A nice little sprinkle of variety today as the weather turned noticeably quieter and milder. Cold weather refugees featured again - presumably, since what movement there was was in off the sea, escaping events on the Continent - with 36
Lapwings over the Bill and another 6 over Ferrybridge, 2
Redwings over Blacknor and a
Fieldfare grounded at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill came up with 3
Red-throated Divers, 2
Common Scoter and singles of
Mallard,
Eider and
Black-headed Gull, whilst 9
Purple Sandpipers, 5
Turnstones, 2
Firecrests and a
Little Egret were about on the land there. A
Black-tailed Godwit was a new arrival at Ferrybridge, with 5
Black-necked Grebes, 3
Great Northern Divers and a
Pale-bellied Brent Goose also there and at Portland Harbour.
Mid-winter Fieldfares are a pretty unusual sight on Portland in anything other than really bitter weather © Martin Cade: