Quiet, overcast conditions looked promising for a few arrivals but plenty of fieldwork revealed precious little of note: another small pulse of 10
Stonechats at the Bill were certainly new, as were the continuing trickle of incoming
Meadow Pipits and
alba wagtails, but the likes of a
Long-tailed Tit at the Obs, a
Chiffchaff at Southwell, a
Blackcap at Thumb Lane and 4
Redwings at Suckthumb Quarry were all thought to be winterers or local wanderers. It was even a struggle to get much of a list from the sea: a minimum of 24
Mediterranean Gulls amongst an obvious influx of
Common Gulls were of note at the Bill where 2
Red-throated Divers also passed by. A varied tally of lingerers included the
Hume's Warbler at Thumb Lane, 7
Purple Sandpipers and 3
Short-eared Owls at the Bill, a
Great Spotted Woodpecker (that has now taken to drumming) at Pennsylvania Castle and the Bill, 54
Brent Geese at Ferrybridge and 10
Black-necked Grebes, 4
Slavonian Grebes, 2
Eider and 2
Common Scoter in Portland Harbour.
We took advantage of today's quiet conditions to have a look for the Thumb Lane Hume's Warbler that hadn't been reported for a few days. Although it was still about it hadn't become any easier to get to grips with in the three weeks or so since our last look at it - in fact it seems to have become considerably less vocal in that time which meant that for the most part it was really tricky to keep tabs on © Martin Cade:
In the absence of much in the way of proper migrants it was at least nice to see some gull passage, amongst which a flurry of passing Mediterranean Gulls were noteworthy © Martin Cade:
The wintering Eiders in Portland Harbour lingered on © Debby Saunders:
And, a tad later than in the last two years, the Widow Iris at Broadcroft is just coming into flower © Ken Dolbear: