Golden Plover and Lapwing at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders...
...and Golden Plover and Pintails at the Bill © Joe Stockwell:
28th February
A brutally cold day with the temperature at the Obs never getting above 0˚C all day and a raging easterly blowing through snow showers all morning. With blue skies just a short distance away over the mainland it looked as though most of what cold weather movement there was didn't impinge on Portland, with the day's tally of obvious refugees consisting of just 28 Golden Plovers and 7 Lapwings at the Bill, 7 Pintail through on the sea there and 6 Lapwings, 2 Wigeon and a Golden Plover at Ferrybridge. More routine fare included 2 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill, a Goldcrest at the Obs, the Blackcap at Wakeham, a Firecrest at Easton, 10 Black-necked Grebes in Portland Harbour and 64 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a Pale-bellied Brent through at Ferrybridge.
27th February
Cold it might be - at the Obs it was -2˚C at dawn and again by mid-evening - but there's been precious little snow anywhere nearby and the birds haven't thus far responded in any quantity. A small arrival at the Bill included 28 Golden Plovers, 3 Lapwings and a Jack Snipe, but the likes of Common Snipe and all of the thrushes were conspicuous absentees. The only other reports were of 3 Short-eared Owls and a Firecrest at the Bill, another Firecrest at Southwell and 22 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a Pale-bellied Brent over Ferrybridge.
Lapwing and Jack Snipe at the Bill this morning © Martin Cade:
26th February
With it far too cold and windy to linger long outdoors reports were at a premium today, with a Glaucous Gull through at Ferrybridge and a winter peak total of 21 Stock Doves at Southwell the best on offer.
The Southwell Barn Owls continue to perform © Pete Saunders:
25th February
With the blasting and icy easterly still firmly established and gull-chasing preoccupying many observers there were few reports today. The Ross's Gull did put in a brief appearance at Ferrybridge but the only other news was of 5 Lapwings and the Grey Heron at the Bill, 3 Shelducks, 2 Common Scoter and a Brent Goose through on the sea there and the Blackcap still at Wakeham.
24th February
With the Ross's Gull away in Weymouth it was left to a Spoonbill flying over Ferrybridge late in the afternoon to take on the bird of the day mantle. Three Lapwings (2 settled and another overflying) at the Bill were an indication of the recent dip in the temperature but the only other reports from there were of 4 settled Black-headed Gulls and singles of Red-throated Diver and Common Scoter through on the sea.
23rd February
Nothing was going to get in the way of the Ross's Gull being the star turn for another day, with it putting in two more appearances at Ferrybridge during the morning. An absolutely vicious easterly wind made for uncomfortable gull watching and spoilt most other attempts at fieldwork; a handful of northbound Meadow Pipits and Linnets were on the move over both Ferrybridge and the Bill, with a southbound Greenfinch over the former a more unexpected sight. The only other reports were of a Red-breasted Merganser through off the Bill and 18 Stock Doves (the highest count there this winter) at Southwell.
The Ross's Gull made its longest visits so far to Ferrybridge, dropping in for half an hour or so after dawn and for another few minutes later in the morning © Pete Saunders (photo) and Martin Cade (video):
22nd February
A reminder that there's an In Focus field event at the Obs between 10am and 4pm this Saturday, 24th February.
The Ross's Gull only showed fairly briefly and in indifferent light soon after dawn © Pete Saunders:
The Glaucous Gull patrolling along Chesil at Ferrybridge was the individual seen yesterday at the Bill and during the last week at both Abbotsbury and West Bexington; sadly, it's trailing a variety of fishing tackle from its mouth © Martin Cade:
Another Blackcap from yesterday to add to the winter's tally: this female visited the Southwell garden that's already hosted two males this month © Andy Mitchell:
21st February
Well, nobody saw this one coming. The daily early perusal of Ferrybridge came up trumps in dramatic fashion when a Ross's Gull dropped in for just a few minutes today; it very quickly flew off up the Fleet but a later appearance at Lodmoor offered the possibility that it may yet return . Considering how little time was put in elsewhere there was a more than respectable back-up cast that included the year's first Glaucous Gull that was settled on the shore at the Bill during the evening and 13 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Short-eared Owls and a Merlin also at the Bill.
A single Harbour Porpoise was off the Bill during the morning.
A single Harbour Porpoise was off the Bill during the morning.
It's not often that we can't be fairly definitive about the status of a particular species at Portland but Ross's Gull is one that's always perplexed us: the Dorset literature (the bird report of the year and The Birds of Dorset) asserts that an adult was seen from a vessel anchored in Portland Harbour on 13th August 1967, but in contradiction the BBRC report for that year accepts the bird - that constituted only the fifth record for Britain - as having been seen in Weymouth Bay by an observer with a remarkable track record for spotting rare seabirds in British waters. In cases like this we usually take what's published in the PBO report as most likely to accord to the truth and, perhaps tellingly, there's not a mention of it there. Whatever the resolution of this matter, there's no disputing now that Ross's Gull has put in an appearance at Portland © Pete Saunders:
20th February
Not much birding activity today. The morning's migrant activity at the Bill consisted of just the first Redwing of the season at the Obs and a lone Blackbird arriving in off the sea; other odds and ends there included 2 Short-eared Owls and a Firecrest on the land and singles of Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver and Common Scoter through on the sea.
The Short-eared Owls were depleted in number but those that were about showed nicely at times © Pete Saunders:
19th February
Not too much on offer today although there were some signs of passage in the form of several small groups of Meadow Pipits - along with a single Rock Pipit - arriving in off the sea at the Bill during the afternoon. Regulars still about included the Firecrest at the Obs, at least 2 Short-eared Owls at the Bill, the Blackcap and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Wakeham and 12 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Great Northern Divers at Portland Harbour.
We haven't done any systematic night recording yet this year but judging by the number of times we've heard Oystercatchers in recent nights - they're always an early migrant over here - it won't be long before it'll be worth giving it a try; this one was heading north over the Obs during a rain shower late yesterday evening:
One of the Great Northern Divers was showing nicely on the mill-pond calm waters of Portland Harbour © Pete Saunders:
18th February
Not much to report from a dreary and increasingly drizzly day. The first skua of the month - a Great Skua through off the Bill - was a minor highlight, but the only other news was of 4 Red-throated Divers and a Common Scoter through off the Bill, a Firecrest still at the Obs and the Blackcap still at Wakeham.
17th February
Another lovely, mild and bright day saw further apparent early arrivals pitch up, notably singles of Chiffchaff at the Obs, Southwell and Blacknor, and 2 or more Firecrests at Southwell; the fine conditions also tempted the wintering Yellow-browed Warbler into view for the first time in a while - on this occasion at the Church Ope carpark. Standard fare also putting in appearances included 9 Purple Sandpipers, 5 Short-eared Owls and a Firecrest at the Bill, 5 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill, a Blackcap at Pennsylvania Castle, 17 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour and singles of Mute Swan and Bar-tailed Godwit at Ferrybridge.
There have been Firecrests about like this one at the Obs that arrived last October © Martin Cade...
...but a flurry of two or three at Southwell - this one was the first at the site for nearly three months - looked to be fresh in © Nick Stantiford:
Several of the Portland Harbour Black-necked Grebes are beginning to colour up really well © Pete Saunders (upper photo) and Nick Stantiford (lower photo):
With hundreds of their kind at the other end of the Fleet you'd think that Mute Swans would be a frequent sight at Ferrybridge but they're actually really infrequent visitors there © Pete Saunders:
The Barn Owl(s) continue to be a daily sight at Southwell © Pete Saunders:
16th February
The huge improvement in the weather that set in yesterday was maintained and other than a late afternoon shower that only clipped the north of the island the day was mild, calm and bright throughout. A few Mediterranean Gulls are starting to move, with 13 through off the Bill during the morning, whilst although no passerine visible passage was noticed it looked like a few grounded Meadow Pipits at the Bill were fresh in. Other than those hints of spring the day's tally consisted just of winter regulars: 10 Purple Sandpipers, 3 Short-eared Owls, 2 Barn Owls and a Firecrest at the Bill, 3 Red-throated Divers and 3 Common Scoter through on the sea there, the Blackcap at Wakeham and 12 Black-necked Grebes, 8 Little Grebes and 2 Great Northern Divers at Portland Harbour/Ferrybridge.
