Quite pleasantly warm for the first time in days but ultimately rather disappointing on all fronts today. The sea had promised most but more or less all-day coverage at the Bill was rewarded with not all that much more than a few skuas - 6 Greats, 5 Arctics and a Pomarine that we've been told about but perhaps some more to add from observers we haven't heard from. Manx Shearwaters were a constant presence offshore and reached at least the 300 mark, whilst 225 Kittiwakes, 57 Sandwich Terns and 4 Red-throated Divers were among the totals from the first few hours of the day; of local interest was the sight of 2 Puffins together at times - the first time that's happened this year. The land was again a bit of a dead loss: there was a good spread of 50 Wheatears at the Bill but no more than ones and twos of most other grounded migrants; Swallows looked to be getting going in some quantity for a period during the morning but their passage also fizzled out. Elsewhere, the Ferrybridge Little Tern tally got into three figures for the first time this season, 2 Sanderling were amongst the wader mix there and a Great Northern Diver passed overhead.
#Lodmoor & #Radipole were quiet, but #Ferrybridge really came up trumps, this pm! 39 #LittleTerns counted on panoramic video! Quite a sight. Also #Sanderling, #Whimbrel, #Dunlins, many #Wheatears (mainly on carpark boulders), #RingedPlovers. @dorsetbirdclub @PortlandBirdObs pic.twitter.com/4v4KGDfv2Q
— Viv Keene (@viv_keene) April 29, 2024
A supremely obliging Whimbrel at Portland Bill this evening. #ukbirding
— Gavin Haig (@notquitescilly.bsky.social) Apr 29, 2024 at 21:57
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Portland Bill highlights to 10:00... 2 Arctic Skuas, 5 Bonxies, 4 RTD, 8 Barwits, 29 C Scoter and a Puffin. Poms no doubt imminent. 😊 #ukbirding
— Gavin Haig (@notquitescilly.bsky.social) Apr 29, 2024 at 10:43
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