Better conditions today with a cloudy start and a reasonable North-easterly led to the presence of a few more birds including another Osprey over Weston, a Ring Ouzel on the West Cliffs and the first Common Redstarts of the spring with four males and a female. Other commoner migrants were on the move in greater numbers than in recent days including 200+ Meadow Pipits, 30 Wheatears, 180 Chiffchaffs, 36 trapped Willow Warblers, a thin smattering of crests and a pair of Brambling. Hirundines were on the move but in lower numbers than yesterday. Once again Common Scoter led the charge on the sea with 80 past the Bill accompanied by a pair of Red-throated Divers and a Sandwich Tern. The non-avian highlight of the day was a pod of 15 Bottle-nosed Dolphins.
Elsewhere on the island, a sea-watch from Chesil was much more productive with 34 Common Scoter, six Wigeon, a pair of Teal, two Shelduck, a Red-throated Diver and a Sandwich Tern.
The Ring Ouzel seen early doors on the West Cliffs was presumably the individual later photographed at Reap Lane © Bruce Park:
There haven't been many opportunities to see a Brambling on the island so far this year and today's bird hardly obliged as it dropped into the tree tops at the Obs for little more than a few seconds © Martin Cade:
The gardens of Southwell provide an excellent haven for migrating birds and often fantastic photo opportunities © Debby Saunders:
