Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre: 13th April

The settled conditions remained firmly established and saw to it that migrants were again very thinly spread on the ground. Only Willow Warbler and Wheatear - that made totals of 50 and 20 respectively - reached double figures at the Bill, whilst quality consisted of nothing more than 3 Grasshopper Warblers and 2 Redstarts scattered around the centre and south of the island. Not surprisingly there was a lot more action overhead, with the sample one hour count of 727 Swallows, 36 House Martins and 23 Sand Martins through along West Cliffs indicating the strength of the continuing heavy hirundine passage; an Osprey along West Cliffs during the evening was the pick of the rest of the visible passage. The sea remained very quiet, with 7 Red-throated Divers, 3 Whimbrel and an Eider easily the best on offer off the Bill. As has become customary, the Iceland Gull remained at Ferrybridge.