Today could have gone either way - there's many a time in the past when a brisk, cold northeasterly under a crystal clear sky has dropped us a hatful of birds - but in the event if migrants were moving they didn't stop. An
Osprey over the centre of the island and a trickle of passing
hirundines,
Meadow Pipits and
alba wagtails - including the first
House Martins of the year - were just what might have been predicted given the conditions; sadly, the sparse spread on the ground didn't included more of interest than a couple of lingering
Firecrests at the Bill and the continuing
Cetti's Warbler at Suckthumb
The wind was too offshore for the sea during the morning but a favourable veer towards evening saw a little bit get moving off Chesil, including 36 Bar-tailed Godwits and singles of Red-throated Diver, Gadwall and Arctic Skua; 20 Sandwich Terns, 2 Red-throated Divers and the year's first commic tern were the best of the day's slim pickings off the Bill.
In perfect conditions and in what must be their peak spring week at Portland it was no surprise at all when this Osprey loomed into view over Weston Street © Mark Eggleton:
