A combination of ideal calm weather and improved coverage resulted in a rather impressive and varied total of birds logged. Visual migration in the first hours of daylight included 652 Wood Pigeons, 184 Chaffinch, 59 Goldfinches, 46 Linnets, 34 Meadow Pipits, 14 Skylark, 5 Redwing, and 1 Siskin, with the highlight being a Richard's Pipit that flew northwest just after sunrise. Other birds logged at the Bill included 3 Black Redstarts, 3 Purple Sandpipers, 3 Chiffchaff and singles of Blackcap, Firecrest, Merlin, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Woodcock, Water Rail and a late Swallow. Intermittent glances out to sea proved unexpectedly productive, with 5 Red-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver, 8 Eider, 7 Pintail, 1 Shoveler and up to 6 Velvet Scoter. An additional 4 Great Northern Divers, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 1 Eider, 10 Goosanders and 8 Red-breasted mergansers were reported from Portland Harbour.
Penn Castle
4 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Heron.
Suckthumb
5 Goldcrest, 2 Brambling.
Barleycrates
Yellowhammer, Dartford Warbler.
4 of today's Velvet Scoter were first seen over Portland Harbour heading west before passing by the Bill a short time later © Lee Gardiner