31st December

Portland Bill Redwing 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Southwell Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Ferrybridge Pale-bellied Brent 1, Shelduck 3, Dunlin 235, Bar-tailed Godwit 5.

Click below for our 2021 Ringing Report:

30th December

Portland Bill diver sp 1, Common Scoter 3etc, Merlin 1, Purple Sandpiper 7, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Portland Harbour Great Northern Diver 1, Slavonian Grebe 1, Black-necked Grebe 1.

A little selection from the Bill today: Common Scoters, Merlin, Purple Sandpiper, Kittiwakes and Grey Seal © Matthew Barfield






29th December

Portland Bill Common SAcoter 3etc, Merlin 1, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Easton Jay 1.

28th December

Portland Bill Common Scoter 3etc, Blackcap 1. 

Bar-tailed Godwits and Dunlin at Ferrybridge this morning © Roy Norris:




27th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 1e 1w, Common Scoter 3etc, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Southwell Blackcap 2.

26th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 1e 1w, Common Scoter 4etc, Merlin 1, Black Redstart 1, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Ferrybridge Dark-bellied Brent 90, Pale-bellied Brent 4, Shelduck 2, Bar-tailed Godwit 6.

It looks rather like the four resident Bar-tailed Godwits at Ferrybridge still haven't taken to suddenly being joined by two of their congeners © Pete Saunders:


John Martin's kindly sent us through this photo of a Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly settled beside the 'new' pool in the Crown Estate Field back at the end of August. Although largely confined in Dorset to sites around the Poole Basin, this species has persisted at times at several sites around Weymouth and even once for a few years in the early 1990s at Yeolands Quarry. It seems to favour poorly vegetated ephemeral pools and wet flushes so it'll be interesting to see if it persists in this spot © John Martin:

25th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 4e 1w, Brent Goose 2e, Common Scoter 2e 4etc, Redwing 1, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Portland Harbour Goosander 1.

24th December

Portland Bill Black Redstart 2, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Portland Harbour Great Northern Diver 1, Black-necked Grebe 8, Goosander 1.

This morning's Goosander over Hamm Beach © Pete Saunders:


23rd December

Portland Bill Wigeon 4w, Common Scoter 4 etc, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Southwell Blackcap 1.

22nd December

Portland Bill Common Scoter 4etc, Merlin 1, Short-eared Owl 2, Redwing 1, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 2.

Southwell Blackcap 3.

Blacknor Black Redstart 1.

21st December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 2e, Brent Goose 7e, Merlin 1, Purple Sandpiper 1, Redwing 4, Black Redstart 3, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1.

20th December

Portland Bill Brent Goose 1, Merlin 1, Redwing 1, Fieldfare 3, Black Redstart 1, Blackcap 1.

Weston Fieldfare 2.

It's nearly three weeks since the last Blackcap was logged at the Bill but even this far into the winter new arrivals can still drop in © Martin Cade:

With an array of interesting grey geese turning up both east and west of us there were any number of possibilities for the solitary goose that hove into view this morning before pitching into the East Cliff fields - sadly, it didn't even turn out to be grey © Martin Cade:

19th December

Portland Bill Common Scoter 3 etc, Merlin1, Lapwing 1, Purple Sandpiper 5, Redwing 5, Fieldfare 1, Black Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Southwell Black Redstart 1.

Barleycrates Lane Merlin 1.

Blacknor Black Redstart 1.

Portland Harbour Black-throated Diver 1.

18th December

 

A reminder that there's an InFocus field day at the Obs between 10am and 4pm tomorrow, Sunday 19th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 1e, Short-eared Owl 3, Black Redstart 3, Chiffchaff 1.

Ferrybridge Black Brant 1, Pale-bellied Brent 5, Dark-bellied Brent 200, Bar-tailed Godwit 4.

It's beginning to look like the Black Brant and this Dark-bellied Brent are paired up © Pete Saunders:


Male Black Redstart at Portland Bill. @PortlandBirdObs @DorsetWildlife @Natures_Voice @BBCSpringwatch #TwitterNatureCommunity pic.twitter.com/Y1p6YSOTtj

17th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 3e 7w, Shelduck 1, Common Scoter 2e 4w, Red-breasted Merganser 1, Black Redstart 3, Chiffchaff 2, Brambling 1.

Ferrybridge Pale-bellied Brent Goose 5, Sandwich Tern 1.

Portland Harbour Black-throated Diver 1, Black-necked Grebe 10.

