The sea again provided day-long interest today with a nice selection of wrecked seabirds lingering close to shore: at least 2 Sabine's Gulls (as many as 4 individuals were reported but we've yet to see photographic evidence that there were more than 2 birds involved in the sightings - any further evidence would be much appreciated) patrolled Chesil Beach throughout, with a Grey Phalarope settled there for a while and a Little Gull through; nearby, 2 Leach's Petrels lingered on in Portland Harbour and an Arctic Tern passed through at Ferrybridge. Further routine sea interest came in the form of 4 Great Northern Divers and 2 Goosanders at Portland Harbour/Ferrybridge, 300 Mediterranean Gulls lingering off the Bill and a lone Red-throated Diver passing through there. Some post-dawn overhead passage at the Bill included 2680 Wood Pigeons, 310 Goldfinches, 244 Starlings, 34 Linnets and 2 Siskins, with singles of Merlin and Firecrest of note on the ground there; elsewhere, a Black Redstart was at Church Ope Cove and the Wheatear remained at Hamm Beach
The first-summer Sabine's Gull © Dave Foot (videos) and Pete Saunders (stills)...
...the juvenile Sabine's Gull © Martin Cade:
...the Grey Phalarope © Dave Foot (video) and Pete Saunders (stills)...
...and the Arctic Tern which, since it's clearly an adult, isn't the bird that's been frequenting the Weymouth area for a few days © Pete Saunders:
This morning's Firecrest at the Bill © Martin Cade:
