21st January

A day of considerable weather contrasts with the howling gale and some brightness of dawn giving way to an altogether drearier but much quieter afternoon as rain lingering not far out in the Channel never quite made it ashore. The only small changes in the otherwise routine mid-winter selection saw 2 Brent Geese pass by off the Bill, the Greenfinch flock at Reforne increase to 14 and a couple of Redwings appear at Easton; the 3 overwintering Rooks at Barleycrates Lane were also logged for the first time in a while. The Rosy Starling was still at Easton, the 3 Redpolls and single Chiffchaff were still at the Bill, the 2 Eider were still offshore at the Bill and 7 Black-necked Grebes, a Black-throated Diver and a Slavonian Grebe were still in Portland Harbour.