30th January
Portland Bill: Brent Goose 1.
Southwell: Blackcap 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Brent Goose 54.
Southwell: Blackcap 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Brent Goose 54.
Great Northern Divers are still showing up close inshore off Portland Castle © Pete Saunders:
29th January
Portland Bill: auk spp c10,000, Common Scoter 28, Purple Sandpiper 12, Turnstone 5, Red-throated Diver 3, Snipe 1.
Southwell: Blackcap 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 4.
Southwell: Blackcap 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 4.
27th January
Portland Bill: Red-throated Diver 4.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 3, Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2.
Ferrybridge: Bar-tailed Godwit 1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 3, Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2.
Ferrybridge: Bar-tailed Godwit 1.
26th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter 20, Black-throated Diver 1.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 1.
Ferrybridge: Brent Goose 70, Bar-tailed Godwit 1.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 1.
Ferrybridge: Brent Goose 70, Bar-tailed Godwit 1.
24th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter 39, Purple Sandpiper 8, Red-throated Diver 5, Firecrest 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 2.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 1.
Ferrybridge: Mediterranean Gull 900, Brent Goose 126.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 2.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 1.
Ferrybridge: Mediterranean Gull 900, Brent Goose 126.
23rd January
A reminder that there's an In Focus field event at the Obs between 10am and 4pm this Saturday, 25th January.
Portland Bill: Common Scoter 18, Red-throated Diver 6.
Fortuneswell: Black Redstart 1.
Portland Harbour: Black-throated Diver 1.
Red-throated Diver off the Bill this morning © Keith Pritchard:
22nd January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter c30, Red-throated Diver 9, Turnstone 5, Brent Goose 4.
Southwell: Goshawk 1 probable north.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 6, Great Northern Diver 1, Eider 1, Common Scoter 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 140.
Southwell: Goshawk 1 probable north.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 6, Great Northern Diver 1, Eider 1, Common Scoter 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 140.
21st January
Portland Bill: Purple Sandpiper 12, Red-throated Diver 8, Pintail 5; also at least 7 Bottle-nosed Dolphins.
Pennsylvania Castle area: Firecrest 4, Chiffchaff 1.
Portland Harbour: Eider 2.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 72, Egyptian Goose 22, Ringed Plover 19, Shelduck 4.
Pennsylvania Castle area: Firecrest 4, Chiffchaff 1.
Portland Harbour: Eider 2.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 72, Egyptian Goose 22, Ringed Plover 19, Shelduck 4.
We shouldn't really be making a fuss about Egyptian Geese since they fall into that dodgy introduction category alongside Pheasants, Large Blues and Beavers but as there isn't much indigenous wildlife to report at the moment we can trumpet a new Portland record total: this morning's flock of 22 over Ferrybridge break one of the longer-standing island records of 10 at the same place on 10th July 1978. The 1978 record was rather baffling since at that time Egyptian Goose wasn't really established anywhere near Dorset (in fact it was the first county record in the modern era) but latterly they've spread into the county and we guess that today's birds strayed from somewhere like Warmwell or the Avon Valley © Pete Saunders:
20th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter c30, Red-throated Diver 17, Snipe 1, Firecrest 1; also at least 4 Bottle-nosed Dolphins.
Southwell: Blackcap 2.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 15, Great Northern Diver 4, Slavonian Grebe 2, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 60.
Southwell: Blackcap 2.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 15, Great Northern Diver 4, Slavonian Grebe 2, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 60.
The Portland Harbour selection - including these 2 Eider - has remained very samey since late December; despite perfect viewing conditions in recent days the Black Guillemot from earlier in the winter can't be found © Pete Saunders:
19th January
Portland Bill: Red-throated Diver 8, Brent Goose 2, Firecrest 1; also c6 Bottle-nosed Dolphins.
18th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter c30, Purple Sandpiper 11, Red-throated Diver 3, Firecrest 1.
Southwell: Blackcap 3, Chiffchaff 1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 6, Great Northern Diver 5, Eider 3, Black-throated Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 80.
Southwell: Blackcap 3, Chiffchaff 1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 6, Great Northern Diver 5, Eider 3, Black-throated Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 80.
With only one other sighting this month at the site it looks like today's little arrival of three Blackcaps at Sweethill represented a movement from further afield than just adjacent gardens © Debby Saunders:
It was a lovely bright day to get amongst a few of the regulars; Chiffchaff at Sweethill © Debby Saunders...
...Common Buzzard at Sweethill and Black-necked Grebes in Portland Harbour © Pete Saunders...
...Purple Sandpiper at the Bill © JR Norris...
...and Short-eared Owls at the Bill © Martin Cade:
17th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter c40, Red-throated Diver 2, Firecrest 1.
East Weare: Chiffchaff 3.
East Weare: Chiffchaff 3.
15th January
Portland Bill: auk spp well in excess of 50,000 (sample counted only but the feeling was that the true total could easily have been as many as 100,000), Common Scoter 18.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 2.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 4, Black-necked Grebe 3, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Brent Goose 118.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 2.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 4, Black-necked Grebe 3, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1.
Ferrybridge: Brent Goose 118.
Black-necked Grebes have been ever present in Portland Harbour this winter but their behaviour seems to have changed from what we're usually accustomed to: in the past you'd expect to see most if not all of them in a loose flock off Sandsfoot Castle but this winter they've been spread far and wide in much smaller groups - these two were off Billy Winters this morning © Pete Saunders:
Moth interest has been hovering between the minimal and the non-existent for most of the winter, to the extent that a few days ago we tasked Matt Ames with finding us a female Winter Moth in the Obs garden...he's up for that sort of thing!. Male Winter Moths are very routine mid-winter visitors to lighted windows at the Obs but seem to be oddly scarce elsewhere on the island (are they really or is it just that nobody looks for them/reports them?); females on the other hand need a bit of searching for and we hadn't bothered for many years. It took Matt a while but he came up with the goods for us; here's a male...
...and a female © Martin Cade:
14th January
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 2.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Black-necked Grebe 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Black-necked Grebe 1.
13th January
Portland Bill: auk spp c30000/hour early morning, Red-throated Diver 3.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 1.
Ferrybridge: Turnstone 16.
Portland Harbour: Eider 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 1.
Ferrybridge: Turnstone 16.
Portland Harbour: Eider 1.
Some of the Turnstones at Ferrybridge this morning (the count of 16 was the highest there since last autumn) © Debby Saunders:
As seems to have become customary at this time of year there are now very few large gulls loitering on the fields at the Bill so ring-readings have dwindled; however, there are usually a few small gulls to keep an eye on at Ferrybridge - this Black-headed Gull there yesterday was first ringed (as an adult male) in a breeding colony in north-east Germany in May 2013 and has spent most winters since then in the Weymouth/Portland area © Debby Saunders:
12th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter 25, Purple Sandpiper 4, Red-throated Diver 2, Great Skua 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 3, Black-throated Diver 2.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 3, Black-throated Diver 2.
Long-tailed Tit at Southwell today © Pete Saunders:
11th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter 210, Red-throated Diver 7, Purple Sandpiper 7, Firecrest 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 3, Chiffchaf 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 3.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 3, Chiffchaf 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 3.
10th January
Portland Bill: Red-throated Diver 5, Purple Sandpiper 1, Wryneck 1.
Pennsylvania Castle area: Firecrest 2, Chiffchaff 1.
Pennsylvania Castle area: Firecrest 2, Chiffchaff 1.
9th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter c50, Purple Sandpiper 9, Red-throated Diver 2, Pomarine Skua 1, Black Redstart 1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 5, Great Northern Diver 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Eider 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 135.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 5, Great Northern Diver 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Eider 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 135.
One of the Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour and one of the Purple Sandpipers at the Bill © Pete Saunders:
8th January
Portland Bill: Red-throated Diver 1.
Pennsylvania Castle area: Firecrest 2, Chiffchaff 1.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 2.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 10, Great Northern Diver 3, Shelduck 3, Eider 2, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1, Common Scoter 1.
Ferrybridge: Curlew 7, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1.
Pennsylvania Castle area: Firecrest 2, Chiffchaff 1.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart 2.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 10, Great Northern Diver 3, Shelduck 3, Eider 2, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1, Common Scoter 1.
Ferrybridge: Curlew 7, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1.
The Grey Heron continues to patrol the garden ponds of Southwell © Debby Saunders:
7th January
Portland Bill: Red-throated Diver 2, Bottle-nosed Dolphin 1.
Pennsylvania Castle/Wakeham: Firecrest 3.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Sandwich Tern 1.
Pennsylvania Castle/Wakeham: Firecrest 3.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Sandwich Tern 1.
6th January
Portland Bill: Red-throated Diver 2, Blackcap 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 46, Ringed Plover 33, Arctic Skua 1.
Portland Harbour: Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1.
Ferrybridge: Dunlin 46, Ringed Plover 33, Arctic Skua 1.
5th January
Portland Bill: Red-throated Diver 9, Purple Sandpiper 8, Great Northern Diver 1, Blackcap 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Goldcrest 1.
Blacknor: Black Redstart 1.
Portland Harbour/Ferrybridge: Black-necked Grebe 8, Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1.
It won't be lost on regular visitors to the blog that our abilities to find something to write about nothing in particular have finally been defeated by the current samey nature of the birding and we've reverted to a simple list of sightings - the narrative will return just as soon as things pick up!
Pennsylvania Castle: Firecrest 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Goldcrest 1.
Blacknor: Black Redstart 1.
Portland Harbour/Ferrybridge: Black-necked Grebe 8, Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1.
It won't be lost on regular visitors to the blog that our abilities to find something to write about nothing in particular have finally been defeated by the current samey nature of the birding and we've reverted to a simple list of sightings - the narrative will return just as soon as things pick up!
Eider and Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Portland Harbour/Ferrybridge this morning © Pete Saunders:
4th January
Portland Bill: Common Scoter 49, Red-throated Diver 2, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 1, Blackcap 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Chiffchaff 2, Firecrest 1.
Bumpers Lane: Firecrest 1.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 6, Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Slavonian Grebe 1, Common Scoter 1.
Pennsylvania Castle: Chiffchaff 2, Firecrest 1.
Bumpers Lane: Firecrest 1.
Chesil Cove: Black Redstart1.
Portland Harbour: Black-necked Grebe 6, Great Northern Diver 2, Eider 2, Black-throated Diver 1, Slavonian Grebe 1, Common Scoter 1.
3rd January
Chillier but eventually brighter today after a weather front had passed through overnight. Merlin, Snipe and Great Skua all put in first appearances of the year at the Bill, where 10 Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver also passed by on the sea and 10 Purple Sandpipers, the 2 Firecrests and the Blackcap were about on the land.
Although mild for a good part of the night it was way too windy to have expected much in the moth-traps - a lone Rusty-dot Pearl was all that made it into the Obs traps.
Although mild for a good part of the night it was way too windy to have expected much in the moth-traps - a lone Rusty-dot Pearl was all that made it into the Obs traps.
Long-tailed Tits seem to really numerous everywhere this winter, with it being suggested by some of the locals that there may well be more than 100 across the island as a whole; this group were visiting a feeder at Wakeham this afternoon © Martin Cade:
2nd January
The recent run of unexpected waterfowl continued with 2 Gadwall and a Shoveler through off the Bill; 16 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver and Eider also passed by, whilst c70 Common Scoter remained offshore. The day's other odds and ends included 7 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Firecrests and a Blackcap at the Bill and singles of Eider and Common Scoter along with the usual divers and grebes in Portland Harbour.
A Red Admiral was a surprise overnight catch in one of the Obs garden moth-traps.
A Red Admiral was a surprise overnight catch in one of the Obs garden moth-traps.
Not the sort of wildfowl scarcities that we're very interested in: these two Muscovy Ducks originate from Fancy's Farm but they've been at liberty for some months and are currently waddling about at Victoria Square © Debby Saunders:
The Portland Harbour Eider © Pete Saunders...
...and a Great Crested Grebe and Great Northern Diver from Ferrybridge and the harbour © Debby Saunders:
The moth-trap Red Admiral - as far as we can recollect, the first time we've ever caught a butterfly in the traps in mid-winter © Martin Cade:
1st January 2020
The new year begun much as last year had finished: 7 Red-throated Divers, 4 Teal and a Shelduck through off the Bill, the Blackcap still at the Obs, a Mallard at Reap Lane, a Firecrest at Chesil Cove, 2 Great Northern Divers, a Black-throated Diver and an Eider in Portland Harbour and 4 Shelducks at Ferrybridge.
The only immigrant moth interest came in the form of a Rusty-dot Pearl settled on the Obs front door in the early hours.
...and the same garden has been hosting another slightly out of the ordinary visitor: this Common Buzzard has taken a liking to perching on a children's swing just lately © Nick Stantiford:
The lighted glass in the Obs front door is often more productive than the moth-traps at this time of year - this Rusty-dot Pearl joined the throng of Winter Moths in the early hours © Martin Cade:
The only immigrant moth interest came in the form of a Rusty-dot Pearl settled on the Obs front door in the early hours.
The wintering Grey Heron was again at Southwell today...
...and the same garden has been hosting another slightly out of the ordinary visitor: this Common Buzzard has taken a liking to perching on a children's swing just lately © Nick Stantiford:
A Kingfisher providing a nice splash of colour along the Portland Harbour shore today © Joe Stockwell:
The super abundance of Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge still never ceases to amaze - this was a small part of yesterday's tally of 860 there © Pete Saunders:
The lighted glass in the Obs front door is often more productive than the moth-traps at this time of year - this Rusty-dot Pearl joined the throng of Winter Moths in the early hours © Martin Cade:
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