2nd November

The really wild conditions that had been forecast came to pass - with the wind apparently gusting up to 77mph during the morning - and the quest for storm-driven seabirds kept those that ventured out occupied today. Portland Harbour and Ferrybridge scored quite well with at least 4 Leach's Petrels the pick of a list that also included 160 Kittiwakes, 50 Barnacle Geese, 17 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Little Gulls and singles of Long-tailed Duck, Velvet Scoter, Purple Sandpiper, Pomarine Skua and Yellow-legged Gull. The conventional seawatch spots were too blown out and 2 Pomarine Skuas through off Chesil Cove were only worthwhile sightings from the open coast. Precious little attention was given to the land but a late Wheatear was on Hamm Beach and several Firecrests and another Barnacle Goose were at the Bill.

Kittiwakes made up the bulk of the numbers at Ferrybridge but a Pomarine Skua, a flock of Barnacle Geese and a Purple Sandpiper were all really good records for there © Pete Saunders:





One of the two Little Gulls that passed through Portland Harbour © Martin Cade:


And the lone Barnacle Goose that pitched in briefly amongst the Culverwell gull flock © Martin Cade: