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7th May

What I nice day to be out birding: the migrants were again very varied if not actually individually hugely numerous but it was a particular pleasure to get amongst them - for one of the first times this year - in warm sunshine and barely a waft of breeze; what breeze there was was in the north which probably accounted for what looked to be a steady throughput of birds dropping from the clear sky throughout the day. We're struggling to remember the last time there was a two Nightingale day on the island so the singles at the Obs and the Eight Kings Quarry were very welcome amongst an arrival at the Bill that included 50 Wheatears, 40 Garden Warblers, 30 Willow Warbler, 20 Blackcaps, 15 each of Reed and Sedge Warbler, 10 Spotted Flycatchers, 8 Whinchats, 4 Redstarts, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Goldcrest. Visible passage also picked up there, with a constant arrival of Swallows overhead, Swifts present amongst them if still not at all numerously and 2 Hobbys and 2 Yellow Wagtails tagging along. Migrants evidently diminished in numbers further up the island but there were still some good patches of them around the middle where at least 9 more Reed Warblers were in evidence; 2 more Hobbys were also logged at points northward. The switch in wind direction coupled with increasing haziness as the day went on saw to it that a lone Great Skua through off the Bill was pretty well the only sighting of note from the sea.

Sadly, although both the day's Nightingales were males they were vocally reticent and we were always too otherwise engaged to be able to grab a recording during what fitful bursts of song there were. However, the Obs bird obliged by eventually popping up in a mist-net so a good view was had!...


Talking of good views - or preferably a photograph - Nightingale ageing should be pretty do-able in the field as the previous year's youngsters retain some old juvenile feathers in their wing when they return to northern latitudes in spring; our bird today was one such youngster as evidenced by, for example, the pale tips to the outer greater coverts and the little pale 'spikes' on the tip of the middle tertial
 - these would be lacking on an adult © Martin Cade:



Today was a bit of an oddity in that, despite lovely weather that should have enabled them to get away easily, there were quite a few migrants about that seemed to be marooned in tiny patches of cover; for example, early morning visitors told us of several Reed Warblers lurking in the little clump of stunted Tree Mallows beside the Bill Quarry and when we passed the same patch after an evening seawatch - a good 13 hours later - at least two of them were still there © Martin Cade:


6th May

The quiet conditions of the last few days continued and, for the first time this month, delivered a nicely varied drop of new arrivals around the centre and south of the island. A Bee-eater that pitched up for a few minutes at the Obs was the highlight, but amongst the commoner migrants a strong showing of 30 Garden Warblers was nice and only topped in the day's tally by the 40 Willow Warblers; other totals included 18 Sedge Warblers, 13 Spotted Flycatchers, 10 Whinchats, 12 Wheatears, 5 Reed Warblers and 2 Little Egrets. The sea had its moments, with 102 commic terns, 4 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Pomarine Skua through off the Bill, but waders were disappointing with little more of interest beyond 4 Sanderling at Ferrybridge and 2 Turnstones and a Common Sandpiper at the Bill.

What a change there's been in the status of Bee-eater at Portland: the first for the island in 1964 was the only one logged during that decade and there followed just one record during the 1970s and three during the 1980s; today's bird, however, takes the island tally to 58 and the species is now an expected annual visitor here © Martin Cade:


The best ringing day for over a week at the Obs and Culverwell - in fact easily the best fall of migrants so far this month: 62 birds of 15 species incl what for spring is an excellent catch of 10 Sedge Warblers

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 6, 2024 at 22:50

5th May

Another day that looked to have bags of potential but failed to deliver any numbers of grounded or visible migrants; fortunately a couple of scarcities and an at least fair seawatch went some way toward saving the day. Yesterday's Hawfinch remained at the Obs for a while during the morning and later at least 1 perhaps 2 Wood Warblers showed up there. A couple of Garden Warblers and singles of Hobby,  Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher were about as good as it got amongst the thinnest of spreads of commoner grounded arrivals and almost non-existent overhead passage. The sea made a valiant attempt to salvage further interest although even that required a lot of watching for any really worthwhile totals, that included 306 commic terns, 17 Sanderlings, 2 Great Crested Grebes and singles of Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua and Black Tern through off Chesil and 3 Great Northern Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Pomarine Skuas and singles of Red-throated Diver and Great Skua through off the Bill.