15th February
In conditions that couldn't have been more different to those endured yesterday - the sun shone from pretty well dawn 'til dusk - single potentially new Chiffchaffs popped up at both Bumpers Lane and Portland Castle, both being locations with no other sightings for many weeks; a Sandwich Tern was also an unexpected sighting off the Bill, although since it was fishing and gradually heading to the west it had less of the look of an early migrant. Other reports from the day included 6 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Short-eared Owls at the Bill, 4 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver through off the Bill, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Firecrest at Pennsylvania Castle/Church Ope Cove, the long-staying Blackcap at Wakeham, 10 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour and 80 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a Pale-bellied Brent at Ferrybridge.
14th February
An even grimmer day than yesterday with rain and wind and throughout. The stalwarts that ventured out came up with a few odds and ends including the long-staying Grey Heron at the Bill, 6 Black-necked Grebes and a Great Northern Diver in Portland Harbour and 290 Dunlin (the highest count of the winter) and 77 Brent Geese at Ferrybridge.
13th February
Nothing at all to report from a shocker of a morning when a gale force southerly and driving rain prevented any birding. Later, a Chiffchaff that nipped through a garden at Reap Lane gave every indication of being a freshly arrived migrant.
12th February
On an unexpectedly decent day 3 Red-throated Divers passed though off the Bill, 4 Short-eared Owls and a Firecrest were about at the Bill, 2 more Firecrests and a Blackcap showed at Pennsylvania Castle, 8 Redwings and a Blackcap were at Easton and a Shelduck was at Ferrybridge.
The pleasant sunshine tempted singles of Red Admiral at Reap Lane and Peacock at Pennsylvania Castle onto the wing.
The pleasant sunshine tempted singles of Red Admiral at Reap Lane and Peacock at Pennsylvania Castle onto the wing.
The recent owl-fest continued with both Barn Owl and Short-eared Owls showing nicely again this afternoon © Pete Saunders:
11th February
A little bit more on offer today with sunshine tempting a few weekend visitors into the field even if the constant blasting northwesterly took the edge off their enjoyment. To a great extent the list consisted of regulars resurfacing, with 4 Purple Sandpipers and singles of Water Rail, Short-eared Owl and Firecrest at the Bill, 5 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill, the regular Barn Owl at Southwell, the Black Redstart at Chesil Cove and 10 Black-necked Grebes and a Slavonian Grebe in Portland Harbour; a small change came in the form of a continuing steady increase in Ringed Plovers at Ferrybridge - up to 44 today.
The resident birder-photographers at Southwell have been getting plenty of mileage out of the Barn Owl(s) regularly hunting there at dawn and dusk, with today's show a particularly good one © Nick Stantiford:
...and from a different angle © Debby Saunders:
10th February
Birding doldrums if not weather doldrums: on a miserable wet day the only reports were of a Common Scoter through off the Bill and a Shelduck at Ferrybridge.
9th February
A blasting northwesterly saw to it that it was a good day to get on with lots of other jobs; the only reports were of 3 Red-throated Divers and 3 Common Scoter through off the Bill.
8th February
With the crisp sunshine of the last few days replaced by grey skies, occasional drizzle and a constantly freshening westerly there was little enthusiasm for fieldwork and the only reports were of 8 Red-throated Divers and 2 Common Scoter through off the Bill.
Three Harbour Porpoises were watched heading west off the Bill during the morning.
Three Harbour Porpoises were watched heading west off the Bill during the morning.
Decorating and renovating the Obs is no small undertaking and involves an awful lot of rigmarole before the paint rollers can even be wielded:
7th February
An arrival of 10 Meadow Pipits in off the sea at the Bill was a surprise today, with it seeming more likely they were refugees from snowy weather in northern France rather than early migrants; in a similar vein - and presumably also not relating to any sort of long distance movement - a Chiffchaff heading north along the causeway at Smallmouth was an unexpected sight. These oddities aside there was little change, with 7 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Short-eared Owls at the Bill, 2 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver and a Common Scoter through off the Bill, a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Southwell, 2 Firecrests at Pennsylvania Castle/Church Ope Cove, the Blackcap still at Wakeham and 32 Ringed Plovers and a Great Northern Diver at Ferrybridge.
One of the Short-eared Owls at the Bill and the Great Spotted Woodpecker at Southwell © Pete Saunders:
6th February
A nice crisp, clear and relatively calm day came up with a few extra passerines of which the best was a likely Siberian Chiffchaff at Southwell; 2 Blackcaps were also there (evidently present for the last fortnight), singles of Goldcrest and Firecrest were still at the Obs and a Goldcrest visited a garden at Easton. Morning rounds at the Bill came up with 11 Purple Sandpipers on the shore and 8 Red-throated Divers, 4 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser through on the sea.
As we mentioned a few days ago, this winter's been very good for Blackcaps; this male is one of two birds that have been visiting a garden at Sweethill for the last fortnight © Andy Mitchell:
5th February
Less of the same today with 6 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Short-eared Owls at the Bill, 5 Red-throated Divers, 4 Common Scoter and a Red-breasted Merganser through on the sea there, a Firecrest still at Church Ope Cove and the Blackcap still at Wakeham.
Kestrel at Southwell today © Nick Stantiford...
...and a Fox in the Obs garden © Ken Dolbear:
4th February
Modest fare today with a roost count of 750 Mediterranean Gulls in Portland Harbour the highlight; the only other reports were of 6 Purple Sandpipers and a Short-eared Owl at the Bill, 6 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill and the Blackcap still at Wakeham.
3rd February
With the best part of the day a wash-out the only reports were of 5 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill, 11 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Short-eared Owls and a Firecrest still at the Bill, the Blackcap still at Wakeham and 11 Black-necked Grebes, 7 Razorbills and a Black-throated Diver in Portland Harbour.
Black-throated Diver and Razorbill in Portland Harbour this morning © Pete Saunders (BtDiver) and Debby Saunders (Razorbill):
And from a couple of evenings ago the Southwell Barn Owl © Pete Saunders:
And back to yesterday for an event that we've only got round to sorting out today. Around midday we were roped into running an errand at St Peter's Church at the Grove and whilst there a sudden commotion developed amongst the local gulls and crows; the source of alarm materialised as a large-ish raptor but with no binoculars to hand and the bird largely obscured behind trees we couldn't resolve much more than it looked to be an accipiter; by the time we'd run back to the car for some optics the bird had gained height and was already getting pretty distant but we did snatch a very brief bit of video of it. The clip was so short and the bird so small on the screen that on review we more or less dismissed it as unidentifiable and got back to what we were doing at the church. It wasn't until this morning that we remembered the episode and took a look at the video on a proper screen - to which the immediate reaction was 'blimey, it's a Goshawk!' The sequence below starts with the few seconds that the bird was in view at normal speed, followed by a quarter speed slow-motion of the same clip:
2nd February
Black-necked Grebes reached a new peak for this winter of 23 in Portland Harbour but other than that it was business as usual, with 9 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill, 2 Short-eared Owls and the Grey Heron still at the Bill, single Firecrests still at the Obs and Church Ope Cove, the Blackcap still at Wakeham and a good count of 180 Dunlin at Ferrybridge.
1st February
A chilly but fair start to February came up with a few of the regulars: 4 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill, a Blackcap at Wakeham, a Black Redstart at Fortuneswell and 52 Oystercatchers, 5 Black-necked Grebes, an overflying Red-throated Diver and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Ferrybridge/Portland Harbour.
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