28th April

With the notable exception of the sea today was a good day all round, with another nice fall of common migrants that was topped off with the discovery the spring's third Subalpine Warbler - this time an Eastern bird - at Cheyne Weare. Willow Warblers made up the bulk of the numbers on the ground, including 300 at the Bill, with 2 Wood Warblers - singles at the Obs and Avalanche Road - providing the best of the quality amongst the back-up variety that also included a Ring Ouzel and a White Wagtail at Barleycrates Lane, a Grasshopper Warbler at Cheyne Weare and single Pied Flycatchers at the Obs, Southwell, Avalanche Road and Blacknor. The wader selection at Ferrybridge included singles of Grey Plover, Sanderling and Common Sandpiper but the sea remained the poor relation, with nothing much better than 2 each of Great Northern Diver and Great Skua through off the Bill and another Great Northern Diver at Ferrybridge.

After the male Western a fornight ago and the indeterminate bird last weekend, today's fine male Eastern was a nice addition to the spring's Subalpine Warbler tally © Martin Cade




At times the bird was calling and/or chortling away in quiet song:




As eye candy Wood Warblers take a bit of beating and remain quite high value birds at Portland © Martin Cade: