25th April

What appeared to be a day ready to be consigned to the annals of history as a complete write-off migrant-wise was turned around in an instant with a late afternoon Melodious Warbler trapped at the Obs. The land was otherwise extremely quiet, with 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 White Wagtails and a lone Redstart about as good as it got at the Bill.. The sea was, thankfully, a little more eventful with Chesil picking up the lion's share of the numbers that included 15 Great Skuas, 7 Arctic Skuas, 6 Red-throated Divers and 2 Pomarine Skuas; many of these birds headed away east over Portland Harbour but a few made it out to the Bill where 2 Black-throated Divers were an addition to the tally.

The afternoon's Melodious Warbler brought a splash of colour to proceedings © Martin Cade:

If the show hadn't been stolen by a certain warbler, there is little more impressive than a breeding-plumaged Black-throated Diver © Martin Cade... 

...several breeding-plumaged Red-throated Divers also featured during today's seawatches © Martin Cade…

...along with a few Great Skuas © Pete Saunders (top - over Ferrybridge) and Martin Cade (bottom - off the Bill):

The oddest bird on the sea was this presumably leucistic Common Scoter that was sufficiently striking that it was noticed and remarked upon by watchers at both Burton Bradstock and Chesil; these photos were taken a little later when it rounded the Bill © Martin Cade:

This resting flock of Bar-tailed Godwits at Ferrybridge seemed unphased by their beautiful companion © Debby Saunders: