17th November
In contrast to yesterday, today was entirely birdable but in a dwindling northwesterly breeze somehow didn't ever have a feel of an oddity being just around the corner. Some early visible passage included 800 Wood Pigeons, 150 Goldfinches, 2 Swallows, a Redwing and a Fieldfare over the Bill but action quickly fizzled out there; later, 1020 Starlings headed north over Blacknor. Grounded arrivals were very thinly spread and of low quality, with lingerers such as 3 Black Redstarts, a Merlin and a Short-eared Owl providing the only interest at the Bill; elsewhere, 4 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver were in Portland Harbour and at least 1 Black Redstart remained at Chiswell. Sea interest came in the form of 43 Common Scoter, 5 Brent Geese, 2 each of Red-throated Diver and Wigeon, and a single Red-breasted Merganser through off the Bill.