A day of painful inadequacies on all front: a fresh southerly in mid-April might have been construed to offer the possibilities of a fall of migrants, overshoots galore and an epic seawatch but in the event an Obs garden ringing tally that didn't even manage double figures, the only scarcity a Turtle Dove that eluded widespread attention and a seawatch that was only really memorable for an exceptional tally of Little Terns was not the stuff of dreams. The grounded migrant situation was dismal, with no more than single figure totals of the usually commonest fare, and 3 Whinchats at the Bill the only one of the less regulars to feature. It was a little busier overhead: the Turtle Dove through at the Obs was the highlight, but incoming Swallows featured at a slightly steadier rate than in recent days, whilst odds and ends including 2 Merlins and 2 Yellow Wagtails provided further interest. Numerically, the day's chief rewards came from the sea: 126 Little Terns through off Chesil was a spectacularly high count of passage birds (there have been totals in the past of up to 250 at Ferrybridge/Portland Harbour but we're not sure there's been a seawatch total of as many as 126 before today); 33 Pale-bellied Brent Geese also over Chesil was another good total, whilst Chesil/the Bill combined also came up with the likes of 91 Common Scoter, 17 Whimbrel, 8 Red-throated Divers, 5 Arctic Skuas, an Eider and a Great Skua.
First bike ride of the year to Portland Bill was productive on the sea if not the land - Puffin (not pictured), Red-throated Diver, Kittiwake and my first Dorset Bonxie since 2022 all added to the yearlist. Common Scoter also pictured @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
