10th January

A handful more cold weather arrivals to show from today's efforts, notably 13 Golden Plovers and a Fieldfare that dropped in at the Bill; 2 Long-tailed Tits at Southwell were the first from the south of the island for a while, whilst a new Blackcap was visiting a garden at the Grove. Among the more routine fare, the Merlin was getting about - or might there be more than one? - with an early sighting from Blacknor before it returned to the Bill; 8 Common Scoter and 2 Eider were off the Bill, 3 Redpolls, a Purple Sandpiper and a Black Redstart were at the Bill and 4 Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff were at Southwell. Elsewhere, a Goldcrest was the first for a while at Pennsylvania Castle (...has anyone seen a Firecrest anywhere on Portland this winter? - if not, has there ever been  winter without one?) and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits reappeared at Ferrybridge where there was also a Great Northern Diver.

The Merlin at the Bill © Martin Cade... 


...and the Bar-tailed Godwits at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders: