In the words of George R.R. Martin, "Winter is coming", and with it some interesting birds. Today saw the first Glaucous Gull of the year, first sighted in Chesil Cove it swiftly made a loop past the Bill to Culverwell then down the East Cliffs and was finally relocated in Portland Harbour. The impressive swell on the sea produced a pretty decent seawatch with a good passage of auks and Kittiwakes, a Bonxie and a Pomerine Skua. On the land side of things, migration was pretty slow but a male Crossbill briefly pitched in Culverwell was an excellent addition to the day totals, 2 Black Redstarts were at Church Ope Cove and a Firecrest lingered on at the Obs.
The North end of the island continued the theme of wintering birds with a Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Goosanders and a Great Crested Grebe at Ferrybridge. The Harbour, on the hand, was stuck firmly in early autumn mode with a late Arctic Tern showing nicely.
The first-winter Glaucous Gull was kind enough to do a lap of the island allowing itself to get photographed at various stages of its journey © Roger Hewitt:
