It's not very often that anyone gets an opportunity to photograph a Snipe at Portland - at least not in anything other than a bitter cold spell - so this one at Ferrybridge was a minor novelty © Pete Saunders:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIVCElVP_wh5OfCgDqF24afQq6FESnUxyHwkeufJAupKUf33QMTO0sEf7UJXEpkCTvsGOVxRR9g9Q5ictIuQ7Bscv2XbAkDbT34u8-FSVCfpt4lgFzgNof9YGLj2F1tLCFOaiUT7zQrY/s1600/bp_snipe_071117.jpg)
We've always had the impression that apparent northern aalge Guillemots are pretty uncommon off the Bill - the mass of wintering birds offshore usually look to comprise almost exclusively paler southern birds - but this 'black as the ace of spades' individual with pretty strong flank streaking stood out like a sore thumb this afternoon and looks to be an individual of distant origin © Martin Cade:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrmOSjFJTL4aw1z4DDSTrjSFMaav7MrUuh4TaS_FkY6c329W7w4o4-Dg_uQ-dbmI9I-8qndWgOxPSCZlqyqEWDrHqbRFJ8uaR9OnsQ2tq5u9wpXjrs0W5LlNbhMbuJTcgeGpAE4ZhSFs/s1600/bp_guillemot_071117.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrmOSjFJTL4aw1z4DDSTrjSFMaav7MrUuh4TaS_FkY6c329W7w4o4-Dg_uQ-dbmI9I-8qndWgOxPSCZlqyqEWDrHqbRFJ8uaR9OnsQ2tq5u9wpXjrs0W5LlNbhMbuJTcgeGpAE4ZhSFs/s1600/bp_guillemot_071117.jpg)
And finally we forgot yesterday to post Joe Stockwell's nice little recording of the dawn soundscape at the Obs when Bramblings were featuring well amongst the other finches: