30th April

If a good day list is your thing then Portland's been coming up with the goods this week, with some very fulsome tallies to be had as spring migration reaches its peak. Today's nice quiet conditions saw the island miss the rash of heavy showers that bubbled up just on across the mainland and provided ample opportunity to get amongst an almost complete suite of routine fare. Wheatear and Willow Warbler both topped the 100 mark at the Bill where Swallows were streaming in at times and certainly reached well into four figures in total; there were all-island double totals of the likes of Yellow Wagtail (including a Blue-headed Wagtail), Redstart and Whinchat, whilst 5 Pied Flycatchers and singles of Hobby, Merlin and Black Redstart, along with a late Redwing, were all on offer. Waders at Ferrybridge included 2 Grey Plovers and a notable increase to 95 Dunlin. The sea remained hard work but 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 Red-throated Divers and a Pomarine Skua were logged at the Bill.

There was plenty to get amongst today: Pied Flycatchers © Nick Bond (settled) and Pete Saunders (flying)...



...Redstart and Lesser Whitethroat © Paul Swann, Garden Warbler © Pete Saunders and Blue-headed Wagtail © Nick Bond...





...Grey Plovers and Dunlin © Pete Saunders:



And for anyone suffering burn-out after all the migrant-hunting there was the chance to end the day watching the altogether more soothing activities of the pair of Black-winged Stilts that had pitched up at Lodmoor this morning © Martin Cade: