January 2007

January 31st

Not a lot to report. Two Purple Sandpipers and 2 Turnstones were at the Bill where 7 Common Scoter and 2 Red-throated Divers passed through on the sea and at least 3000 auks remained offshore. Elsewhere there was a Goldeneye at Ferrybridge and 44 Mediterranean Gulls nearby (but just outside the island recording area) at Pirates Cove.

January 30th

Another mild, still and overcast day. Odds and ends at the Bill included a Redwing, a Fieldfare and the remains of a dead Barn Owl on the land, a Great Northern Diver still settled offshore, several thousand auks - again mainly Razorbills - lingering offshore and a single Red-throated Diver passing through on the sea. The only reports from elsewhere were of a Fieldfare at Barleycrates Lane and several Great Northern Divers and a Slavonian Grebe in Portland Harbour.

January 29th

Quiet weather and quiet birding. There were again plenty of common seabirds (including 500-1000 large gulls and 2000+ auks - mainly Razorbills) feeding off the Bill where a Mediterranean Gull lingered and a single Red-throated Diver passed through but otherwise the only reports of note were of 2 Purple Sandpipers at the Bill and single Black Redstarts at Weston and Easton. 

January 28th

No change at all today: 2 Purple Sandpipers and a Turnstone were at the Bill where a Great Northern Diver was still settled offshore, a Mediterranean Gull was lingering amongst large numbers of gulls and auks feeding offshore and 2 Red-throated Divers passed by on the sea; elsewhere there were 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a Black Brant at Ferrybridge and 3 Great Northern Divers, a Slavonian Grebe and a Velvet Scoter in Portland Harbour.

January 27th

A very minor arrival of thrushes - notably a Mistle Thrush and a Redwing at Suckthumb Quarry and 4 Redwings at the Bill - was just about the only change today. Routine sightings included 3 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones and a Black Redstart at the Bill, a Great Northern Diver settled off the Bill, 4 Red-throated Divers and 2 Mediterranean Gulls passing through on the sea there, 60 Chaffinches at Suckthumb Quarry, a Chiffchaff at Barleycrates Lane, 2 Black Redstarts at Blacknor and 4 Great Northern Divers, a Slavonian Grebe and a Velvet Scoter in Portland Harbour.

 

 

 

 

  Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Black Brant and Velvet Scoter - Ferrybridge and Portland Harbour, January 26th 2007 © Chris Courtaux (Pale-bellied Brent) and Martin Cade (brant and scoter)

  January 26th

The best of the sightings today were of 400 Dark-bellied Brents, 8 Pale-bellied Brents, a Black Brant and a Great Northern Diver at Ferrybridge, 2 Great Northern Divers and the Velvet Scoter in Portland Harbour, single Black Redstarts at Chesil Cove and St Georges Church, a Purple Sandpiper and a Barn Owl at the Bill and 2 Red-throated Divers passing through on the sea at the Bill.

January 25th

Odds and ends on the list today included 8 Lapwings, 4 Purple Sandpipers and a Redwing at the Bill, a Red-throated Diver passing through on the sea at the Bill, single Black Redstarts at Weston and Chesil Cove, the Velvet Scoter again in Portland Harbour and single Great Northern Divers in the harbour and at Chesil Cove.

January 24th

Not many reports so far today: 2 Purple Sandpipers at the Bill, 2 Red-throated Divers passing through off the Bill and a Great Northern Diver settled offshore there, 4 more Great Northerns in Small Mouth cove and 6 Mediterranean Gulls and 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge.

 

  

  yesterday's Common Dolphin - Chesil Cove, January 22nd 2007 © Colin McEntee

  January 23rd

Sunnier today but still feeling very cold in the fresh north-easterly wind. Four Purple Sandpipers and 2 Lapwings were at the Bill, where 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Pintail and a Mediterranean Gull passed through on the sea. Quality elsewhere included the first Merlin of the year at Weston, single Black Redstarts at Weston and Haylands, a Firecrest (and 3 Goldcrests) at Easton and a Little Gull at Ferrybridge.

The sunshine tempted a Red Admiral on to the wing at Easton.

Late news for yesterday: a dead Common Dolphin was amongst the debris on the beach at Chesil Cove. Additional bird news: 8 Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge, 4 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour and the Barn Owl again seen briefly as it left its roost at the Verne.

 

  

 

 

 

  more oil victims: Guillemots and Great Skua - Portland Bill, January 22nd 2007 © Martin Cade

  January 22nd

Grim scenes at the Bill this morning where the recent oiling incident really seems to be taking its toll; more than 100 Guillemots were ashore on the beaches and coves along the East Cliffs, dozens more waterlogged birds were floundering just offshore and around 20% of the hundreds of auks seen flying past were heavily oiled. A raw north-easterly wind made for very uncomfortable birding everywhere today and the only reports received were of 8 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Divers, a Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Skua passing through off the Bill, 2 Purple Sandpipers on the shore at the Bill and 6 Mediterranean Gulls and 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge.

January 21st

Sure signs of the promised colder weather arriving today with it feeling really raw in the strong north-west wind. On the bird front there were just a few routine sightings to report: 15 Mediterranean Gulls, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 7 Great Northern Divers and single Red-necked and Slavonian Grebes in Portland Harbour, a Black Redstart at Portland Castle, 35 Dark-bellied and 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge, 2 Purple Sandpipers at the Bill and 4 Black-headed Gulls, a Red-throated Diver and a Common Scoter passing through off the Bill.

January 20th

The only reports received so far have been of a selection of divers passing through off the Bill: 2 Red-throateds, 1 Black-throated and 1 Great Northern.

 

  

  Razorbill - Portland Harbour, January 19th 2007 © Colin McEntee

  January 19th

Despite quite an improvement in the weather the only report received was a single Red-throated Diver passing through off the Bill.

 

  

  ....another image for the dead/dying gallery: yesterday's dead dolphin - Chesil Cove, January 17th 2007 © Colin McEntee

  January 18th

Not altogether surprisingly a morning of raging wind and a near opaque mixture of sea-spray and horizontal rain or drizzle produced no worthwhile sightings at all.

Late news for yesterday: a dead dolphin sp. was floating just offshore at Chesil Cove; a long-dead Harbour Porpoise was washed up at the same site last weekend.

 

  

 

  Barn Owl - Verne Prison, January 17th 2007 © Martin Cade

  January 17th

The only reports were of a Red-throated Diver and a Brent Goose passing through off the Bill, singles of Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver and Slavonian Grebe in Portland Harbour and the Barn Owl again leaving its roost at Verne Prison at dusk.

Late news for yesterday: single Black Redstarts were still at Weston and Portland Castle and at dusk a Barn Owl that has evidently been present for much of the winter in the Verne Prison area was seen briefly as it left its daytime roost in the Verne Moat.

January 16th

Frequent spells of rain through the morning kept sightings to a minimum; the only reports so far have been of 3 Red-throated Divers passing through off the Bill and 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese again at Ferrybridge.

 

  

  Guillemot - Portland Bill, January 15th 2007 © Martin Cade

This pitiful specimen was one of several oiled individuals hauled out on the shore or floundering in the surf at the Bill today; fair numbers of oiled Gannets, Kittiwakes and auks began to appear over the weekend amongst the feeding flock of seabirds off the Bill.

  January 15th

Only a handful of reports today: 4 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver passed through off the Bill, 4 Purple Sandpipers were still there, a Black Redstart was at Southwell and several Great Northern Divers and single Red-necked and Slavonian Grebes were still in Portland Harbour.

Small numbers of Winter Moths are now being attracted to lit windows at the Obs during the evenings and last night the first Mottled Grey of the year was caught in one of the Obs garden moth-traps. 

 

 

 

     Mistle Thrush - Portland Bill, January 14th 2007 © Martin Cade 

  January 14th

One or two surprises today, the best of which were a Little Auk settled close inshore off Chesil Beach during the afternoon, a Red-necked Grebe settled off the Bill and a Mistle Thrush at the Bill. Clear skies and light winds provided an opportunity for Red-throated Divers to get moving in better numbers, with a total of 21 passing through off the Bill where an Eider and a Mediterranean Gull also passed by. Other reports included 4 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Turnstones at the Bill, a Chiffchaff at Reforne, 10 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver in Portland Harbour and 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge.

January 13th

Not much change today with reports from round and about that included 5 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, a Red-necked and a Slavonian Grebe and the Velvet Scoter in Portland Harbour, 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge, 2 Black Redstarts at Portland Castle, 2 Little Gulls in Chesil Cove and a Red-throated Diver passing through there, more than 50 Chaffinches around the south of the island, 3 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Turnstones at the Bill, 17 Common Scoter settled offshore at the Bill and 10 Red-throated Divers and a Great Skua passing through on the sea there.

 

  

  Common Buzzard - Portland Bill, January 12th 2007 © Martin Cade

This emaciated individual was picked up this morning at north Portland and died a few hours later. During the last few weeks of unsettled weather a number of the wintering Kestrels at the Bill also seem to be struggling to find enough food; one picked up yesterday at the Obs was found to be severely underweight and died overnight.

  January 12th

A slight improvement in the weather resulted in a better list of sightings today: 6 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver, a Slavonian Grebe, a Common Scoter and a Velvet Scoter in Portland Harbour, 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a Great Northern Diver at Ferrybridge, 2 Little Gulls in Chesil Cove, 2 Goldcrests and a Firecrest at Pennsylvania Castle, 2 Black Redstarts at Weston and another single at Perryfields and 2 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver passing through off the Bill.

Late news for yesterday: a Leach's Petrel passed through at Chesil Cove and a total of 4 Black Redstarts were at Weston.

January 11th

Yesterday's interlude of fair weather didn't last and it was extremely stormy again today. A Little Auk drifted through Chesil Cove early in the morning but otherwise the sea produced just 2 Little Gulls lingering in the Cove, a Red-throated Diver passing through off the Bill and a small increase in Kittiwake numbers everywhere. Reports from elsewhere included 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Mallards and 2 Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge, 2 Black Redstarts at Weston and a Firecrest at Old Hill.

January 10th

The nicest day for a while with plenty of pleasant sunshine tempered only a little by a relentless, brisk north-westerly wind. Odds and ends around the middle of the island included a Firecrest at Pennsylvania Castle and a Black Redstart and a Chiffchaff at Weston, whilst the Bill provided 9 Red-throated Divers and a Brent Goose passing through on the sea and 18 Common Scoter settled offshore.

A lone Bottle-nosed Dolphin headed west past the Bill during the morning.

January 9th

Two Great Skuas passing through off the Bill were a welcome first for the year but despite plenty more wind and rain the sea otherwise produced nothing much else apart from a single Red-throated Diver passing the Bill and 14 Common Scoter still settled offshore there. Elsewhere there were two Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour close to Portland Castle and a Kingfisher along the shoreline there.

Late news for yesterday: a Little Gull was at Chesil Cove and there was a decent mid-winter count of nearly 50 Chaffinches at the Bill.

January 8th

The only reports so far today have been from the Bill where there were 7 Purple Sandpipers and a Water Rail, along with 7 Red-throated Divers passing through on the sea.

Late news for yesterday: additions to the list for Portland Harbour/Ferrybridge included a total of 14 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver and at least 19 Mediterranean Gulls

January 7th

Despite the weather forecast suggesting otherwise it remained dry, albeit pretty windy, all day. A Grey Phalarope reported early in the afternoon at Chesil Cove was the pick of the day's sightings. The Velvet Scoter showed up again in Portland Harbour where there were also 6 Great Northern Divers, single Red-necked and Slavonian Grebes, a Common Scoter and a Kingfisher, 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were nearby at Ferrybridge, the regular Black Redstart was at Chesil Cove, 4 Red-throated Divers passed through off the Bill and there were 2 Turnstones and a Purple Sandpiper at the Bill.

January 6th

Persistent rain throughout the morning and heavy showers for much of the afternoon kept most birders away today. Another 3 Red-throated Divers (along with a minor passage of 21 Fulmars) passed through off the Bill, a couple of Redwings were grounded at the Bill and elsewhere there were at least 5 Great Northern Divers at Ferrybridge/Portland Harbour, a lone Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Ferrybridge and a Black Redstart at Smallmouth.

 

  

  Purple Sandpiper - Portland Bill, January 5th 2007 © Martin Cade

  January 5th

The only reports so far today have been of a Red-necked Grebe and 10 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour, 2 Purple Sandpipers at the Bill and 2 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser passing through off the Bill.

January 4th

Relatively uneventful today: the first Red-necked Grebe of the year showed up in Portland Harbour where there were also 6 Great Northern Divers and 3 fly-over Red-throated Divers, but otherwise the best on offer were singles of Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone at the Bill where 3 Red-throated Divers and a Little Gull passed through on the sea and 15 Common Scoter were settled offshore.

 

 

  Pearly Underwing - Portland Bill, January 3rd 2007 © Martin Cade

  January 3rd

A gloomy and increasingly windy day. At least 6 Great Northern Divers and the Velvet Scoter were again in Portland Harbour, a lone Eider was still at Ferrybridge, a Black Redstart was at Reap Lane, 4 Purple Sandpipers and a Golden Plover were at the Bill and 5 Red-throated Divers passed through on the sea off the Bill.

The year's first attempt at moth-trapping at the Obs produced a minor mid-winter highlight in the form of a single Pearly Underwing.

Late news for yesterday: a single Black-necked Grebe was at Ferrybridge.

January 2nd

Not so much to report today: at the Bill there were 2 Purple Sandpipers on the land and 2 Red-throated Divers passed through on the sea, whilst elsewhere a new Black Redstart at Weston was the fifth different individual seen there in recent days, the Velvet Scoter that had been missing for a couple of days was reported to be back in Portland Harbour, 5 Great Northern Divers were also in the Harbour and there were 15 Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge (a check through the age classes of the various recent reports of Mediterranean Gulls in the Ferrybridge/Portland Harbour area has revealed that at least 42 different individuals were recorded there during the Christmas period).

January 1st

There was a typical flourish of New Year sightings today that included a Snow Bunting heard calling over the Bill and singles of Little Auk and Grey Phalarope reported at either end of the day at Chesil Cove. More mundane fare included 5 Purple Sandpipers and a Water Rail at the Bill, 12 Great Northern Divers, 2 Slavonian Grebes and a Little Grebe in Portland Harbour, an Eider and a Common Scoter at Ferrybridge, single Black Redstarts at Chesil Cove and Portland Castle, several Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge/Chesil Cove and a Red-throated Diver and a Golden Plover passing through on the sea at the Bill.