Despite the decidedly chilly start and the first tangible signs of frost on the ground, it was in fact another glorious day, with the whole island bathed in late autumn sunshine. There was some evidence of cold weather movement at the Bill, with singles of Golden Plover, Snipe and Jack Snipe logged, whilst an increase to 2 Blackcaps and a Fieldfare were present in the obs garden. Elsewhere 2 Goosander and an Avocet were present at Ferrybridge, with a subsequent check of the harbour revealing 2 of the latter together.
This year's bountiful crop of apples has surely provided a great resource for tired migrants this autumn, with the recently arrived Blackcaps continuing to make good use of the ample supply © Martin King
Avocets are a pretty scarce visitor at Portland, with most recent winters involving just one or two single-day records © Pete Saunders
Some suspicious digging around the obs garden necessitated an impromptu deployment of the trail camera, which happily revealed plenty of nocturnal activity, with the badgers still very much in residence after their successful breeding attempt in the spring © Jodie Henderson
— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