Red sky in the morning... There seems to have been a lot of these just lately and in general they've been a fair guide to the day's prospects. Today? - maybe slightly less so © Joe Stockwell:


Wood Warbler is so often a spring 'rain bird' at Portland and today's occurrence fitted that billing yet again: the damp, drizzly morning had looked promising for one but didn't deliver; however, no sooner were the Obs mist-nets reopened after a heavier downpour at midday than this was the first bird trapped © Martin Cade:



Rain's also good for grounding newly-arrived Hobbys © Pete Saunders:


There's plenty of time left before we have thoughts of one of our late spring Spotted Flycatcher rushes being on the cards but they're certainly quite slow to get going this year © Pete Saunders:


Classic Chesil views of an Arctic Skua about to take the short cut over the beach and Portland Harbour © Joe Stockwell


And back to yesterday for something we completely forgot to post: Jon Stokes sent us through this little scene-setting video of a Nightingale giving some bursts of song from a garden hedge right beside busy High Street in Fortuneswell - migrants really can drop into some most unlikely spots © Jon Stokes:


4th May

The return of summer-like conditions was very welcome but did precious little for the land where, barring the unexpected appearance of a Hawfinch at the Obs that followed the almost as unlikely hearing of a Nightingale in song at Fortuneswell, migrants were few and far between and, apart from an incoming Short-eared Owl at the Bill, didn't include anything else that was in the least unexpected. In a propitious easterly breeze the sea was very disappointing for this date: 124 Common Scoter through off the Bill represented quite a resurgence in their passage that's been painfully slow just lately, but 2 Pomarine and an Arctic Skua off Chesil and 4 Pomarine and 2 Arctic Skuas, and 3 each of Red-throated and Great Northern Diver off the Bill was a poor showing of the marquee species. 

A Minke Whale off Chesil in the morning may be only the second record of this species in local waters.

Bug interest has been extremely limited just recently so it's good to get back into the groove with what we believe is the first confirmed record of Hairy Dragonfly for Portland - not that this is in any way a surprise since sightings have been expected following their remarkable increase in recent years in Weymouth. We're aware of at least one previous sight record from an experienced observer but in this day and age it seems almost obligatory to secure tangible evidence for a first record of pretty well anything so we're very pleased that Steve Mansfield obliged with some nice photographs of the specimen he came across today high up on West Cliffs beside the Southwell Business Park © Steve Mansfield:



Hawfinches are something of a Pomarine Skua of the land: rarer of course, but also similarly charismatic and - at least in the context of Portland - prone to turning up on a complete whim when least expected; today's bird showed up at midday on a bright, sunny day when there was almost no other passerine migration afoot and we can immediately remember that last year's bird was found in a mist-net that was just about to be shut right at the end of another equally birdless day. And why are so many of them adult males - what's all that about? © Martin Cade:


Four of the Sanderlings at Ferrybridge this morning © Pete Saunders:

3rd May

Migrant-wise, a general settling down of the weather prompted a small flurry of activity if not the fall that would have been more appropriate at this juncture. There were no surprises amongst the light scatter of new grounded arrivals, with unseasonable singles of Goldcrest at the Bill and Black Redstart at Ferrybridge as interesting as it got amongst the more routine fare. Overhead, a Hen Harrier that looked to have arrived in off the sea at the Bill shortly after dawn was unexpected, as was a Great White Egret flying up the Fleet from Ferrybridge, whilst later a steady if unspectacular passage of mainly Swallows developed. The sea remained quiet, with singles of Red-throated Diver and Arctic Skua through off the Bill the only real interest. Wader passage gained a little more momentum, with 24 Dunlin, 11 Sanderling, 9 Whimbrel and 2 Grey Plover at Ferrybridge and 2 Common Sandpipers at the Bill.

Neither Black Redstart nor Goldcrest would be the sort of things usually on the menu in early May © Martin Cade:



Grey Plover © Martin Cade (top) & Debby Saunders (bottom) and Whimbrel © Debby Saunders at Ferrybridge today:





Portland today Yellow Wagtail my first this year with Whinchat

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— philc72.bsky.social (@philc72.bsky.social) May 3, 2024 at 17:09

2nd May

Today really was a struggle: another night of continuous and at times heavy rain looked to have prevented all but the most determined passerine migrants getting airborne, whilst diurnal passage was reduced to no more than a trickle; there didn't look to be any reason why seabirds shouldn't have been on the move but they obviously felt otherwise. Waders accounted for the bulk of the new arrivals and included 65 Dunlin, 5 Whimbrel, 4 Grey Plovers and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge and a Common Sandpiper at the Bill; passerine numbers and variety were hopeless, with singles of Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher providing the only minor interest at the Bill where not a single migrant was trapped all day at the Obs; elsewhere there was a Pied Flycatcher at Avalanche Road. Upwards of 200 Manx Shearwaters lingering close inshore off the Bill were entertaining but 3 Red-throated Divers and a single Arctic Skua represented a terrible return by way of passage seabirds there.

Right up there as one of the coolest of Arctic-breeding waders, the Grey Plovers at Ferrybridge were a real treat © Martin Cade:

1st May

Thank goodness for the sea at the moment. Passerine migration - at least with the honourable exception of diurnal hirundines - seems to have ground to a halt this week: despite far damper conditions than expected or forecast Swallows and Sand Martins, together with a single Hobby, continued to trickle through in fair numbers but if there were nocturnal migrants on the move - which we seriously doubt given the night had been even more constantly damp and drizzly - they didn't deign to drop in, with 5 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Whinchats, 2 Sedge Warblers and singles of Redstart, Black Redstart and Grasshopper Warbler easily the best of it on the ground at the Bill. Sea passage was hardly compelling, as much because there was so little else moving to relieve the tedium between appearances of the always fickle skuas; however, their tally reached what in the circumstances was a very respectable 12 Arctics, 7 Pomarines and 1 Great through off the Bill. Four Red-throated Divers, a Great Northern Diver and a Little Gull were the only other particularly notable loggings from there.

Our occasional musings on ageing and sexing - usually from the angle of being lucky enough to get to handle the birds in question - aren't usually aimed at ringers but rather at ordinary birders who could easily pick up on the features we draw attention to in the field; today's little dabble into Whitethroats, however, is perhaps just as much aimed at ringers is it features example of birds of known age. First off, Whitethroats are really tricky birds with fabulously complicated and variable moults that makes ageing and sexing them notoriously difficult - these days we only 'do' the very beautiful and usually obvious full adult males and at the other end of the spectrum bird that have very worn, sullied brownish outer tail-feathers that have to be last year's youngsters; everything else of inbetweeny appearance gets lumped up as of unknown age and sex. No doubt in the next few days and weeks we'll get some more example to feature but to start with here are two birds we're 100% sure of the age of because they were first ringed last summer as locally-bred juveniles and returned today still obviously wearing their rings. Without the evidence of the ring number the first individual would have sat squarely in the inbetweeny category even if we'd have taken a punt in our mind on it being a first-summer male...




...since it still possesses one heavily worn and obviously brown-washed outer tail-feather our second individual was clearly born last summer and we'd take a guess at it being a female. These two birds were trapped together and it'll be interesting to see if they stick around, pair up if they haven't already, and breed © Martin Cade:



30th April

Popular opinion today had it a band of rain lingering right across the Channel to the west of Portland would likely act as a block and the day's seabirds would be the few already to its east. It certainly seemed as though that scenario played out so the watchers who were out in force were fortunate that several skuas were amongst what little was on the move offshore, with 15 Arctics and 3 Pomarines through off the Bill and Chesil; Manx Shearwaters, Gannets and Kittiwakes were reasonably represented but sea passage was otherwise pretty limited, with 4 Sanderling, 3 Red-throated Divers and a Yellow-legged Gull amongst others through off the Bill and 33 Arctic Terns, 8 Whimbrel, 7 Sanderling, 3 Red-throated Divers, 3 Gadwall and 2 Great Northern Divers the best off Chesil. Grounded arrivals remained few and far between, with singles of Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whinchat and Pied Flycatcher easily the best on offer around the Bill. An Osprey arriving from the south at the Bill was of note and a Merlin was also overhead there but visible passage of the likes of hirundines didn't really get going at all.

