14th February

Portland Bill Red-throated Diver 2w, Common Scoter 1w, Purple Sandpiper 11, Chiffchaff 1, Rook 1.

Although there are probably more exciting harbingers of spring, for us the first Rook making it all the way out to the Bill from the mainland - so often a noisy individual like today's that ends up pitching in on the wires between the Obs and the Obs Quarry - usually substantially precedes the likes of the more iconic first Wheatear or Swallow and helps to make winter seem just that little bit shorter © Martin Cade: