The wild weather associated with the overnight passage of Storm Angus proved to be short-lived and in increasing benign conditions during daylight hours there was a fair scatter of worthwhile sightings. The Ferrybridge Goosanders had increased to 13 and further coverage there and at Portland Harbour came up with a fly-by Long-tailed Duck, 9 Black-necked Grebes, at least 4 Great Northern Divers and a Short-eared Owl. The improving conditions came too late for many late migrants to get moving at the Bill where a few flocks of Goldfinches headed south and a new Chiffchaff showed up on the ground; the Siberian Lesser Whitethroat and 5 Purple Sandpipers were also still about and a Red-throated Diver passed through on the sea. Elsewhere there was a Black Redstart at Chesil Cove, 2 Firecrests at Pennsylvania Castle and a scatter of presumably wintering Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests in other areas of cover.
Barn Owls have been quite regular at dusk at the Bill just lately and one was on patrol at dawn today at Southwell © Pete Saunders:
The Ferrybridge Goosanders seem to getting more confiding as they settle in © Debby Saunders:
...and this Long-tailed Duck was a nice fly-by there this morning © Pete Saunders:
