2nd March
What early promise there was today rather quickly evaporated
as a freshening wind brought with it thickening cloud and eventually an
afternoon and evening of rain. A Continental Stonechat provided interest
amongst a little arrival of 5 new Stonechats at the Bill, but the rest of the
day's news came from the sea: 2 Iceland Gulls were in Chesil Cove, where
Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls were passing through in some numbers,
whilst 33 Common Scoter, 3 Great Northern Divers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, a
Red-throated Diver and Black-throated Diver passed through off the Bill. Sadly,
dead seabirds continue to be washed up on Chesil Beach: today's haul of 107
between the skatepark and Ferrybridge included 56 Razorbills, 41 Guillemots, 5
Kittiwakes, 2 Puffins and a Manx Shearwater; the majority of these birds were
again un-oiled and most were severely underweight.