The see-saw conditions of late December certainly remain established, with unbroken sunshine replacing yesterday's uniform gloom. The birding remained rather static, with most of the regulars putting in appearances for those out looking: 4 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Blackcaps were at the Bill, a Grey Heron and the Pheasant at Southwell, 2 Blackcaps and 2 Goldcrests at Pennsylvania Castle, a Black Redstart at Portland Castle and 15 Black-necked Grebes, 4 Slavonian Grebes, 4 Eider, 3 Great Northern Divers and singles of Red-throated Diver, Red-necked Grebe and Black Guillemot scattered about Portland Harbour.
Although it's been enticingly mild for a couple of days the overnight wind and rain hadn't looked at all promising for moth-trapping, so the first immigrant of the year - a Diamond-back Moth - was a nice surprise in the Obs garden traps.
Purple Sandpiper - Portland Bill, 2nd January 2015 © Ken Dolbear
