16th May

A largely uneventful day that was punctuated by a couple of moments of considerable excitement, not least when a Bee-eater popped up first in Top Fields and then a few minutes later at Reap Lane; the sea was also well worth a look , particularly during the evening when Chesil dipped in on a share of what will likely turn out to be this spring's 'Pom Day'. Migrant-wise, the winding down of spring continued with ones and twos of a few tardy regulars on the ground and another pulse of Swifts and hirundines overhead; 3 Grey Plovers, 2 Sanderling and a Blue-headed Wagtail were the best on offer at the Bill, whilst Grey Plovers, Knots and Sanderlings featured in varying numbers at Ferrybridge/Chesil. Seawatching in the morning produced 2 Pomarine Skuas and a Velvet Scoter off the Bill along with a varied selection of other seasonable fare there and off Chesil, whilst the evening brought a further flurry of Pomarine Skuas: 7 passed through during a short watch from Chesil, with another 13 seen from a viewpoint just outside the recording area also likely to have passed by there.

The Blue-headed Wagtail in Top Fields  © Dave Smith:


The seven Poms off Chesil during the evening ascended a good few hundred metres (way above the height of the top of the island) before crossing the beach/Osprey Quay and heading away to the east over Portland Harbour © Martin Cade: