2nd May

Another slightly average day with a couple of nice highlights including the third Turtle Dove of the year, a Marsh Harrier over Southwell, the return of one of yesterday's Serins to a private garden in Southwell and an Osprey over Ferrybridge. The biggest excitement came from the call of a Black Kite over Coombefield Quarry, however the obvious jesses had us putting the phones and cameras back down to just enjoy a pretty impressive (if not strictly wild) bird. Today also saw the highest total of Spotted Flycatchers of the spring at six individuals, accompanied by a lone Pied Flycatcher at Avalanche Road. Although the passage of Hirundines was not as consistent as pervious days, a flurry around midday also saw the passage of a pair of Hobbys. The morning's sea-watch was reasonably quiet with highlights including two Great Northern Divers, a Great Skua, three Sanderlings and four Shelducks; later there was a report of an exceptionally early Balearic Shearwater.

Depressingly, any occurrence of a Turtle Dove is now a twitchable event at Portland; today's bird dropped in at times at a former hot-spot for the species on the lawn of a private garden in Southwell © Pete Saunders:


Common Sandpiper and Turnstone on East Cliffs this morning © Martin Cade:



We'd have been very happy indeed if our only view/photograph of this morning's Black Kite had been this one...


...but, sadly, it was quickly apparent that the bird was bearing jesses and was thus presumably an escape. Subsequent communications have revealed that the bird was in Ceredigion on 28th April and Glamorgan on 30th April - does anyone know who lost it in the first place?
© Martin Cade: