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:
