27th April

 As the old saying goes, a change is as good as a rest; with the wind doing an almost complete 180 switch there was a small influx of new migrants. The majority of the action seemed focused on the obs garden with the day ringing total reaching 49 of 11 different species (nine of which were warblers), including the first Grasshopper Warbler for the lockdown list. A Hobby in-off was seen catching and plucking an unwitting migrant mid-flight, despite visible migration being limited and very much reduced compared to recent days. The millpond-like sea was relatively quiet, although seven Red-throated Divers was the highest total for over 10 days. Elsewhere on the island, 2 Pied Flycatchers were at Old Hill, while Ferrybridge saw a small influx of waders including 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Whimbrels, 17 Turnstones and a passing Arctic Skua.

It's been a good year for Whimbrels on Portland © Pete Saunders: