Snow Buntings have become really infrequent visitors to the island in their formerly more regular autumn season, whilst spring records have always been far less than annual © Joe Stockwell...
...and a little bit of context © Martin Cade:
14th March
A gradual improvement in the weather saw the strength of the wind finally begin to drop just a little, with a surprise Snow Bunting at Ferrybridge the pick of the day's discoveries. A Swallow through at Southwell and a Sandwich Tern settled at Ferrybridge - both first sightings of the spring - were hopefully a taster for what really ought to be a more conspicuous arrival of migrants in the coming days than what's been on offer in the last week or so; as an example of the current meagre fare, a single Chiffchaff at the Bill was today's only other grounded arrival! Portland Harbour provided something of a step back into winter, with 3 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Great Northern Divers and singles of Black-throated Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe and Common Scoter amongst the waterfowl selection revealed during the WEBS count. Other odds and ends making the list included 2 migrant Carrion Crows in off the sea at the Bill and 2 Purple Sandpipers and a Black Redstart still about on the land there.
