17th April

It was far too fine a day to expect much in the way of new arrivals and apart from the literally flying visit of a Hoopoe at Weston things were quiet everywhere, with just a small increase in Blackcaps - including 30 at the Bill - a Pied Flycatcher at Sweethill and the season's first Reed Warbler at Thumb Lane the most noteworthy events amongst the thin spread of grounded migrants. Hirundines continued to trickle through overhead although in far lower numbers than might have been hoped given the conditions. It was pretty much the same story on the sea, with 140 Kittiwakes, 115 Sandwich Terns, 20 Common Scoter, 2 Arctic Skuas and singles of Manx Shearwater and Sanderling the best of it at the Bill.

For the third consecutive year - following successful breeding in both 2023 and 2024 - a male Wheatear is attempting to establish a territory at the Bill Quarry; in full song flight it makes for a rather incongruous sight above the holidaymaker-filled quarry © Nick Hopper:

Pied Flycatchers have been relatively well represented in what's otherwise been a lean week for grounded migrants - this one was at Sweethill this evening © Debby Saunders:

green winged orchid now out at verne common.

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— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) April 17, 2025 at 6:48 PM