7th April

We really could do with seeing the back of the recent spell of dreary, damp weather and there was just a hint in the clearing skies towards dusk of that welcome change setting in. With a brisker wind accompanying today's soaking most attention was given to the sea, with 307 Gannets, 115 Manx Shearwaters, 85 Sandwich Terns, 26 Common Scoter, 15 Mediterranean Gulls, 11 Great Skuas, 7 Red-throated Divers, 2 Teal and an Arctic Skua logged at the Bill and 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Great Skuas, a Red-throated Diver and a commic tern passing through during a short watch at Chesil Cove; another 20 commic terns - including at least 2 Arctic Terns - 4 Little Gulls and the first Little Tern of the spring also dropped in at Ferrybridge, where the Iceland Gull remained. Swallows were trickling in off the sea all day at the Bill, but less than comprehensive coverage of the land came up with no more than a Redstart amongst the few Blackcaps and phylloscs there. The only other report was of 2 Black-throated Divers in Portland Harbour.


  
Sandwich Tern and Iceland Gull © Joe Stockwell Yet another birding blog and Steve Gantlett birdingworld.co.uk

...and whilst we probably ought to hesitate before getting on the slippery slope of including Weymouth photos here, Steve's Lodmoor Red-rumped Swallow was too nice not to bother with: