29th February

A largely uneventful month ended quietly with precious little to excite amongst the handful of newcomers. The majority of arrivals at the Obs - including the likes of 3 Great Tits and a Robin - were only distinguishable in the hand when their lack of a ring singled them out amongst their already marked congeners. Although the lovely calm conditions favoured sticking it out in the field the only other reports were of 13 Black-necked Grebes, 4 Great Northern Divers and 3 Slavonian Grebes in Portland Harbour, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Firecrests and singles of Short-eared Owl, Black Redstart and Rook at the Bill and 8 Common Scoter through on the sea at the Bill.