December 2009

31st December

A chilly and uneventful end to the year at the Bill where 4 Red-throated Divers passed through on the sea, 40 Common Scoter were still settled offshore and singles of Redwing and Chiffchaff were the only birds of note on the land.

Late news for yesterday: a few extras/revised numbers from Portland Harbour included 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Black-necked Grebes, 5 Great Northern Divers, a Black-throated Diver and a Red-necked Grebe.

30th December

After bucket-loads more rain overnight today was altogether quieter although remained dreary throughout. At Portland Harbour the Black-necked Grebe group increased again to 5; 2 Slavonian Grebes, a Great Northern Diver and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose were also present there. The rest of the news came from the Bill where there were 5 Purple Sandpipers, 35 Common Scoter were settled offshore and 6 Red-throated Divers and a Great Skua passed through on the sea.

29th December

Persistent and at times really heavy rain, together with a blasting easterly wind, made the day all but unbirdable. The only report of any interest was of 50 Common Scoter settled off the Bill.

28th December

With a chilly north-easterly getting established 22 Red-throated Divers headed away down-Channel past the Bill but the only other reports from there were of at least 30 Common Scoter still settled offshore and the wintering Chiffchaff still lurking in the Obs garden. In Portland Harbour a second Black-necked Grebe joined the bird already present and 3 Great Northern Divers, a Black-throated Diver and a Velvet Scoter were still in residence.

   

    

   

    yesterday's Bar-tailed Godwits - Ferrybridge, 26th December 2009 © Pete Saunders

27th December

A bright and blustery day. The customary mid-winter build up in seabird numbers seems to be gathering pace off the Bill where in recent days there have been 5-10000 auks (mainly Razorbills), 2-300 Kittiwakes, 1-200 Gannets and good numbers of Common Gulls and large gulls feeding offshore; today the wintering Common Scoter flock there again numbered around 40. The only other reports received were of 17 Lapwings, 4 Purple Sandpipers and 3 Turnstones at the Bill.

Late news for yesterday: 4 Bar-tailed Godwits were at Ferrybridge.

   

    

    Oystercatcher - Ferrybridge, 25th December 2009 © Pete Saunders

26th December

A few interesting reports today, notably of 2 Great Skuas off the Bill and a Velvet Scoter in Portland Harbour. More routine fare included 25 Common Scoter still settled off the Bill and singles of Black-throated Diver and Black-necked Grebe in Portland Harbour.

25th December

No reports received today. 

 

24th December

Still pretty dreary but quite a bit milder today. The first Short-eared Owl for several weeks was a minor surprise at the Bill but the rest of the day's sightings were fairly routine: a Red-throated Diver through on the sea at the Bill, the Goosander and 9 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge and 2 Great Northern Divers and singles of Black-throated Diver, Black-necked Grebe and Slavonian Grebe in Portland Harbour.

   

    

    Black Redstart - Fortuneswell, 23rd December 2009 © Emma Cockburn

23rd December

A really miserable dreary, showery and chilly day. The only reports were of plenty of Mediterranean Gulls still feeding off the Bill, singles of  Red-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver passing through on the sea there, a Blackcap visiting a garden at Fortuneswell and singles of Black Redstart at the Bill, near Royal Manor School and at Fortuneswell.

22nd December

A snow-free Portland attracted a few more cold weather refugees today, with the Bill area returning totals of 80 Linnets, 61 Song Thrushes, 50 Skylarks, 40 Chaffinches, 34 Golden Plovers and a Snipe along with regular winter fare that included 2 Reed Buntings and singles of Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone and Chiffchaff; elsewhere there were 25 Chaffinches and a Fieldfare at Southwell. The only reports from the sea there were of 3 passing Red-throated Divers.

21st December

Dreary this morning with rain setting in before midday. All the coverage was of the Bill area, where there were 70 Linnets, 50 Skylarks, 40 Chaffinches, 31 Song Thrushes, 4 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Black Redstart on the land, a Little Egret flew north overhead, more than 50 Mediterranean Gulls were feeding offshore and 3 Red-throated Divers and a Black-throated Diver passed by on the sea.

Yesterday's group of Bottle-nosed Dolphins were off the Bill again early in the morning before heading away west into Lyme Bay.

   

    

   

Bottle-nosed Dolphins - Portland Bill, 20th December 2009 © Martin Cade

20th December

Still clear and chilly but on the bird front a good deal quieter than yesterday. The Bill Mediterranean Gull record was broken again with a total of at least 138 feeding offshore during the morning; 2 Red-throated Divers also passed by on the sea. The only reports of note from the land were of singles of Golden Plover and Chiffchaff at the Bill.

A party of about a dozen Bottle-nosed Dolphins lingered off East Cliffs at the Bill during the morning.

   

   

Yesterday's Black-tailed Godwit - Ferrybridge, 18th December 2009 © Pete Saunders

19th December

An almost unbreakable layer of ice on the Obs garden ponds was testament to how cold it had got overnight but the day itself was a good deal more pleasant than yesterday as the blasting north-east wind had dropped right away. The only signs of cold weather movement at the Bill involved an increase in Song Thrush numbers to at least 37, 9 Redwings and a Lapwing also on the ground and 5 Teal through on the sea. Other reports from there included the usual Common Scoter flock settled offshore (35 or so today), plenty of Mediterranean Gulls still feeding offshore and 19 Red-throated Divers through on the sea.

Late news for the last few days: yesterday 6 Snipe flew north at Ferrybridge, a lone Black-tailed Godwit was settled there briefly and 2 Great Northern Divers were in Portland Harbour, whilst the day before there were 1500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 25 Pale-bellied Brents, 2 Black Brants, 2 Mallard and the Goosander at Ferrybridge.

   

   

Some of the trickle of Lapwings arriving in off the sea - Portland Bill, 18th December 2009 © Martin Cade

18th December

On another raw day there were a few signs of cold weather movement at the Bill, where Skylarks and Song Thrushes increased to 47 and 20 respectively, 4 Redwings were new arrivals, 21 Lapwings and a Snipe passed over heading north and singles of Little Egret, Teal and Tufted Duck passed by on the sea. The rest of the sightings there were much as in recent days: wintering singles of Water Rail and Chiffchaff on the land, 40 Common Scoter settled offshore, at least 70 Mediterranean Gulls feeding offshore and 2 Red-throated Divers passing by on the sea.

17th December

The highlight of the day at the Bill was a record count of 125 Mediterranean Gulls feeding offshore - the highest total yet recorded there; 35 Common Scoter were also still settled offshore and 11 Brent Geese and 8 Red-throated Divers also passed by on the sea. On the land there were still hints of late passage (or maybe even the beginnings of cold weather movement?) at the Bill where a few small parties of Goldfinches and Chaffinches passed overhead and 7 Skylarks headed north; 2 Reed Buntings, a Snipe and a Chiffchaff were the best of the sightings on the ground there.

16th December

Just a few reports from the Bill area today: 50 Linnets, 25 Chaffinches, 10 Song Thrushes, 2 Redwings, a Ringed Plover, a Golden Plover and a Black Redstart on the land, 25 Common Scoter settled offshore and 4 Red-throated Divers through on the sea.

15th December

Dreary, damp and feeling increasingly cold today. Most of the reports were from the Bill where there were 2 Redwings and 2 Chiffchaffs on the land, 4 Red-throated Divers passed through on the sea and the Common Scoter flock offshore had increased to 38. Elsewhere the Goosander was still at Ferrybridge.

14th December

Another repeat of recent days. Judging by the frequency with which new finches - particularly Greenfinches and Goldfinches - are turning up in the Obs garden mist-nets there's still some late movement going on although it's certainly become less apparent overhead now that the breeze is firmly in the east. Finches aside, the only obviously new arrivals at the Bill were a couple of Redwings and a Snipe; winterers there included 2 Purple Sandpipers, a Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting, whilst 6 passing Red-throated Divers were the only birds of note on the sea. The only other report was of the first Black-necked Grebe of the winter in Portland Harbour.

13th December

More of the same today: the Goosander was again at Ferrybridge, 2 Redwings and a Black Redstart were at the Bill where a few more Goldfinches and Chaffinches trickled through overhead, the Common Scoter flock off the Bill increased to 26 and 18 'extra' Common Scoter, 7 Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver passed through off the Bill.

   

   

Goldfinch - Portland Bill, 12th December 2009 © Martin Cade 

...Goldfinch passage has been a conspicuous feature of late and, since we haven't covered the species in detail before, we've been having a closer than usual look at the ones that we've caught. Goldfinches are supposed to be 'easy' to age and sex - or at least that's what visiting ringers keep telling us - but to be honest we've always found that troublesome birds crop up alarmingly regularly. We'll leave the difficult bits until another day and just start by having a look at some fairly straightforward ageing. Before wear starts to become an issue later in the winter most birds can be aged by having a good look at the wing and tail. Most birds of the year retain some unmoulted juvenile outer greater coverts which are tipped buffish-white and are quite a bit duller black than the corresponding glossy black feathers on an adult:

   

   

   

   

    Adult and juvenile tails are usually quite different. Although there's some variation in the pattern of the white tips, adult tail feathers are conspicuously rounded and fresh:

   

   

Contrast these adult tails with a completely juvenile tail where all the feathers are pointed and already getting quite worn:

   

Many juveniles replace some tail feathers in the post-juvenile moult so tails with two generations of feathers are often seen. This bird is replacing (still only half-grown in  mid-December) the outer feathers:

   

...and this bird has replaced the central pair and the outer pair:

   

 And finally it's worth having a look at the tertials as some/all of these may be replaced in the post-juvenile moult. The colour of the pale tips to these feathers varies from white to rufous-buff (seemingly not an age related difference) but there's often a moult limit visible - between duller, worn juvenile feathers and glossier, fresh adult feathers - within the tertials or, if they've all been replaced, between the tertials and the secondaries. The juvenile below has replaced five tertials but retained the upper left feather:

   

  12th December

The chilly easterly breeze was again noticeable and new arrivals included a Blackcap at the Obs and another light trickle of Goldfinches and Chaffinches overhead. Single wintering Chiffchaffs were at the Bill and Southwell, whilst odds and ends on the sea at the Bill included 18 Common Scoter settled offshore and 4 each of Red-throated Diver and Brent Goose passing through.

11th December

A bit disappointing today with the shift in wind direction into the north-east not really producing much in the way of new arrivals. There were a few new finches, particularly Goldfinches and Chaffinches, dropping in but there wasn't the volume of overhead passage that has been such a feature of the fine mornings in recent weeks; a single Redpoll over the Bill was the only noteworthy bird on the land. The only other reports were of the Goosander again at Ferrybridge, 26 Common Scoter settled off the Bill and 3 Red-throated Divers, a Brent Goose and 13 more Common Scoter passing through off the Bill.

10th December

Clear, sunny and feeling positively balmy by the afternoon. Overhead passage got going again today, with 290 Goldfinches, 40 Chaffinches and 5 Siskins heading south over the Bill. There didn't appear to be much in the way of new arrivals on the ground, but winterers included 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Reed Buntings and a Chiffchaff at the Bill and 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap at Penn's Weare. The only reports from the sea were of the 16 Common Scoter settled off the Bill and a single Red-throated Diver passing by there.

A lone Bottle-nosed Dolphin headed north off the East Cliffs at the Bill during the morning.

A Red Admiral was on the wing at Penn's Weare.

The only moths attracted to the Obs garden traps overnight were a typical mid-winter trio of Light Brown Apple Moth, Dark Chestnut and Satellite.

   

   

   

   

   

   Cetti's Warbler, Goosander and Great Northern Diver - Portland Bill, Ferrybridge and Portland Harbour,  9th December 2009 © Martin Cade (Cetti's Warbler and Goosander) and Pete Saunders (Great Northern Diver)

9th December

A pleasantly mild and still day. With misty low cloud coming and going through the morning the only birds on the move overhead were a few small flocks of Goldfinches at the Bill. The quieter conditions allowed for more coverage on the ground, with the pick of the sightings being 8 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Reed Buntings and singles of Black Redstart, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff and Brambling at the Bill, 2 Firecrests and a Chiffchaff at Pennsylvania Castle, 2 Chiffchaffs at the Grove and single Siskins at Southwell and Easton. On the sea, 8 Red-throated Divers passed through off the Bill, 3 Great Northern Divers were in Portland Harbour and a Goosander was again at Ferrybridge.

