13th April

More birds and more lovely weather today, with the icing on the cake a Western Subalpine Warbler that showed up out of the blue in a mist-net at the Obs; the Suckthumb Hoopoe was also still about although less cooperative than it had been yesterday. Routine passage was at a level not dissimilar to yesterday, with getting on for 150 phylloscs (Willow Warblers far more numerous than Chiffchaffs today) making up the bulk of the numbers on the ground at the Bill; 7 Redstarts, 2 Short-eared Owls, 2 Firecrests, a Merlin and a Pied Flycatcher were the best of the less common species there, with 2 Black Redstarts and the year's first Grasshopper Warbler also on offer around the centre of the island. Despite the clear skies visible passage wasn't really heavy but there was still plenty to see by way of hirundines, pipits, wagtails and finches. It remained probably too millpond-calm for the sea, with little more than singles of Great Northern Diver, Great Skua and Arctic Skua through off the Bill.

New mammal species for the island don't crop up very often, so the stag Sika Deer spotted at Verne Common was a notable highlight.


Western Subalpine Warbler - Portland Bill, 13th April 2016 © Nick Hopper

It was a nice day to be out with a camera today; thanks to Pete Saunders (Great Northern Diver), Kerry Beale (Kestrel), Debby Saunders (Blackcap) and Roger Hewitt (Pied Flycatcher) for this little selection from around the island: