8th April

A thick, heavy fog coated the south end of the island for most of the morning delaying sea-watching. However, once this had cleared totals for the land-based migrants increased including the first multiple records for Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail as well as multiples of Redstart and Ring Ouzel. The eventual sunshine also brought with it a small passage of Meadow Pipits, Swallows and House Martins up the West Cliffs as well as Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers into the garden. Highlights from the sea included 82 Common Scoter, 7 Arctic Skuas, a Puffin, a Shelduck and three species of Diver. Elsewhere on Portland, the Chesil Beach sea watch added Slavonian Grebe, Whimbrel and Black-headed Gull to the sea-watch species total.