Late news for yesterday: 11 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and 2 Goosanders were at Ferrybridge. 

   

    

    Shag - Portland Bill, 8th December 2009 © Martin Cade 

8th December

A few hours fair weather before more rain set in saw yet more late movement overhead (...when is it going to stop?), with 420 Goldfinches, 40 Chaffinches, 15 Linnets, 11 Greenfinches and a Reed Bunting heading south over the Bill; also there, the wintering flock of Linnets had increased a little to 60, and 20 Skylarks were still present. The other reports all concerned seawatching at the Bill, where 9 Red-throated Divers and a Black-throated Diver passed by and 20 Common Scoter were settled offshore.

Late news for yesterday: the Goosander was again at Ferrybridge during the afternoon. 

   

    

   

Two more photos from the last few days: Goosander and Great Northern Diver - Ferrybridge, December 2009 © Pete Saunders 

7th December

On a wet and windy day the only reports were of the 15 Common Scoter still settled off the Bill, 2 Red-throated Divers and a Balearic Shearwater passing through on the sea there and 4 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour.

Late news for the last few days: the Goosander has been an almost daily early morning visitor at Ferrybridge until at least yesterday (6th); also yesterday, 2 Great Skuas were over Chesil Beach just to the north-west of Ferrybridge, whilst on Saturday (5th) an Arctic Skua passed through at Ferrybridge and a Grey Phalarope was at Chesil Cove. 

6th December

The sea again provided most of the interest today, with a Great Skua lingering off Chesil Cove, 3 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver, a Balearic Shearwater, a Long-tailed Duck and a Great Skua through off the Bill and 15 Common Scoter still settled off the Bill. Odds and ends on the land at the Bill included 5 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Turnstones and a Rook.

5th December

Just a handful of sightings today, all from the sea at the Bill: the usual 15 Common Scoter settled offshore, along with another 25 Common Scoter, 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Black-throated Divers and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers passing by.

   

    

A Reed Bunting from earlier in the week - Portland Bill, 1st December 2009 © Martin Cade 

4th December

A fair, quite calm morning gave way to a yet another wet afternoon. A few late migrants were again on the move, with 215 Goldfinches, 50 Wood Pigeons, 50 Chaffinches, 15 Greenfinches, a Brambling, a Redpoll and a Reed Bunting passing over at the Bill and another 2 Redpolls passing over at Reap Lane; a handful of new Blackbirds and Song Thrushes were also in evidence, whilst long-stayers at the Bill included 50 Linnets and singles of Black Redstart and Chiffchaff. The sea was also still worth a look, with 18 Mediterranean Gulls, 15 Red-throated Divers, a Great Northern Diver and an Eider passing through off the Bill where the settled flock of 15 Common Scoter were also still present.

A single Rusty-dot Pearl was one of only two moths trapped overnight at the Obs.

3rd December

Just a handful of sightings - all from the Bill - from the few folk venturing out in the field today: another 180 Goldfinches leaving to the south overhead, a Black Redstart still there, 15 Common Scoter still settled offshore and 2 Little Gulls and a Red-throated Diver through on the sea.

A notice from the bookshop: because of an order cancellation we have a spare copy of the recently-published Volume 14 of The Handbook of the Birds of The World; this is available at £130 to Observatory members or £140 to non-members (RRP is £180).  First come, first served.

2nd December

A day of frequent heavy showers. Once again all the reports were from the Bill: 41 Common Scoter (with another 15 settled offshore), 7 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver passed through on the sea and singles of Redwing and Chiffchaff were on the land.

1st December

The first morning of relatively quiet weather for what seems like an age produced a trickle of late movement on land and sea. All the reports were from the Bill area, where there were 50 Chaffinches, 25 Blackbirds, 10 Song Thrushes, 8 Siskins, 4 Redwings, 4 Reed Buntings, 3 Redpolls, 2 Bramblings, 2 Black Redstarts and a Chiffchaff on/overhead on the land and 29 Common Scoter, 10 Mediterranean Gulls, 9 Brent Geese, 7 Red-throated Divers, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Wigeon passed through on the sea.