26th January - 3rd February

A handful of firsts for the year in recent days included singles of Manx Shearwater (29th January) and Velvet Scoter (1st February) through off the Bill and a Lapwing (31st January) settled at the Bill. A mini surge in Red-throated Divers saw their highest numbers of the winter to date logged off the Bill, reaching a peak of 40 through on 29th January. Other than that there's been almost no change, with most of the regulation winterers about throughout.

The year's first butterfly - a Red Admiral - was on the wing at the Obs on 31st January; the only migrant moth during the period was a Rusty-dot Pearl settled on a lighted window at the Obs on the evening of 2nd February.

One of the 40 Red-throated Divers through off the Bill on 29th January © Martin Cade:


Black Redstart at Portland Castle © John Hansford:


After a few year's absence it's been good to discover that Badgers have been back in the Obs garden just lately - they're clearly still a bit suspicious of Jodie's trailcam but hopefully they'll soon get used to it as they have done in the past:


The photos are not going to win any prizes, but managed to get a few pics of a Bottlenose Dolphin off Portland Castle this morning. Otherwise 4 GNDiver and ~25 Shag to report from here. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

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— Paul Harris (@paulupwey.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 1:23 PM