Seemingly mixed pairs of Pale-bellied and Dark-bellied Brents have been noted several times at Ferrybridge in recent years, with family parties present during three winters; this winter there are at least two 'dodgy-looking' adults in the flock that might well be a couple of these now grown up youngsters © Pete Saunders:



One of the Southwell Barn Owls from a few days ago © Pete Saunders:


As we'd already mentioned on the daily reports, the run of calm nights this week gave us the first opportunity for a while to run the nocmig recorder at the Obs and a real feature of the night's results was the amount of owl activity. The Short-eared Owls were always a bit distant so to get some better recordings last night we left another microphone across the road in the Crown Estate Field; this revealed plenty of activity that peaked around dusk and included a typically varied repertoire as in this selection distilled down from the half hour between 16:45 and 15:15



The Obs seems to fall right on the boundary between two Little Owl territories so their calls are an 
ever-present feature - this is the routine advertising call of the Obs Quarry male: 



We've never quite worked out what's going on when the monotonous calling descends into these 
crescendos of wild shrieks but it's presumably some sort of territorial matter and it happens really quite often:



Outside the breeding season there's hardly a night goes by when the nocmig recorder doesn't pick up a 
passing Barn Owl:


16th December

Today was so unexpectedly interesting that it merits a brief return to narrative. The overnight nocmig recording at the Obs revealed Redwings still moving in fair numbers - the 152 calls logged were well scattered through the hours of darkness although there was a conspicuous peak of 67 during the hour before dawn - and the arrival of daylight saw a succession of new arrivals logged, with 11 Redwings, 2 Bramblings and singles of Water Rail, Swallow, Chiffchaff, Siskin and Bullfinch at the Bill; lingering singles of Merlin, Black Redstart and Chiffchaff were also still about there and another Black Redstart was at Osprey Quay. The most unseasonable surprise was still to come though: after just long enough for them to have crossed the Channel after vacating their French roosts a stream of flocks of Starlings and Wood Pigeons - totalling around 3400 and 2000 respectively - arrived in from the south. The sea was also worth attention, with 29 Red-throated Divers (the highest day-total so far this winter and all heading high west), 2 Brent Geese and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers through off the Bill. Elsewhere, 10 Black-necked Grebes, a Black-throated Diver and a Slavonian Grebe were still in Portland Harbour.

15th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 17w, Common Scoter 4w, Redwing 2, Black Redstart 2.

Nocmig (at the Obs, dusk to dawn) Dunlin 1, Redwing 45.

Weston Swallow 1.

Portland Harbour Black-throated Diver 1, Black-necked Grebe 9.

An update on Mark Cutts' owl project: As some may be aware, Verity Hill and I have been making a concerted effort to record all of the owls present on Portland this winter. I thought that just before the Christmas break would be a good time to give an update on how we are doing. Please take into account that this is a slow time project, we are not moving from site to site each evening and we are constrained by work, the weather and the moon phase.

After an amazing start our trapping effort success has been varied, but with help from PBO, Paul Hopwood and many others we are learning and adapting as we go. Initially we set out to trap Little Owls but after 5 outings we had ringed 2 each of Little Owl and Barn Owl. Here is a quick summary of where we stand by species and I will update this before we finish, when the breeding season begins:

Little Owl We have trapped and ringed 4 birds. Not as successful as we had hoped but we know of at least 15 others around the island and many quarries have yet to be surveyed.

Barn Owl We have trapped and ringed 3 birds. We know of at least one other unringed bird and an unringed adult female was found badly injured at the Bill on 14th December. So at least 5 Barn Owls are known to be present this winter and we expect the eventual total to be higher

Short-eared Owl Four individuals have been seen regularly at the Bill with one of these or another also seen at Ferrybridge.

Tawny Owl A calling male has been seen and heard at two sites but this may be the same individual.

We will continue in the New Year and I would appreciate any news of sightings, especially those away from the well-known spots; my email is slashercutts@gmail.com 




14th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 1w, Great Skua 1etc, Short-eared Owl 2, Redwing 1, Black Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 1, Brambling.

Portland Harbour Black-throated Diver 1, Great Northern |Diver 2, Black-necked Grebe 8, Slavonian Grebe 1.

13th December

Portland Bill Little Egret 1, Swallow 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Pennsylvania Castle Firecrest 1-2. 

The Swallow at the Bill: late but not unprecedented - there are previous December records as late as Christmas Eve; January's the only month of the year without a Portland record © Martin Cade:

12th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 2w, Merlin 2, Black Redstart 1.

Southwell Collared Dove 23, Blackcap 1.

11th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 2w, Great Northern Diver 1w, Little Egret 1, Snipe 1, Redwing 3, Black Redstart 1, Brambling 3.

Southwell Business Park Black Redstart 1.

Old Hill Jay.

Ferrybridge Spoonbill 1.

Portland Harbour Black-throated Diver 1, Great Northern Diver 3, Black-necked Grebe 8, Slavonian Grebe 1, Goosander 1.

10th December

Portland Bill Merlin 1, Redwing 1, Black Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 1. 

Portland Harbour Black-necked Grebe 5, Goosander 1.

9th December

The future of the PBO Bookshop
In the last few years we've received so many donations of book collections that we've simply run out of space to accommodate them - in the shop it's become a case of not being able to see the books for the boxes - and a review of the basis under which the bookshop operates has becoming a pressing matter. Our trustees have taken the decision to gradually end the sale of all secondhand books: from 31st December we will no longer accept donations of secondhand books and no longer hold any stock for sale on a commission basis; existing stock of donated secondhand books will be disposed of as quickly as possible and thereafter we'll focus on the sale of new books and merchandise. We are very grateful to everyone who's donated secondhand books in the past - takings from the shop have made a significant contribution to our financial wellbeing for many years; however, it does appear from dwindling secondhand takings that interest in book collecting is not what it once was and that the time has come for a change in direction. Please be assured that undercutting the online retailers remains a strong motivation when it comes to our pricing of new books and this will continue to be the case!

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 3w, Common Scoter 3etc, Redwing 1, Black Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 1, Brambling 1.

Blacknor Black Redstart 1.

Ferrybridge Goldeneye 1, Short-eared Owl 1.

This winter's vole bonanza has been great news for the Southwell Barn Owls © Pete Saunders:


A winter wader trio: Turnstone at Bill and Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlins at Ferrybridge © Roy Norris:



8th December

Portland Bill Common Scoter 2etc, Merlin 1, Purple Sandpiper 8, Chiffchaff 1. 

7th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 2w, Storm Petrel 1, Common Scoter 3etc, Red-breasted Merganser 1w, Purple Sandpiper 2.

6th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 9w, Common Scoter 2w, Merlin 1, Redwing 15, Chiffchaff 1, Brambling 1.

After nearly three decades of absence Portland's been recolonised by Tawny Owl(s) even if it's not been at all clear how many individuals have been involved or whether there's yet been a breeding attempt during their three years of presence. Mark Cutts and Verity Hill are undertaking an owl survey of the island this winter and very quickly came across this individual that looks to be holding a territory in the Grove Stadium area - hopefully their continuing fieldwork will shed further light on the current situation. We're sure that everyone else already knows that Tawny Owls hoot in flight but we hadn't realised that until we were watching this bird with the thermal camera as it flew back and forth between its favoured song perches © Martin Cade:


5th December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 1w, Great Northern Diver 1, Common Scoter 3etc, Merlin 1, Short-eared Owl 2, Chiffchaff 1. 

Barn Owls seem to be popping up all over the island just lately - one's been a dawn and dusk performer at Southwell for quite a while and this evening there were two there © Pete Saunders:


4th December

Portland Bill Merlin 1, Purple Sandpiper 2, Black Redsrtart 1.

Pennsylvania Castle Chiffchaff 1, Siberian Chiffchaff 1.

Church Ope Cove Black Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 3, Goldcrest 1.

Ferrybridge Merlin 1n, Dunlin 180, Knot 3, Bar-tailed Godwit 4.

Portland Harbour Black-necked Grebe 6.

3rd December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 4w, Common Scoter 4etc, Black Redstart 1, Redwing 3, Blackcap 1 (new), Chiffchaff 2 (both new), Brambling 4.

Ferrybridge Dark-bellied Brent 245, Pale-bellied Brent 4, Dunlin 140, Knot 3, Bar-tailed Godwit 4, Curlew 4. 

Provide them with the right facilities and they'll come - eventually! Nick Stantiford first built and erected this Barn Owl box at Southwell in spring 2018 and after suspecting it was being used by a roosting bird he was finally able to confirm that fact today - hopefully the next step will be a breeding attempt © Nick Stantiford:



After evading the camera lenses for a few days the leg-flagged Knot that we mentioned a few days finally gave itself up at Ferrybridge today...


...where the Bar-tailed Godwit continue their winter residence © Pete Saunders:


Also at Ferrybridge, this colour-ringed Brent Goose (evidently it's a male) has been about - it was first marked at a spring staging site in The Netherlands in May 2018 and has been sighted there in each subsequent spring; there'd been no winter sightings until this year when it was first at Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on 7th October and subsequently on The Fleet since 20th October © Debby Saunders:

2nd December

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 2w, Brent Goose 1, Common Scoter 3etc, Little Egret 1, Merlin 1, Black-headed Gull 1w, Short-eared Owl 4, Redwing 9, Fieldfare 2n, Chiffchaff 1, Brambling 4n.

Church Ope Cove Black Redstart 1.

Ferrybridge Black Brant 1, Pale-bellied Brent 5, Dark-bellied Brent 510, Ringed Plover 42, Dunlin 105, Bar-tailed Godwit 4, Curlew 6, Turnstone 16.

1st December

Pennsylvania Castle Firecrest 2.

Church Ope Cove Black Redstart 1.

Ferrybridge Curlew 6, Bar-tailed Godwit 3, Sanderling 1.

This morning's Ferrybridge Sanderling © Debby Saunders:


30th November

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 1e, Brent Goose 1e 1w, Common Scoter 3etc, Merlin 1, Great Skua 1etc, Kittiwake c3000etc, Redwing 4, Chiffchaff 1.

Pennsylvania Castle Firecrest 1.

Grove Cliffs Goldcrest 1.

Blacknor Merlin 1.

Osprey Quay Rook 1.

Portland Harbour Red-throated Diver 1w, Black-necked Grebe 8, Slavonian Grebe 1.

Late news for yesterday Portland Harbour Red-throated Diver 1, Great Northern Diver 1, Black-necked Grebe 10, Slavonian Grebe 1, Red-breasted Merganser 53.

Red-throated Diver over Hamm Beach, Portland Harbour © Pete Saunders:



29th November

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 4w 1e, Common Scoter 2 etc, Eider 2w 1 etc, Merlin 1, Short-eared Owl 4, Black Redstart 1, Chiffchaff 1, Redwing 11n 2etc, Starling 38n, Brambling 2n 2etc, Siskin 2n.

Sweethill Fieldfare 1.

Church Ope Cove Black Redstart 1.

Blacknor Black Redstart 1.

Easton Jay 1.

Ferrybridge Black Brant 1, Pale-bellied Brent Goose 2, Bar-tailed Godwit 3, Rook 1.

A nice brent trio at Ferrybridge this morning - Pale-bellied, Dark-bellied and Black Brant © Pete Saunders:


Also from Ferrybridge, news of interesting colour-flag sighting: yesterday Charlie Richards spotted a Knot there bearing a green leg-flag coded CPH; it transpires that this bird's a juvenile that was first trapped/marked at Heacham, Norfolk, on 7th November and was still present at the same site on 21st November. 

28th November

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 2w, Brent Goose 2e, Common Scoter 3etc, Merlin 2, Purple Sandpiper 1, Mediterranean Gull 100etc, Black Redstart 1.

Southwell Fieldfare 1, Blackcap 2.

Church Ope Cove Black Redstart.

Weston Jay 1n.

Easton Chiffchaff 1.

Ferrybridge Knot 1, Snipe 1.

Portland Harbour Black-necked Grebe 6, Slavonian Grebe 1.

27th November

Storm Arwen's blasting northerly did nothing except make field excursions a pretty futile exercise, with the day's only reports being of singles of Merlin, Purple Sandpiper and Fieldfare at the Bill, 3 Common Scoter settled offshore there, a new Blackcap and a lingering Fieldfare at Sweethill, a Black Redstart at Church Ope Cove and 2 Knot at Ferrybridge.

Kestrel and Purple Sandpiper at the Bill today © Matthew Barfield:


26th November

Increasingly windy today with spells of hefty showers through the morning - conditions that scuppered attempts at meaningful searches for passerines. The day's only reports were of 6 Common Scoter and 2 Pintail through off the Bill, a Merlin rather forlornly looking for overhead migrants there, 4 Fieldfares at Southwell and 3 Knot amongst the wader selection at Ferrybridge.

One of the Southwell Fieldfares © Debby Saunders:


Knot aren't to be expected at Ferrybridge in mid-winter so three there today was noteworthy © Pete Saunders:


25th November

Very slow birding today with just a handful of new migrants logged. Six Redwings, 3 Bramblings, a Golden Plover and the lightest trickle of Chaffinches passed over at the Bill, where lingerers included 2 Black Redstarts, a Blackcap and the Siberian Chiffchaff; another Black Redstart was at Southwell.

Sadly, the beautiful cloudless sky wasn't filled with much migrant action and we suspect it'll only be tail-end Charlies like this Golden Plover from here on in:


The downside of a cloudless sky at this time of year is that morning seawatching at the Bill is trashed by the low sun: this Herring Gull-sized white-winged gull that passed by soon after dawn could only be viewed straight into the sun which made the ID very problematic - it looks as though there's something odd going on in the middle of this bird's primaries and we have a feeling it's most likely one of the  leucistic Herring Gulls that seem to pop up from time to time off this coast in winter © Martin Cade:


It seems to have become customary in recent winters to find a few dead Kestrels at the Bill - on investigation they pretty well always turn out to be emaciated youngsters that presumably don't have the experience to survive on the slim pickings usually available at this time of year; with a super abundance of voles in evidence just lately it's looking like it mightn't be such a struggle this winter © Roy Norris:

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)