flew past there. Elsewhere a Sandwich Tern was a good mid-winter sighting at Ferrybridge and there were 6 Black-necked, 2 Slavonian and a Red-necked Grebe, 2 Eider and a Black-throated Diver in Portland Harbour. January 9th Another blustery day with little news to report. Ten Common Scoter, 3 Eider and 2 Purple Sandpipers were still at the Bill, and 6 Black-necked and 2 Slavonian Grebes, another Eider and a Coot were in Portland Harbour. Some belated news for recent days: evidently a Long-eared Owl has been seen in flight at dusk on several occasions recently at Verne Common; searches by day for the bird at roost have so far drawn a blank. January 8th One of the stormiest days of the winter so far. Five Coots were unexpected visitors to Chesil Cove, where there were also 2 Great Skuas and a Red-throated Diver; 2 more Red-throated Divers passed through off the Bill.

January 7th Very little change, with 8 Common Scoter and 3 Eider remaining off the Bill, 3 Red-throated Divers flying past there, 3 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Turnstones on the shore at the Bill and a Blackcap again visiting a garden at Southwell. January 6th Wintering birds on the land today included a Blackcap at Southwell and a Goldcrest at the Bill. Three Eider were still off the Bill and 3 Shelducks and a Red-throated Diver flew past there.

January 5th A drab, damp day. The only news was from the Bill where there were 2 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks beside the Trinity House obelisk, 5 Common Scoter and 3 Eider lingering offshore, 3 Red-throated Divers flying past and distant views of the new cruise-liner Queen Mary 2 passing up-Channel.

January 4th A much more pleasant, almost spring-like day. Single Firecrests were found at Verne Common and Southwell but most of the interest was otherwise on the sea, with 11 Red-throated Divers, 2 diver spp and a Pintail flying past off the Bill, and 4 Little Gulls and 3 Eider lingering off there. Elsewhere, 2 Eider were also still in Portland Harour. January 3rd With light rain falling virtually all day there was precious little incentive to spend long in the field. The sea remained busy at the Bill, where auks built up to their highest numbers of the winter - for an hour or so during the morning sample counts exceeded 200/minute; also off there were the lingering group of 8 Common Scoter and 4 Eider, as well as a Red-throated Diver, a Brent Goose and a Mallard that flew past. Six Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones and a Yellowhammer were at the Bill, whilst elsewhere 8 Black-necked and a Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Wigeon, an Eider and the first Goldeneye of the winter were in Portland Harbour, 60 Wigeon flew over the Harbour and a Black Redstart was at Southwell. January 2nd More of the same today. The flock of 8 Common Scoter were still lingering off the Bill where the 3 Eider were joined by a fourth individual, 4 Red-throated Divers also flew past. Four Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones, a Redwing and a Black Redstart were at the Bill, whilst Portland Harbour remained very quiet for the time of year, with just 7 Black-necked and 3 Slavonian Grebes and a single Great Northern Diver on view in the afternoon.

January 1st 2004 Most of the usual mid-winter suspects were on view to keep the many day-listers out-and-about around the island happy. In blustery north-westerlies the good numbers of common seabirds feeding off the Bill had a Great Skua in attendance for a while, the flock of 8 Common Scoter and 3 Eider were still lingering offshore and 4 Red-throated Divers flew past. Four Purple Sandpipers and a Black Redstart were at the Bill, 4 Black-necked and 4 Slavonian Grebes, an Eider and a Great Northern Diver were in Portland Harbour and a Black Redstart was still at Portland Castle.