There were contrasting fortunes with the morning's Pom Skuas off the Bill: the first was a shocker in horrible harsh light against a dark sea and keeping so low that we believe the guys watching from the Obelisk missed it altogether (it subsequently headed back west before returning an hour later)..


...however, the next two were fantastic - giving absolutely blistering views as they rounded the Bill tip at close range and in nice flat light © Martin Cade:





The Chesil watchers were treated to a compelling show by a group of Arctic Skuas that lingered offshore...




...whilst 3 Gadwall through and nice views of Arctic Terns right overhead there were a treat © Joe Stockwell:




Kittiwakes have been really abundant in recent days with some strong up-Channel passage and also plenty of apparent lingerers around the Bill tip...


...it was interesting to see the varying level of wear in the first-summer birds - some are seemingly fresh as a daisy...


...whilst others are already massively worn with shattered flight feathers, something we've seen and probably remarked on in the past - do they come from different wintering areas or what's the explanation? © Martin Cade:


And talking of gulls, Common Gulls are now getting towards the end of their long winter away from the breeding grounds but there are still a few - nearly all immature to some degree or other - passing by © Martin Cade:



By way of non-seabirds today was a bit of a flop but this Osprey arriving in off the sea at the Bill was nice and only the second of the spring © Martin Cade...


...and after hours of mist-nets being open for virtually no reward a random Pied Flycatcher suddenly popped up in the Obs garden - you can never write off the unexpected at this time of year © Steve Hunting:

29th April

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.

 

A supremely obliging Whimbrel at Portland Bill this evening. #ukbirding

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— Gavin Haig (@notquitescilly.bsky.social) Apr 29, 2024 at 21:57

 

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

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— Gavin Haig (@notquitescilly.bsky.social) Apr 29, 2024 at 10:43

28th April

Whilst not entirely eviscerated of migrants the island seemed very barren today in comparison with the riches on offer just lately (the day's ringing total of just 7 birds looked paltry indeed when compared with the daily average of 125 over the last week). None of this should have come as any surprise after a night that had seen rain set in before dusk and drag on until a fair while after dawn; migrants obviously weren't moving in any quantity and much of what was about, including 3 Ring Ouzels at the Verne Moat and singles of Common Sandpiper, Short-eared Owl, Redstart, Whinchat, Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler at the Bill, were just as likely lingerers as new arrivals. What arrivals there were materialised through the day, when Swallows got moving in quantity - probably 500 or more through over the island as a whole - and the Dunlin tally at Ferrybridge shot up to 75. The offshore breeze of dawn backed and freshened conspicuously as the day went on which saw sea interest pick up, with an eventual tally of 300 Manx Shearwaters, 7 Red-throated Divers, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua through off the Bill.

As anyone who's seawatched regularly at the Bill will know the light there on a bright evening is terrible as you're looking straight into the sun - this was a shame today since that was when the best of the day's movement was taking place. A Bonxie was nice, particularly since they remain so few and far between - this month's total still hasn't reached last April's paltry tally of 13 which doesn't bode well for a speedy recovery in numbers after the catastrophe wrought by avian flu...


...also severely under-strength are Manx Shearwaters that seem to have eschewed Portland waters both last year and this - the 300 this evening was easily the highest total logged so far this spring but an order of magnitude fewer than would usually be expected on an evening of brisk southwesterlies in April.


Red-throated Diver passage has usually begun to fizzle out by now but they're still on the move in quite fair numbers this year © Martin Cade:


Short-eared Owl at the Bill this evening © Liz & Steve Hunting:


Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel at Ferrybridge this morning © Pete Saunders: