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.