3rd March

Two days on the trot of fair weather was a novelty for this year and another little trickle of early season migrants certainly made the most of it. Meadow Pipits dribbled in off the sea all day, a Greylag Goose passed through on the sea and on the land Stonechats totalled 20 at the Bill alone; also making the list from the Bill were 11 Purple Sandpipers and singles of Grey Heron, Snipe and Chiffchaff, with 2 Blackcaps at Southwell and 3 Firecrests and 2 Chiffchaffs at Church Ope Cove. A couple of sightings of what was likely to have been a/the Black Guillemot at Portland Harbour were something that'll be worth following up in the coming days; 6 Black-necked Grebes, 5 Common Scoter and singles of Great Northern Diver and Red-necked Grebe were also still there.

Large Tortoiseshells were showing on and off through the afternoon at Church Ope Cove.

Little groups of Stonechats were popping up all over the place at the Bill...


...and a long shot of the passing Greylag Goose off East Cliffs © Martin Cade: