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| February
28th |
The
Bill produced just 7 Common Scoter and 4 Purple Sandpipers,
and there were 20 Brent Geese and 2 Great Northern Divers
at Ferrybridge. |
| February
27th |
More
of the same today, with sea-watching at the Bill producing just 6 Common
Scoter, a Red-throated and an unidentified Diver,
and a lone Black-headed Gull. |
| February
26th |
A
cold and wet day that produced very little. Three Red-throated and
a Black-throated Diver passed the Bill, and there was still a
lone Great Northern Diver at Ferrybridge. |
| February
25th |
Snow
blanketed the island at dawn, but a lone Fieldfare and a
'new' Water Rail at the Bill were the only sign of any cold
weather movement. Sea-watching from the Bill produced 4 Red-throated
and a Black-throated Diver, and there were 6 Purple
Sandpipers on the rocks at the Bill itself. A Pale-bellied
Brent Goose was still at Ferrybridge. |
| February
24th |
Much
the same today with a few Black Redstarts around the Bill
area. One Black-necked Grebe, 2 Great-crested Grebes
and two Eiders still at Portland Harbour. |
| February
23rd |
Two
Manx Shearwaters, a single Red-throated Diver and 3 Common
Scoter past the Bill are the only noteworthy birds today. |
| February
22nd |
A
further movement of Stonechats was witnessed today with 28
birds being present. Two Black Redstarts and 2 Redwings
were also in evidence. Ferrybridge produced a winter plumage, adult,
Mediterranean Gull, and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose. |
| February
21st |
A
Snipe and 3 Fieldfare at Culverwell were the most
unusual birds for Portland seen in our area today. Divers
noted moving past the Bill were 1 Great Northern and 2 Red-throated.
Sixteen Stonechats were counted round about. |
| February
20th |
Many
more birds were reported today with observers at Portland Harbour
sighting 9 Great Northern Divers, 1 Red-necked Grebe,
5 Black-necked Grebes and 3 Slavonian Grebes. Two Red-throated
Divers passed the Bill, as did 22 Common Scoter. There
were seven Purple Sandpipers and 5 Turnstone on the
rocky ledges favoured by these species below the obelisk, while 14 Oystercatchers
could be found on the East Cliffs. Stonechats are still
moving. A minimum of 7 were present around the Observatory. |
| February
19th |
Very
few birders were in the field today despite bright but chilly
weather, meant that we can only report a single Siskin from
the Observatory garden early this morning and one Red-throated
Diver passed the Bill. |
| February
18th |
A
cold, bright day saw small groups of Common Scoter, around 35
birds in all, and 11 Red-throated Divers, moving eastwards up
the Channel. A Great Northern Diver and a Black-necked
Grebe were present at Portland Harbour. Black Redstarts
could be found at the Obs Quarry and the Lower Admiralty. |
| February
17th |
Stonechats
were again present in numbers around the Island, but the most
interesting new arrivals were 2 exceptionally early Puffins
seen on the sea beneath the auk colony on the West Cliffs at the
Bill. Also seen near the Obelisk were 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Purple
Sandpipers and up to 4 Turnstone. A Great Northern
Diver was still at Ferrybridge. |
| February
16th |
The
continuing fine weather produced another pulse of Stonechats
today; 26 were counted in the Bill area, with most again passing
quickly northwards. Four Fieldfares were also new arrivals at
the Bill, but the only other noteworthy bird reported was a lone Blackcap
at Pennsylvania Castle. |
| February
15th |
Another
really pleasant calm and sunny day produced the first signs of
spring passage. A total of 17 Stonechats were counted in the
Bill area, where there have been just 5 through the winter; most
were on the move northwards and had left by the end of the day. It
was otherwise rather quiet, with just 9 Purple Sandpipers
near the Pulpit Rock at the Bill, and a Great Northern Diver
at Ferrybridge. |
| February
14th |
A
good selection of divers and grebes were still in
Portland Harbour, and the Great Northern Diver remained at
Ferrybridge. The Bill was quieter than yesterday, with just 8 Purple
Sandpipers and a single Black Redstart reported. |
| February
13th |
A
day of light winds and unbroken sunshine got plenty of birders out
in the field. Portland Harbour was very busy, with counts of 19 Great
Northern and 4 Black-throated Divers, 4 Black-necked,
4 Slavonian and a Red-necked Grebe, and 3 Eider.
Nearby there was a Black-throated Diver at Ferrybridge and a Black
Redstart at Portland Castle. Sea-watching from the Bill produced
20 Common Scoter, 8 Shoveler, 4 Red-throated Divers,
2 Brent Geese and a Mediterranean Gull, and there were
5 Fieldfare and a Black Redstart around the Bill area. |
| February
12th |
Little
to report today, with the only noteworthy birds reported being a Great
Northern Diver at Ferrybridge, and 12 Common Scoter and a
Golden Plover at the Bill. |
| February
11th |
The
sea provided most of the interest again today. Off the Bill there
were 19 Common Scoter, 12 Red-throated Divers, a Mediterranean
Gull and a Great Skua; 6 Purple Sandpipers were
also there on the rocks at the Bill itself. A single Great Skua
was also seen settled briefly at Ferrybridge. |
| February
10th |
The
arrival of wet and windy weather stirred up a few birds out to sea,
with 27 Common Scoter, 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Little
Gulls and a first- or second-year Iceland Gull being seen
off the Bill during the course of the day; also there were 7 Purple
Sandpipers and a Black Redstart. There were 7 Great
Northern Diver and a Black-necked Grebe in Portland
Harbour, and the very visible Great Northern and Black-throated
Divers were still at Ferrybridge. Another Black Redstart
was seen at the Oil Tanks beside Portland Harbour. |
| February
9th |
Not
a lot of change today. The Great Northern and Black-throated
Divers were still at Ferrybridge, and 3 Red-throated Divers
passed the Bill. |
| February
8th |
Two
Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver were showing
well at Ferrybridge, and a flock of 10 Common Scoter were
settled off the Bill; also off the Bill there were again large
numbers of feeding auks and Kittiwakes. |
| February
7th |
The
quiet spell continued. The single Great Northern and Black-throated
Divers were still at Ferrybridge, and there was also a Mediterranean
Gull there. |
| February
6th |
The
only noteworthy bird reported today was a Great Skua off the
Bill in the morning. |
| February
5th |
So
far, February is living up to its reputation as the least productive
month of the year at Portland. Today saw the customary selection of divers
and grebes reported from Portland Harbour, and the
single Great Northern and Black-throated Divers were
again at Ferrybridge. A party of 4 Firecrests were an unusual
sighting in the park at Easton Square. |
| February
4th |
The
blustery and often wet weather produced a lot more Gannets, auks
and Kittiwakes off the Bill than have been seen lately. In
Portland Harbour there were several Great Northern Divers, 5 Black-necked
Grebes and 2 Eider. |
| February
3rd |
Another
very quiet day. There were the usual selection of divers and grebes
in Portland Harbour, and the single Great Northern and Black-throated
Divers were still at Ferrybridge. At the Bill there were 2 Fieldfares,
2 Purple Sandpipers and a Merlin. |
| February
2nd |
Not
very much to report today. There was again no sign of the Surf
Scoter in Portland Harbour, although plenty of divers and
grebes remained there and at Ferrybridge. At the Bill there
were just 2 Black Redstarts and 2 Fieldfares. |
| February
1st |
There
was no sign of the Surf Scoter in Portland Harbour again
today, but there were plenty of divers and grebes, and
an Eider there. The Great Northern and Black-throated
Divers were still at Ferrybridge, where there was also a lone Common
Scoter and the adult Glaucous Gull (which was later seen
at Chesil Cove). Seawatching at the Bill produced 4 Red-throated and
a Great Northern Diver, and 32 Common Scoter, and 2 Purple
Sandpipers were on the rocks near Pulpit Rock. |
