A day that won't live long in the memory for anyone but the two seawatchers who were in the right spot at the right moment when an early morning
Surf Scoter passed by close off the Bill; we can't say we didn't feel there was some poetic justice in it being missed by the seawatchers on the Obs patio since we're always banging on to folk to get out and do some fieldwork away from the patio - in this case we're sure the scoter looked beautiful as it rounded the Obelisk at close range with its big white nape patch shining like a beacon in the early morning sun! In all other respects the day's seawatching was pretty grim, with 48
Common Scoter, 40
Bar-tailed Godwits, 23
Whimbrel, 6
Red-throated Divers, 2
Great Northern Divers, 2
Arctic Skuas and a
Great Skua the pick from plenty of hours of watching at Chesil and the Bill. The land was certainly no better, with the most modest of arrivals of
phylloscs containing in their midst little of note beyond 2
Lesser Whitethroats and a
Common Sandpiper.
It's great to see the Little Terns back in such strength in the vicinity of their breeding colony on Chesil © Pete Saunders:
After a slow start, Whimbrels have been a featuring in really good numbers over the last fortnight both on active passage offshore or taking a break at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders:
At the well today, a very cool recovery of a Willow Warbler previously ringed in Norway. More details to follow once we know them. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social #culverwell #birdringing
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— Mark Cutts (@slashercutts.bsky.social) April 26, 2026 at 10:28 AM
It was fab to be back bird ringing at Culverwell with @slashercutts.bsky.social this morning. Not many birds but exciting to recover a Willow Warbler previously ringed in Norway as well as a couple of other warblers.
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— Clare Simm (@claraesse.bsky.social) April 26, 2026 at 11:18 AM
