21st January

Yesterday's onset of rain proved to be just the beginning of almost 24 hours of drizzle or heavier bursts that finally petered out towards midday today - conditions that again kept nearly everyone indoors. What reports there were didn't amount to much: 5 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Blackcaps and singles of Black Redstart, Redwing and Chiffchaff at the Bill, 3 Red-throated Divers through on the sea there, the Black Guillemot still off Portland Castle and 160 Dunlin and a Redshank at Ferrybridge.

Black Guillemot - Portland Harbour, 19th January 2015 © Will Bown

And on another subject, it's been a while since Nick Hopper has undertaken any nocturnal sound recording at the Bill but the clear sky and light breeze of last Sunday night - 18th/19th - tempted him to give it a go. Being January, precious little was expected but overflying Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Ringed Plover and Redwing were all logged which seems to us to be a pretty decent return for non-snowy conditions in mid-winter. Two species that we weren't surprised to find showing up on Nick's recordings were Barn Owl and Fox: