July 2002

 

  

Melodious Warbler - Portland Bill, July 31st 2002 © Martin Cade

  July 31st Bird of the day was the first Melodious Warbler of the autumn that was trapped and ringed in the morning at the Obs; subsequent searches for it drew a blank. A Quail flushed on the East Cliffs at the Bill was just as unusual, whilst common migrants in the area included 20 Willow Warblers, 4 Wheatears, 3 Sedge Warblers, a Cuckoo and a Yellow Wagtail. Interest also picked up on the sea, with 100 Manx and 7 Balearic Shearwaters, 18 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua passing the Bill. July 30th Not a lot to report, with just 15 Willow Warblers, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Whimbrel, a Green Sandpiper, a Wheatear and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill, and 5 Sanderling and a Redshank among the commoner waders at Ferrybridge. July 29th Passage picked up a little today, although numbers remain rather lower than usual for late July. The Bill area produced 100 Swifts, 30 Sand Martins, 25 Willow Warblers, 6 Garden Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 2 Wheatears, 1 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Grasshopper Warbler; elsewhere 100 Sand Martins passed through at Weston. On the sea, 8 Common Scoter, 4 commic and 2 Sandwich Terns and 3 Balearic Shearwaters passed the Bill, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 100 Dunlin and 75 Ringed Plovers. July 28th Fairly quiet today, with just 70 Sand Martins, 4 Wheatears, 2 Willow Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat around the Bill area, and 16 Common Scoter, 3 Curlews and a Great Skua passing through offshore there.  July 27th Another small flurry of migrants at the Bill produced totals of 50 Swifts, 29 Sand Martins, 5 Willow Warblers, a Whimbrel, a Wheatear, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat. The first couple of Balearic Shearwaters for some while were the highlight off the Bill, where there were also 162 Common Scoter and a lone Manx Shearwater. July 26th  Willow Warblers remain the only early migrants that are at all conspicuous, with another 15 being logged at the Bill today; also there were 2 Wheatears and a Lesser Whitethroat. Off the Bill itself, an unexpected movement of Manx Shearwaters produced counts including 250 in two hours around midday, and 62 Common Scoter also passed through. July 25th There were precious few signs of autumn passage gaining momentum, with just 8 Willow Warblers and a Whimbrel seen on the land at the Bill, and 12 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Great Skua passing through on the sea. July 24th A Green Woodpecker at the Obs was the rarity of the day, whilst common migrants around the Bill area included 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Dunlin, 2 Wheatears, a Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, a Sand Martin and a Lesser Whitethroat. July 23rd The quietest day for a while, with just 2 Wheatears, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler at the Bill, and 8 Common Scoter and 2 Manx Shearwaters passing on the sea there. July 22nd More of the same today, with 4 Willow Warblers, a Common Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail, a Wheatear, a Sedge Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat on the land at the Bill, and 42 Common Scoter and 5 Manx Shearwaters passing through on the sea. July 21st An early returning Purple Sandpiper at the Bill was the highlight among the the small arrival of new birds that also included 3 Wheatears, 2 Willow Warblers and a Sedge Warbler there. Two Great Crested Grebes passed the Bill, but otherwise seawatching there produced just 31 Common Scoter and 3 Manx Shearwaters. July 20th A Wood Warbler at Culverwell was the pick of the sprinkle of new arrivals that also included 3 Wheatears, a Grey Wagtail and a few more Sand Martins and Swifts at the Bill; the Treecreeper was also still present there. The sea produced just 13 Manx Shearwaters and a Common Scoter, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 140 Dunlin and 7 Sanderling. July 19th The Treecreeper was still at the Obs, but the only new arrivals were 3 Wheatears at the Bill and a trickle of Swifts and Sand Martins overhead. Seawatching at the Bill produced nothing more than 13 Common Scoter and a single Common Gull. July 18th A Treecreeper trapped and ringed at the Obs was the bird of the day, and there were also a few Swifts and Sand Martins, 2 Robins and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill. July 17th A few more signs of autumn today with 2 Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a Grey Heron all new in at the Bill. The sea there produced just 8 Manx Shearwaters and 2 commic Terns, and the only new arrival at Ferrybridge was the first returning Common Gull. July 16th Swifts and Sand Martins were again conspicuous over the Bill, and there were also 30 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Grey Heron, a Wheatear and a Lesser Whitethroat there. Seawatching produced another 56 Common Scoter off the Bill, whilst the only new wader at Ferrybridge was a lone Curlew.

 

 

Little Tern and Ringed Plover - Ferrybridge, July 15th 2002 © Martin Cade

  July 15th Another 80 Sand Martins and 60 Swifts passed through at the Bill, but the only other new arrivals were a Curlew and a Redshank there, a Green Sandpiper passing over at Ferrybridge and a Wheatear on Chesil Beach. Grounded waders at Ferrybridge included 40 Dunlin and 3 Sanderling. The majority of Little Terns have now left Ferrybridge where the breeding colony had another dismal season: apparently no young have fledged from around 70 pairs present. July 14th A dead Barn Owl on the Beach Road at Ferrybridge was a surprise discovery in the morning, but otherwise it was more of the same today, with 48 Swifts, 33 Sand Martins, 4 Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank, a Grey Wagtail and a Wheatear at the Bill, and 111 Common Scoter passing through offshore there. Waders at Ferrybridge included 56 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling and a Whimbrel.

 

Sanderling - Ferrybridge, July 13th 2002 © Chris Courtaux

  July 13th Early autumn migrants continued to trickle through. At the Bill there were 58 Sand Martins, 38 Swifts, 2 Curlews, a Wheatear, a Whinchat and a Chiffchaff, whilst Ferrybridge produced 30 Dunlin, 3 Sanderlings and a Mediterranean Gull. Common Scoter were still much in evidence off the Bill, where another 130 passed west, but the only other birds of note offshore were 3 Manx Shearwaters.

 

Kittiwake - Portland Bill, July 12th 2002 © Martin Cade

  July 12th Wader numbers increased sharply at Ferrybridge, where counts included 190 Dunlin, but new migrants were otherwise restricted to a couple of Grey Herons and a Curlew passing over at the Bill. Seawatcing at the Bill produced 8 Common Scoter, 7 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Dunlin and an Arctic Skua. July 11th Migrants at the Bill today included 6 Swifts, 4 Sand Martins and a Spotted Flycatcher, with seawatching there producing just 35 Common Scoter. At Ferrybridge there were 31 Dunlin, a Sanderling, a Knot and a Common Tern.

 

Fulmar - Portland Bill, July 10th 2002 © Martin Cade

  July 10th Bird of the day today was a fly-by Roseate Tern off the Bill, but seawatching there otherwise produced just 23 Common Scoter. An unseasonable Lesser Redpoll was the best bird on the land at the Bill, with the only other migrants reported being 27 Swifts and 4 Sand Martins there. July 9th The sea continued to provide most of what little interest there was, with a few Manx Shearwaters, 7 Common Scoter and 2 Arctic Skuas passing the Bill; several Puffins were also showing well (as they have been for several days) at the auk colony there. The only other birds of note were 37 Swifts over the Bill and a Ringed Plover over Suckthumb Quarry.  July 8th Common Scoter passage remained conspicuous, with another 121 passing the Bill, but otherwise seawatching there produced just 17 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Great Skua and 1 Sandwich Tern. The only other news was from Ferrybridge, where there were 20 Dunlin, 8 Common and 2 Sandwich Terns, a Golden Plover and a Redshank. July 7th A singing Reed Warbler at the Obs was presumably a late spring arrival, but the 75 Common Scoter flying west past the Bill were very much part of the autumn passage of this species that has become conspicuous in the last couple of weeks.

 

Little Owl - Portland Bill, July 6th 2002 © Martin Cade

  July 6th Once again the only news came from the Bill, where there were 2 Chiffchaffs, a Grey Heron and a Sand Martin on the land, and 11 Common Scoter and 2 Great Skuas on the sea.

 

Guillemots - Portland Bill, July 5th 2002 © Martin Cade

  July 5th Still not a lot to report, with seawatching at the Bill producing the only noteworthy birds: 120 Gannets, 104 Common Scoter and 49 Manx Shearwaters. In calm weather at dusk, the young Guillemots in the auk colony at the Bill fledged and left the breeding ledges. July 4th The first pleasant day of the month, albeit again fairly birdless. The only news was from the Bill, where there were 5 Sand Martins and a Reed Warbler on the land, and 13 Common Scoter and a few Manx Shearwaters on the sea July 3rd Very little change today. Manx Shearwaters were off the Bill in fair numbers all day, and there were also 25 Common Scoter there. The only other birds of note were 8 Dunlin at Ferrybridge. July 2nd More cool, windy and frequently wet weather, with seawatching at the Bill producing nothing more than a few Manx Shearwaters. Elsewhere there were 5 Dunlin and 8 returning Black-headed Gulls at Ferrybridge. July 1st A cool and windy start to July with nothing of note reported on the land. On the sea there were 3 Arctic Skuas and a Storm Petrel at Chesil Cove, a Great Skua off the Bill and fair numbers of Manx Shearwaters at both sites.

June 2002

June 30th Late or early migrants continue to trickle through at the Bill, where there were 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Curlew, a Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher today. Seawatching there produced just 45 Common Scoter and a few Manx Shearwaters. June 29th A Nuthatch - a real Portland rarity with just five previous records - was the unexpected highlight today at the Royal Naval Cemetery at Verne Common. A lone Spotted Flycatcher was also there, whilst elsewhere the only reports were of a Grey Heron, a Chiffchaff and a few Sand Martins at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill produced nothing more than 8 Common Scoter, 5 Manx Shearwaters and a Sandwich Tern. June 28th Just a handful of reports from the Bill today. On the sea another 150 Manx Shearwaters passed through, along with 58 Common Scoter, 3 Sandwich and 3 commic Terns, and an Arctic Skua. A northward movement of 140 Swifts was noteworthy, but the only new arrivals on the land itself were a Blackcap and a Willow Warbler. June 27th Another fly-over Bee-eater at Weston in the morning continued the extraordinary run of records of this species in June. New arrivals otherwise included 2 Chiffchaffs and a Grey Heron at the Bill, and a Spotted Flycatcher at Weston. There was a good evening passage of 340 Manx Shearwaters past the Bill, and a total of 8 Balearic Shearwaters were again logged there through the day. June 26th The sea produced most of what little interest there was today: small numbers of Manx Shearwaters were moving east off the Bill and a total of 8 Balearic Shearwaters passed west there through the day. On the land the only birds of note were a Grey Heron and a Blackcap at the Bill. June 25th Odds and sods at the Bill today included a Grey Heron, a Curlew, a Grey Wagtail, a Robin and a Willow Warbler, with seawatching there producing 148 Manx and 4 Balearic Shearwaters, 100 Common Scoter and 2 Sandwich Terns. June 24th The run of Bee-eaters continued with a heard-only fly-over at the Obs at midday. New migrants on the land included a Hobby and a Chiffchaff at the Bill and a Spotted Flycatcher at Southwell, whilst seawatching at the Bill produced 72 Common Scoter, 32 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Curlew. June 23rd Highlight today was another Bee-eater - the fifth in a fortnight - that flew south over the Obs and on out to sea during the morning. That aside, the only other reports were of 15 Manx and a Balearic Shearwater, 12 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua off the Bill, and a lone Curlew on the land there. June 22nd Balearic Shearwaters became more conspicuous off the Bill today: of the total of 7 seen, at least 2 lingered offshore for some while feeding amongst a fishing flock of Gannets and gulls. Also off the Bill there were a few Manx Shearwaters and 32 Common Scoter. On the land the best birds were 2 Curlews, 2 Reed Warblers, a Whinchat, a Robin and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill, and another Reed Warbler at Verne Common. June 21st Still very little happening. A Whinchat and the first dispersing juvenile Chiffchaff (this species doesn't breed at the Bill) were the only noteworthy birds on the land at the Bill. On the sea there were the first signs of autumn Common Scoter passage, with a total of 24 flying west past the the Bill.  June 20th Two Curlews and a Grey Heron were the only new arrivals on the land at the Bill, and the sea there produced just 2 Manx and a Balearic Shearwater. June 19th The only reports were from the Bill where there were a few Manx Shearwaters offshore and a Sand Martin flying south. June 18th Another very quiet day, with the only migrants reported being 2 Blackcaps, a Reed Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher at the Bill (like several of the 'new' migrants trapped in recent days, the Pied Flycatcher was a female with a conspicuous brood-patch - presumably a failed breeder already moving south). Two Great Skuas and a Balearic Shearwater were the only noteworthy reports from seawatching at the Bill. June 17th With thick fog blanketing the island for most of the day birding was never easy and only a handful of late migrants were discovered. Three more Reed Warblers were at the Bill, where there was also a Mistle Thrush and a Blackcap. Seawatching there produced 11 Manx Shearwaters and 10 Common Scoter. June 16th There was no sign of any Rose-coloured Starlings today and the only common migrants noted were 4 Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill. Offshore, several Balearic Shearwaters were reported flying west past the Bill. June 15th Two of the Rose-coloured Starlings were still at Southwell today although they were often rather elusive. Yet another Bee-eater put in a brief appearance over Southwell and the Obs before it left out to sea, and another new arrival was a Quail heard calling and seen briefly between Barleycrates Lane and Reap Lane in the afternoon. A late Lesser Redpoll was the pick of the commoner migrants at the Bill, where there were also 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Curlew and a Chiffchaff. Elsewhere, 2 Canada Geese flew over Barleycrates Lane.

 

Rose-coloured Starlings - Southwell, June 14th 2002 © Martin Cade

  June 14th Rose-coloured Starling remained very much the bird of the moment, with a remarkable 3 together found at Southwell late in the afternoon. At least 10 Reed Warblers were dotted around the Bill, Southwell and Weston, but the only other commoner migrants about the area were a Curlew and a Blackcap at the Bill, and a trickle of Swifts and hirundines moving north up the West Cliffs. Seawatching at the Bill produced 7 Common Scoter, 2 Mute Swans, a Balearic Shearwater and an Arctic Skua.

 

Canada Geese - Portland Bill, June 13th 2002 © Martin Cade

  June 13th A Rose-coloured Starling - one of the previous birds or a new individual? - showed up briefly at Avalanche Road, Southwell, today, and other scarcer visitors included 18 Canada Geese and a Mediterranean Gull at the Bill and a Tree Sparrow at Barleycrates Lane. Commoner migrants included 3 Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a Turtle Dove around Weston and Southwell, and a Turtle Dove and a Garden Warbler at the Bill. Manx Shearwaters were still off the Bill in fair numbers, but the sea otherwise produced just 5 Common Scoter. June 12th Common migrants continue to trickle through, but today was the first rarity-free day for over a week. A few hirundines were still moving north up the West Cliffs, and single Hobbies passed through at the Bill and Weston. The only grounded migrant of note at the Bill was a lone Spotted Flycatcher, whilst tardy waders at Ferrybridge included 10 Sanderling and 5 Dunlin.

 

   

Bee-eater - Portland Bill, June 11th 2002 © Martin Cade

  June 11th The day got off to a cracking start with a Bee-eater on wires between the Obs and the Coastguard Cottages for a few minutes early in the morning; unfortunately it was downhill all the way after that, and the only new migrants found in the Bill area were a Blackcap and a Willow Warbler. Offshore, Manx Shearwaters remained conspicuous but the only other noteworthy sighting was of a lone Great Skua. June 10th The Rose-coloured Starlings couldn't be found today and it left to another fly-over Bee-eater at the Obs - the second in three days - to claim the honours as bird of the day; unfortunately, like the previous bird, it didn't linger. In very windy weather the only other new arrival on the land was a lone Willow Warbler at the Obs. Interest was maintained on the sea with 9 Great and 5 Arctic Skuas, as well as plenty of Manx Shearwaters, off the Bill, and a further 7 Great and 3 Arctic Skuas at Chesil Cove. June 9th The 2 Rose-coloured Starlings  were still present at the Bill early in the morning but, after several hours of heavy rain either side of midday, they couldn't be found again throughout the late afternoon and evening. The only commoner migrants found before the onset of the rain were a couple of Spotted Flycatchers at the Obs. In increasingly windy weather Manx Shearwaters passed the Bill in good numbers, and there were also 21 Common Scoter, 4 Arctic and 4 Great Skuas and 3 Balearic Shearwaters there. However, much stronger sea passage was reported from Chesil Cove where the remarkable day-tally included 42 Arctic, 14 Pomarine and 7 Great Skuas.

 

   

Rose-coloured Starlings - Portland Bill, June 8th 2002 © Martin Cade

  June 8th The 2 Rose-coloured Starlings showed well all day at the Bill, and there was more excitement there in the afternoon when a fly-through Bee-eater was seen from the Obs. New common migrants at the Bill included 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Reed Warblers, a Lapwing, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler.

 

 

Rose-coloured Starling - Portland Bill, June 7th 2002 © Martin Cade

  June 7th Once again the Rose-coloured Starling proved tricky to catch up with and was not seen until mid-afternoon when it turned up in the Strips at the Bill; remarkably, it was then joined by a second individual but both birds soon left the local Starling flock and were not seen again before dusk. The only other reports from the area were of 3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, small numbers of Manx Shearwaters offshore there and an Arctic Skua and a Black Swan at Chesil Cove. June 6th The Rose-coloured Starling put in a brief early appearance at the Bill, but it was then not seen again until the evening when it turned up in Southwell (where many of the local Starlings gather to roost). Late migrants around the Bill area included 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Sand Martin, and seawatching there produced small numbers of Manx Shearwaters, 26 Common Scoter and 3 Arctic Skuas.

 

Rose-coloured Starling - Portland Bill, June 5th 2002 © Martin Cade

  June 5th Although the Bluethroat had moved on, rarity interest was maintained with the discovery of a Rose-coloured Starling that showed well in the Strips at the Bill during the afternoon; a Quail was also heard calling briefly in the same area. Commoner migrants included 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, a Lapwing, a Turtle Dove and a Garden Warbler at the Bill, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 13 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling and 2 Knot.

 

  

Bluethroat - Barleycrates Lane, June 4th 2002 © James Lidster and Martin Cade

  June 4th There was precious little change in the dismal common migrant situation, but this was more than compensated for when a Bluethroat was discovered at Barleycrates Lane; it showed well there throughout the afternoon and was trapped and ringed in the evening (more in-hand photographs). Commoner fare elsewhere included 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Wheatears, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap around the Bill area and Weston. A Mediterranean Gull and an Arctic Skua were the only birds to show from seawatching at the Bill. June 3rd The motley selection of migrants today included 6 Whimbrel, 5 Swifts, a Grey Heron, a Wheatear, a Whinchat and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, and 3 Spotted Flycatchers at Southwell. Seawatching at the Bill produced just 13 Common Scoter and a few Manx Shearwaters.

 

Rock Pipit - Portland Bill, June 2nd 2002 © John Reeves

  June 2nd Once again, little to report. The few migrants on the land included a couple of Reed Warblers, a Hobby, a Yellow Wagtail and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill, whilst seawatching there produced just a handful of Manx Shearwaters and commic Terns, and a single Common Scoter. At Ferrybridge, where passage waders have been absent for some days, 13 Sanderling and 4 Dunlin were new arrivals, although the best sighting there was of a pair of Garganey flying over. June 1st Slower all round today. Late migrants were limited to a Turtle Dove and a Spotted Flycatcher at Weston and a couple of Chiffchaffs at the Bill, whilst the only oddities were a Tree Sparrow and a Lesser Redpoll at Barleycrates Lane. In a stiff easterly breeze, seawatching at the Bill produced just 4 Common Scoter, 10 Manx Shearwaters and 4 commic Terns.

May 2002

 

Linnet - Portland Bill, May 31st 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 31st The arrival of promising-looking conditions led to a general air of high expectation around the island today. Unfortunately, the rarity that appeared - a Black Kite over Easton - proved to be no more than a rapid fly-over, and most observers had to be content with views of it disappearing northwards over Weymouth. Spotted Flycatchers were conspicuous everywhere, with as many as 50 dotted widely around the island, but there were otherwise just 5 Reed Warblers, 4 Turtle Doves, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Cuckoo to show for plenty of fieldwork. May 30th Another fairly quiet day. On the land there were 7 Spotted Flycatchers between Weston and the Bill, a Lesser Redpoll in Top Fields and a Reed Warbler near the Obs. Manx Shearwaters continued to pass the Bill in fair numbers, where there were also 19 Common Scoter and 2 Storm Petrels. May 29th A Tree Sparrow was the minor highlight of the day at the Bill, where there were also 7 Spotted Flycatchers and a Yellow Wagtail; another 3 Spotted Flycatchers were also at Southwell. Seawatching produced single Pomarine, Arctic and Great Skuas at Chesil Cove, and plenty of Manx Shearwaters off the Bill. Also of interest, today we received the results of the DNA analysis of feathers from the the putative Blyth's Reed Warbler present at the Bill between October 16th and November 3rd 2001. Feathers from this bird, as well as some from the Blyth's Reed Warbler trapped on November 12th 2001, were submitted for analysis to Dr David Parkin of the Institute of Genetics, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham; he has commented: 'Both birds were Blyth's Reed Warblers - or, at least, their mothers were! The gene that we sequenced is transmitted from mother to offspring, so that the male plays no part. Thus, either the birds were Blyth's Reed, or hybrids. If hybrids, then the mother was a Blyth's.' May 28th After the brief respite yesterday, wind and rain swept back in and there was yet another pulse of Pomarine Skuas: 8 passed the Bill and another 7 were off Chesil Cove. The sea otherwise produced 200 Manx Shearwaters,  a Storm Petrel and single Arctic and Great Skuas off the Bill, and 300 Manx and a Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Arctic and a Great Skua and a Storm Petrel at Chesil Cove. On the land the only reports were of the Nightingale still at Southwell, and 7 Spotted Flycatchers and a Reed Warbler at the Bill. May 27th The first fine, calm morning for a week produced a small flurry of new arrivals. Counts from Weston southwards included 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Chiffchaffs, a Hobby, a Yellow Wagtail, a Nightingale, a Reed Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat. Seawatching at the Bill was quieter than of late, with just a few Manx Shearwaters, 31 Common Scoter, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Great Northern Diver passing through, although the most peculiar sighting was of a Nightjar flying west offshore during the morning. May 26th Although the wind had dropped away a little, nothing of note was discovered on the land. Seawatching at the Bill produced 200 Manx Shearwaters, 40 Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Terns, 10 Storm Petrels, 1 Pomarine and 1 Arctic Skua, and a Little Gull. May 25th More wind and fewer birds. Six Arctic Skuas were seen at both Chesil Cove and the Bill, but apart from small numbers of Manx Shearwaters the only other bird of note offshore was a Great Northern Diver at the Bill. A Wheatear and a Reed Warbler were the only new arrivals on the land at the Bill. May 24th With no end in sight to the unseasonably stormy weather, today was another seawatching day. Chesil Cove produced 1300 Manx Shearwaters, 13 Pomarine, 12 Great and 6 Arctic Skuas, 2 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, and a Storm Petrel, whilst off the Bill there were 250 Manx Shearwaters, 7 Arctic Skuas and 3 Storm Petrels. The only migrant of any note on the land was a lone Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill. May 23rd Migrants remained very thin on the ground, with just 2 Reed Warblers, a Turtle Dove, a Yellow Wagtail and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill, and a Lesser Redpoll at Southwell. Persistent seawatchers were rewarded with fair numbers of Manx Shearwaters, 2 Balearic Shearwaters and 2 Pomarine Skuas off the Bill, and a late Long-tailed Duck passing Chesil Cove. May 22nd In gale force southerly winds, searching for migrants on the land was all but a lost cause, and a lone Turtle Dove at Southwell was the noteworthy sighting. Seawatchers hardly fared better, with just single Arctic and Great Skuas off the Bill along with a steady but light movement of Manx Shearwaters. To complete the rather woeful picture, even wader passage has completely ground to a halt: for the second successive day the only migrant at Ferrybridge was a solitary Bar-tailed Godwit.  May 21st There was an exciting start to the day with a singing Golden Oriole in the Obs garden soon after dawn; unfortunately it didn't linger and made only brief stops at Culverwell and Southwell as it headed north. Migrants otherwise remained thin on the ground, with just 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Turtle Dove, a Yellow Wagtail and a Whinchat around the southern half of the island. On the sea there were a few Manx Shearwaters, 2 Arctic and a Great Skua, and 2 more Great Northern Divers off the Bill (the 2 Great Northern Divers take the spring tally of this species at the Bill to 46 - the previous highest spring total was 31 in 2000). May 20th Migrants scattered about the island today included 5 Whimbrel, 5 Turtle Doves, 3 Whinchats, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Yellow Wagtail. The sea produced just a trickle of Manx Shearwaters, 4 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua, whilst the only migrant waders at Ferrybridge were a Dunlin and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

 

 

Golden Oriole - Portland Bill, May 19th 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 19th A Golden Oriole at the Bill was the highlight today: it was first seen briefly at the Observatory early in the morning, but later settled in Top Fields where it remained for the rest of the day. Late migrants around the Bill area included 4 Whimbrel, 4 Turtle Doves, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Whinchat and a Sedge Warbler, whilst a Red-throated Diver and a Great Skua were the only birds of note offshore. May 18th Another very quiet day, with the sea producing most of the interest. Four Arctic Skuas, a Pomarine Skua and 2 Great Northern Divers passed the Bill, and another 3 Arctic Skuas lingered off Chesil Cove. A Hen Harrier flew north over the north of the island at midday, but the only grounded migrant of any note was a lone Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill. May 17th Thundery weather and south-easterly winds promised much but in the event failed to deliver anything of great interest. The sea again produced most of the worthwhile birds, with 107 commic and 1 Black Tern, 26 Bar-tailed Godwits, 19 Grey Plover, 11 Dunlin and 4 Arctic Skuas off Chesil Beach, and 150 Manx Shearwaters, 25 Sandwich Terns, 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Pomarine and 1 Arctic Skua off the Bill. The pick of the very few migrants on the land were a Cuckoo, a Tree Pipit and a Lesser Redpoll at the Bill. May 16th Passage all but dried up on the land, and it left to the sea to produce most of what little interest there was today. Seawatching at the Bill produced 190 commic Terns, 156 Common and 2 Velvet Scoter, an Arctic Skua and a few Manx Shearwaters. Hirundines were still on the move in good numbers but a solitary Bullfinch at the Bill was the only noteworthy 'migrant' discovered anywhere. Sanderling numbers  increased to 40 at Ferrybridge, where there were also 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Little Ringed Plover. May 15th The arrival of warmer and less windy weather saw interest on the sea dwindle, with watches from the Bill producing just 4 Arctic and 1 Great Skua, a Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, and a few terns. On the land, there was another small arrival of tardy migrants and a heavy passage of overflying Swallows. The Bill area produced more than 1500 Swallows, along with a couple of Turtle Doves, 2 Redpolls, a Hobby, a Cuckoo and a sprinkle of commoner species. Elsewhere, highlights included a Hobby and a Blue-headed Wagtail at Barleycrates Lane. Waders at Ferrybridge included 15 Sanderlings and a Grey Plover.

 

 

Pomarine Skuas - Chesil Cove, May 14th 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 14th The sea again provided most of the interest, with up to 13 Pomarine, 8 Arctic and 4 Great Skuas lingering off Chesil Cove for much of the morning; 2 Mediterranean Gulls also passed through there, and another 11 Pomarine Skuas passed in the evening. Two Arctic, and single Pomarine and Great Skuas, as well as 2 Great Northern Divers and a Storm Petrel passed the Bill. A Honey Buzzard and 240 Swifts flew north over Verne Common in the early afternoon, and a Hobby passed through at the Bill, but the pick of the few grounded migrants were 7 Turtle Doves dotted around the south of the island, and a lone Cuckoo at Verne Common. May 13th A seawatching day, with gale force south-easterly winds and heavy rain having swept in overnight. Good numbers of birds passed through off Chesil Beach, with totals including 750 commic, 5 Roseate and 3 Black Terns, 16 Arctic  and 2 Great Skuas and a Great Northern Diver; another Black Tern was settled at Ferrybridge in the afternoon. In the inclement weather the majority of birds took the short-cut over Portland Harbour, and the Bill only produced small numbers of terns, 6 Arctic and 3 Great Skuas, and single Red-throated and Great Northern Divers. The only noteworthy reports from the land were of 7 Turtle Doves between Weston and the Bill, a small passage of Swifts at the Bill and 2 Hobbies passing through there. May 12th A Melodious Warbler was a surprise new arrival at Culverwell today; unfortunately it proved to be extremely elusive and only showed on a few occasions in the late morning. The land otherwise remained pretty quiet, with little more interesting than a late Goldcrest and a Black Redstart at the Bill and a Grasshopper Warbler at Weston among the small numbers of common migrants. Despite promising weather conditions, sea passage was hardly spectacular: the Bill produced 8 Eider, 2 Velvet Scoter, a Red-throated Diver and an Arctic Skua, whilst the highlight off Chesil Beach was a Nightjar lingering offshore during the evening. May 11th There was no sign of the Woodchat Shrike today, but a thin scatter of common migrants at least gave weekend visitors something to look at. Hirundines and Swifts passed through in fair numbers, and among the grounded migrants Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps, Garden Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers just made double figures. Scarcer species included a couple of Purple Sandpipers, a Cuckoo and a Pied Flycatcher at the Bill, and a Hobby and a Turtle Dove at Weston. A few Manx Shearwaters, as well as single Red-throated and Great Northern Divers, an Arctic Skua and a Mediterranean Gull were the only worthwhile sightings on the sea. May 10th With there being virtually no noteworthy passage on either the land or the sea, it was left to the Woodchat Shrike at Weston to again save the day. A lone Turtle Dove was the only faintly unusual migrant among the ones and twos of commoner species at the Bill, where seawatching only produced a single Manx Sheawater. Two Buzzards that lingered overhead around the middle of the island were the only notable sighting elsewhere. The selection of waders at Ferrybridge included several Bar-tailed Godwits. May 9th The Woodchat Shrike was still at Weston and salvaged some respectability from what would otherwise have been a very quiet day. Among the small numbers of common migrants there were a couple of Turtle Doves and a Cuckoo at the Bill, and a Hobby and a late Fieldfare at Weston. Seawatching at the Bill produced 29 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Great Northern and 2 Black-throated Divers, and 2 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua.

 

Turtle Dove - Weston, May 8th 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 8th The Woodchat Shrike remained at Weston, but it was otherwise a much quieter day than of late, with only the thinnest sprinkle of common migrants about the island. Oddities included a Marsh Harrier flying north over Weston, single Hobbies over the Bill and Weston, 4 Turtle Doves at Weston, 2 Redpolls passing through at the Bill and single Siskins at the Bill and Weston. Other than hirundines and Swifts that were on the move in fair numbers, all the commoner migrants were reduced to just single figure totals. The first couple of Pomarine Skuas for several days passed through off the Bill, but seawatching there otherwise produced just 3 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver.

 

  

Woodchat Shrike - Weston, May 7th 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 7th Although common migrants have been abundant in recent days, rarities have been conspicuously thin on the ground, so the arrival of a Woodchat Shrike today at Weston was very welcome; it was discovered behind the Weston Craft Centre and later moved across Weston Street and frequented the area around Watery Lane. Whitethroats continued to arrive in astonishing numbers, with another 100 counted at the Bill and very many more present throughout the island; 39 were trapped and ringed at the Obs, where more have been trapped so far this spring than in any whole year since 1968 (indeed only four annual totals ever are higher than the 223 trapped there so far). Willow Warblers also numbered around 100 at the Bill, where other totals included 75 Wheatears, 35 Whinchats, 20 Sedge Warblers and 15 Blackcaps, as well as a sprinkle of other species in lower numbers. Elsewhere the highlight was a single Turtle Dove at Avalanche Road. Sea passage showed no sign of improvement, with just 2 Arctic Skuas and a Little Gull at the Bill. May 6th Migrants were again plentiful, although today the Bill area scored much more heavily than other island areas that were distinctly quiet by comparison. Whitethroats dominated again, with another 71 trapped and ringed at the Obs out of the 200 or so present at the Bill. Blackcaps and Willow Warblers both numbered about 75, and there were also 30 Whinchats, 30 Sedge Warblers and lower numbers of all the other expected common migrants. Oddities included an Osprey flying north over Verne Common, 8 Redpoll spp at the Bill, 4 Hobbies passing through at the Bill, 3 Greylag Geese at the Bill and later at the Windmills, and a Short-eared Owl at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill only produced 14 commic Terns, a Great Northern Diver and an Arctic Skua.

 

Greenland Wheatear - Portland Bill, May 5th 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 5th There was another whopping arrival of common migrants today, with the total of 235 new birds ringed at the Obs making it the far the best trapping day there this spring. The total of at least 500 Whitethroats on the island included 83 trapped and ringed at the Obs: the highest day-total of this species since the Whitethroat 'crash' of 1968/69. Other noteworthy all-island totals included 200 Wheatears, 150 Sedge Warblers and 100 Whinchats, with many other species in well above average numbers. Oddities were few and far between, but included 3 Wood Warblers dotted about the island and a Corn Bunting at the Bill. The sea remained very quiet, with the just 2 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver, and a single Arctic Skua off the Bill.

 

Puffin - Portland Bill, May 4th 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 4th A promising start to the May Bank Holiday weekend, with another good arrival of common migrants on the island. Numbers were hard to estimate as most birds were again moving through very quickly, but counts from the Bill area included 1000 Swallows, 150 House Martins, 150 Willow Warblers, 60 Wheatears, 40 Sedge Warblers, 40 Whitethroats, 30 Whinchats, 30 Blackcaps, 20 Sand Martins, 20 Garden Warblers, 15 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Redstarts, 6 Whimbrel, 5 Reed Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Tree Pipits, 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 1 Buzzard, 1 Hobby, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Wood Warbler, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Redpoll. Other areas were just as productive, with notable sightings including further single Wood Warblers at Southwell School and the Windmills, a Nightingale at Verne Common and a Corn Bunting at Reap Lane. Seawatching remained very unproductive, with only 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Garganey off the Bill. Puffins are being seen more frequently there now: today 3 were showing well early in the morning on the sea below the Auk colony on the West Cliffs. May 3rd There were plenty more common migrants around the island today, as well as a couple of rarities: an Osprey flew in off the sea at the Bill in the morning, and a Red-rumped Swallow flew north at Blacknor in the afternoon. In very fine weather most common migrants passed through pretty quickly rather than lingered, and counts at the Bill included 2000 Swallows, 300 Willow Warblers, 100 Wheatears, 25 Blackcaps, 20 Yellow Wagtails, 20 Whitethroats, 15 Redstarts, 6 Garden Warblers, 5 Whinchats, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Wood Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatchers and 2 Spotted Flycatchers; similar numbers and variety were reported from other sites across the island. The sea produced nothing of note at all. 

 

Whinchat - Portland Bill, May 2nd 2002 © Martin Cade

  May 2nd Sea passage died a death today, but the land was busier than for some time. The only rarity reported was a fly-over Serin at the Grove in the morning. Common migrants around the Bill area included 100 Willow Warblers, 50 Wheatears, 10 Whitethroats, 8 Redstarts, 8 Blackcaps, 4 Sedge Warblers, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Whinchats, 2 Garden Warblers, a Common Sandpiper, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Pied Flycatcher; another Pied Flycatcher was also seen at Verne Common. Hirundines were on the move all day, with at least 5000 Swallows passing through at the Bill alone. The only birds of note on the sea were a handful of Manx Shearwaters and 2 Great Northern Divers off the Bill.  May 1st The sea continued to produce plenty of birds, with counts at the Bill of 11 Pomarine, 2 Great and an Arctic Skua, 8 Great Northern, a Black-throated and a Red-throated Diver, and a Little Egret. The land was still not busy, but there was much more about than in recent days, with the Bill area producing 25 Willow Warblers, 8 Whimbrel, 10 Wheatears, 6 Blackcaps, 4 Sedge Warblers, 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, a Hobby, a Whinchat and a Pied Flycatchers; another Pied Flycatcher was at Weston Craft Centre.

April 2002

April 30th For the most part a really miserable day, with heavy rain and strong winds spoiling any serious attempts at birding. However, in clearer but still blustery weather in the evening there was plenty of activity on the sea. A flock of 14 Pomarine Skuas lingered off Chesil Cove until dusk, and another 5 passed the Bill during this period; 4 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas passed through at the Bill and another 4 Arctic Skuas were off the Cove. Manx Shearwaters were numerous at both sites, with 350 counted off the Bill, and 5 Great Northern Divers and a Little Gull also passed there. In the Bill area, a Garden Warbler was another first for the year, and there were also 7 Whimbrel, 6 Blackcaps, a Cuckoo and a Yellow Wagtail.

 

 

Kentish Plover - Ferrybridge, April 29th 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 29th After a night of severe westerly gales, it was a surprise that the bird of the day should turn out to be a Kentish Plover that spent the afternoon at Ferrybridge. Seawatching was otherwise the order of the day, and among the good numbers of Manx Shearwaters still offshore there were 10 Great, 9 Arctic and 3 Pomarine Skuas off the Bill, and 16 Great Skuas, 9 Eider and a Black Tern at Chesil Cove. The only bird of note on the land at the Bill was a solitary Cuckoo. April 28th Another very windy day with the sea providing virtually all the interest. At the Bill, day totals included 600 Manx Shearwaters, 80 Common Scoter, 9 Sandwich Terns, 9 Great, 8 Arctic and 3 Pomarine Skuas, 2 Great Northern Divers, a Storm Petrel and a Canada Goose; 16 Great and 4 Pomarine Skuas were also logged at Chesil Cove. Seven Whimbrel, 3 Common and 2 Purple Sandpipers, a Cuckoo and a Redstart at the Bill were the only minor highlights on the land, where there were otherwise just a very few of the commoner migrants. April 27th Not surprisingly, bearing in mind the strong north-westerly winds and full moon, grounded migrants were thin on the ground. A Serin was seen briefly twice at the Bill during the morning, but there was otherwise nothing more interesting reported on the land than a Cuckoo at Church Ope Cove. The highlight on the sea was a flock of 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese passing the Bill in the evening; Manx Shearwaters were present offshore in good numbers, and 6 Arctic and 6 Great Skuas, as well as 4 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver also passed the Bill. Belated news received was of a Hoopoe apparently present yesterday in a private garden on the Verne Common Estate; searches there today drew a blank. 

 

 

Red-necked Phalarope - Ferrybridge, April 26th 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 26th A very quiet day, with the exception of a most unlikely highlight: a first-winter Red-necked Phalarope that spent several hours consorting with the Dunlin flock at Ferrybridge over the midday low tide; also there were 16 Bar-tailed Godwits, 7 Whimbrel and 3 Sanderling. In near gale-force north-westerly winds, common migrants were hard to find anywhere, and the only noteworthy reports were of a Hobby, a Redstart, a Whinchat and a Pied Flycatcher at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill produced more than 500 Manx Shearwaters, but otherwise just 3 Great and 3 Arctic Skuas.

 

 

Yellow Wagtails - Portland Bill, April 25th 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 25th Another day with plenty of variety. A Red-rumped Swallow put in two appearances at the Bill, where it flew north along the West Cliffs in the late morning and then south down the East Cliffs in the middle of the afternoon. Equally tricky to catch up with was a Wryneck that lurked in the hedges between Top Fields and Southwell where it showed itself just twice all day. Migrants again trickled through all day rather than arrived en masse at dawn; counts from the Bill area included 300 Swallows, 120 Willow Warblers, 60 Wheatears, 25 Sand Martins, 15 Swifts, 10 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, 7 Redstarts, 7 Whinchats, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 6 Tree Pipits, a Nightingale, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Pied Flycatcher and a Spotted Flycatcher. Elsewhere, 4 Buzzards again lingered over the north of the island, a Hobby flew through at Weston and there was a Siskin at Barleycrates Lane. In north-westerly winds, seawatching at the Bill produced just 55 Manx Shearwater, 32 Bar-tailed Godwits, 27 Common Scoter, 17 Whimbrel, 8 Dunlin, 2 Arctic and a Great Skua, 1 Great Northern Diver and a Canada Goose; also reported from there was a lone Storm Petrel seen briefly off Pulpit Rock. Wader numbers increased at Ferrybridge, where there were 95 Dunlin, 40 Ringed Plover, 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Sanderling and a Whimbrel.

 

Whimbrel - Portland Bill, April 24th 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 24th Despite the lack of any obvious overnight arrival of birds, new migrants continued to turn up all day under heavily overcast skies. The only rarity reported was an over-flying Ortolan Bunting that was heard but not seen near Southwell; subsequent searches for it proved fruitless. Hirundines and Swifts passed through in very good numbers, with more than 1500 Swallows and 100 House Martins counted in the Bill area alone. Willow Warblers remained the commonest grounded migrants, with the Bill also producing 30 Wheatears, 20 Blackcaps, 10 Tree Pipits, 10 Redstarts, 10 Whitethroats, 5 Yellow Wagatils, 3 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Whinchats. Of note elsewhere were 5 Buzzards over the middle of the island for much of the afternoon. Sea passage remained slow, although a lot of watching from the Bill did manage to produce 110 Bar-tailed Godwits, 40 Manx Shearwaters, 40 Whimbrel, 20 Common Scoter, 7 Arctic, 2 Great and 1 Pomarine Skua, and a single Great Northern Diver.  April 23rd A better day for variety of migrants, although numbers remained on the low side. Swallows, Wheatears and Willow Warblers were by far the most conspicuous migrants, with counts of 1000, 100, and 90 respectively in the Bill area. Most of the other expected species were to be found around the island, including 3 Grasshopper Warblers at the Bill, and single Pied Flycatchers in Top Fields and at Weston Craft Centre. Sea passage was again hardly spectacular, although there were 31 Whimbrel, 4 Knot, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua, and 2 Little Egrets off the Bill. Little Tern numbers increased to 18 at Ferrybridge, where there were also 4 Whimbrel and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits. April 22nd An anticlimax of a day after the busy weekend. Common migrant numbers reached rock-bottom, with just 5 birds trapped and ringed at the Obs all day, and even over-flying Swallows reduced to a mere trickle; the first Hobby of the spring at the Bill was by far the best bird reported. Sea passage was also much reduced, with counts at the Bill of only 42 Whimbrel, 40 Common Scoter, 30 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Red-throated Divers, 3 Arctic, 1 Pomarine and 1 Great Skua. April 21st A dismal day for common migrants on the land, but plenty of good spring fare out to sea and the first couple of spring rarities today. The birds of the day were an Alpine Swift that made a short foray onto the island from Weymouth and got as far as the Bill before returning northwards again, a Hoopoe that was seen flying north along the West Weares below Blacknor, and an Osprey that flew north over Easton. The sea was again busy, with totals at the Bill of 60 Common Scoter, 38 commic and a Little Tern, 30 Manx Shearwaters, 25 Knot, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, 10 Whimbrel, 10 Arctic, 2 Pomarine and 2 Great Skuas, 8 Red-throated, 3 Black-throated and a Great Northern Diver, 6 Shoveler, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Little Gull. The land was very much the poor relation, with nothing of note among a thin scatter of the commonest species. Finally, the 'Red-legged Partridge' gave itself up after several days of offering just glimpses, and its true identity was revealed as a Chukar (or hybrid?). April 20th With rain at dawn for the first time in several weeks, it was perhaps predictable that there was a good arrival of common migrants on the land; much more surprising was the fact that the best birds of the day showed up on the sea. A Cory's Shearwater that flew east past the Bill was much the rarest bird, but an extraordinary westward movement of Pale-bellied Brent Geese was the undoubted highlight for the island. An early morning flock of 55 brent geese off the Bill were thought to be mainly, if not all, Pale-bellied Brents, and an early afternoon flock of 36 Brents there consisted of 35 Pale-bellied and a lone Dark-bellied bird. Seawatching at the Bill also produced 44 Manx Shearwaters, 36 Whimbrel, 36 Bar-tailed Godwits, 32 Common Scoter, 27 Arctic and 1 Pomarine Skua, 27 commic and 16 Sandwich Terns, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Garganey, 1 Red-throated and 1 Great Northern Diver, and a single Little Gull. On the land, counts from the Bill area included 600 Swallows, 300 Willow Warblers, 60 Wheatears, 10 Blackcaps, 8 Redstarts, 7 Grasshopper Warblers, 6 Whitethroats, 5 Yellow Wagtails, a Pied Flycatcher, a redpoll sp. and a Brambling, as well as the first Swift, Reed Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat of the spring. Whinchats were reported from several other sites, and a Cuckoo was at Verne Common, but otherwise the variety and numbers elsewhere on the island were similar to those noted at the Bill.  April 19th The first Serin of the spring was the highlight today, although unfortunately it proved to be nothing more than a brief fly-over at Top Fields. On the migrant front, the island remained decidedly quiet, with just 40 Willow Warblers, 20 Wheatears, 15 Chiffchaffs, 4 Redstarts, a Yellow Wagtail, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Blackcap at the Bill, and precious little elsewhere. Seawatching produced nothing more than 7 Common Scoter and 2 Sandwich Terns off the Bill. April 18th Quiet all round today, with only small numbers of grounded migrants on the land and hardly any sea passage. The most conspicuous migrants were Wheatears that numbered more than 60 at the Bill, and Swallows that trickled through all day. Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs just made double figures, and there were 4 Redstarts, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and 2 Common Sandpipers dotted around the island. The only oddities reported were the Red-legged Partridge that was heard calling in Top Fields but otherwise remained very elusive and was not seen all day, and a Short-eared Owl that again patrolled the fields north of the Obs during the evening. Off the Bill, there were just a few Manx Shearwaters and Common Scoter, 3 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, an Eider, and a single Great Skua. The first 4 returning Little Terns were at Ferrybridge in the evening. April 17th The land remained very quiet today, and, with a suitable onshore breeze, seawatching was the order of the day. Watches from the Bill produced 1000 Gannets, 366 Common Scoter, 160 commic and 10 Sandwich Terns, 70 Manx Shearwaters, 21 Bar-tailed Godwits, 17 Great and 12 Arctic Skuas, 5 Red-throated and 4 Black-throated Divers, 5 Gadwall, 4 Little Gulls and 3 Whimbrel; Chesil Cove produced smaller numbers of the same species. Swallows continued to pass through in fair numbers, but among the handful of grounded Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, the only faintly interesting new arrivals on the land were a couple of Yellow Wagtails and a Grasshopper Warbler. April 16th Migrant numbers fell sharply today, although there was still quite a bit to see. A Red-legged Partridge at Culverwell - the first seen on the island for several years - was the unexpected highlight, but there was also a fly-over ringtail harrier sp. at Verne Common, as well as the long-staying Short-eared Owl and Hawfinch at the Bill. Swallows were by far the most numerous common migrants, with numbers of most other species having dropped to single figures; oddities included a Firecrest at the Bill and single Grasshopper Warblers at Southwell and Tout Quarry. Seawatching at the Bill produced 30 Common Scoter, 3 Red-throated Divers and 2 Great Skuas. April 15th Another very busy day, with plenty of common migrants around the island. Willow Warblers again numbered around 1000, but the variety and numbers of other species increased, with all-island counts including 60 Wheatears, 35 Redstarts, 6 Pied and a very early Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Nightingales, 2 Whinchats, 2 Black Redstarts and a Ring Ouzel. Swallows were really conspicuous for the first time this spring, with more than 500 passing through during the course of the day. The only particularly unusual species seen were two single Ospreys that flew north over the Verne (at 10am and 3.30pm), and the long-staying Hawfinch that remained at the Bill. The sea produced nothing better than a couple of Red-throated Divers off the Bill.

 

Short-eared Owl - Portland Bill, April 14th 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 14th The New Moon period is proving to be productive for common migrants, with another good arrival of birds everywhere. Willow Warblers numbered around 1000 throughout the island, with 173 trapped and ringed at the Obs alone. The Bill area also produced 70 Chiffchaffs, 12 Redstarts, 10 Wheatears, 6 Blackcaps, 4 Yellow Wagtails, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a White Wagtail, a Tree Pipit, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Black Redstart, as well as a Short-eared Owl and the Hawfinch still present. Elsewhere, highlights included the first Cuckoo at Verne Common, the first Turtle Dove at the Windmills, 4 Pied Flycatchers around the north of the island, 2 Ring Ouzels at Tout Quarry and another at Barleycrates Lane and a Little Ringed Plover over Wide Street. The sea was unexpectedly productive in the light north-west wind, with 132 Common and 9 Velvet Scoter, 13 Red-throated and a Black-throated Diver, and an Arctic Skua off the Bill. April 13th Migrants were again present in reasonable numbers everywhere. The Hawfinch remained in and around the Obs garden, although it was extremely elusive and rarely seen other than in the hand when retrapped. Two Short-eared Owls were present at the Bill in the evening, and other oddities included a Ring Ouzel at the Bill and a Nightingale at Barleycrates Lane. Counts of commoner migrants included 150 Willow Warblers, 30 Blackcaps and 8 Redstarts at the Bill. The sea remained unproductive, with just 30 Manx Shearwaters and 5 Red-throated Divers passing the Bill.

 

 

Hawfinch - Portland Bill, April 12th 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 12th Not before time, there was a decent flurry of migrants today. A Hawfinch that was trapped and ringed at the Obs in the morning was the highlight, and there was again a Short-eared Owl around Top Fields. At the Bill, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps, which numbered 120 and 70 respectively, were the dominant commoner migrants, but there were also 10 Wheatears, 6 Chiffchaffs, 5 Redstarts, 3 Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and a Black Redstart there. Swallows, Linnets and Goldfinches all passed overhead in fair numbers, and a Buzzard wandered widely around the island. Sea passage remained very light, with just 13 Whimbrel, 11 Common Scoter, 6 Red-throated Divers and a Sandwich Tern past the Bill. April 11th The Ring Ouzel remained at Barleycrates Lane, and new arrivals of note included a Short-eared Owl, a Black Redstart and a Redpoll at the Bill. Migrants numbers were still woefully low, with only Swallow managing to reach double figures. The only seabird worth recording was a single Arctic Skua that passed the Bill.

 

Ring Ouzel - Barleycrates Lane, April 10th 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 10th The Ring Ouzel was still at Barleycrates Lane today, but new migrants were few and far between. The Bill area produced 6 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Wheatears, a Golden Plover and the first Corn Bunting of the year, whilst elsewhere there were 4 Blackcaps and a Redstart at Barleycrates Lane, and a Black Redstart at Tout Quarry. Three Sandwich Terns, 2 Whimbrel and a Red-throated Diver passed through off the Bill. April 9th There was finally a hint of passage getting going again today. A probable Mealy Redpoll seen briefly at Southwell in the afternoon was the highlight, but there was also a Ring Ouzel at Barleycrates Lane, and 25 Chiffchaffs, 25 Willow Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Wheatears, 2 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Siskins, a Buzzard and a Redstart at the Bill. Swallows, Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Goldfinches all trickled northwards along the West Cliffs throughout the day, and 3 Kestrels also passed through there. Four Black-throated and 2 Red-throated Divers passed the Bill, and there were 27 Sandwich Terns at Ferrybridge. April 8th The appearance of 2 Siskins, a Merlin, a Short-eared Owl and a Mistle Thrush at the Bill was poor compensation for the almost complete lack of grounded common migrants anywhere on the island. Overhead passage picked up a little, with 160 Linnets, 40 Goldfinches and a few Swallows passing through at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill produced no more than 40 settled Common Scoter and a couple of fly-by Red-throated Divers. April 7th Despite the strong easterly wind it was clear that the island was pretty devoid of anything other than a handful of common migrants, and even overhead passage was restricted to just a trickle of Swallows and a single Merlin at the Bill. The sea provided a little interest, with 5 Shelducks and 4 Avocets passing the Bill along with a few Common Scoter, Common Gulls, Kittiwakes and Sandwich Terns. The only report from other sites was of a single Great Northern Diver in Portland Harbour.

 

Sandwich Tern - Ferrybridge, April 6th 2002 © Ben Sheldon

  April 6th Searching for grounded migrants was a fairly futile exercise in near gale-force easterly winds, and it was left to the seawatchers and visible-migrant counters to salvage something from the day. The sea produced 154 Common Scoters, 20 Sandwich Terns, 14 Common Gulls, 8 Shelduck, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Puffins  and a Bar-tailed Godwit; in addition, there were 7 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks at the Bill. There was plenty of northward passage along the West Cliffs, with a 2.5 hour count in the morning producing 627 Linnets, 268 Meadow Pipits, 247 Goldfinches, 17 Wheatears, 14 Sand Martins, 9 Swallows, 8 Goldfinches, 3 House Martins, 3 alba Wagtails, 2 Collared Doves and a Yellow Wagtail. The only reports from other sites were of 32 Sandwich Terns and 2 Grey Plovers at Ferrybridge. April 5th Another cloudless night was followed - not surprisingly - by another rather birdless day. Among very low numbers of grounded Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, there was a Yellow Wagtail, a Black Redstart, a Sedge Warbler and a Brambling at the Bill, and another Brambling at Reap Lane. Two Tree Pipits were the highlight among the light northward movement of pipits, wagtails and finches along the West Cliffs. Poor visibility hampered seawatching, although 200 Common and 2 Velvet Scoter, 9 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Sandwich Terns and a Black-throated Diver passed off the Bill during clearer spells. April 4th A disappointing day, with few migrants anywhere on the island. A fly-over Yellow Wagtail at the Bill was another first for the year, but otherwise there was just a late Redwing, a Buzzard, a couple of Siskins, and a handful of Wheatears, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers there. Seawatchers fared no better, with only a few Common Scoter and Manx Shearwaters, a Red-throated Diver and the first 2 Bar-tailed Godwits of the spring off the Bill.

 

Buzzard - Portland Bill, April 3rd 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 3rd A Common Sandpiper at the Bill was the only first for the year among the scatter of migrants today. Also at the Bill there were 35 Blackcaps, 30 Chiffchaffs, 25 Willow Warblers, 15 Wheatears, 3 Redstarts, a White Wagtail and a Whitethroat, whilst other oddities included 2 Mallards, a Buzzard and a Bullfinch. Elsewhere, there was a Ring Ouzel at Tout Quarry, another 2 Buzzards over the centre of the island, and Black Redstarts at both Reap Lane and Tout Quarry. Seawatching at the Bill produced nothing more than a few Common Scoter, a Black-throated Diver and an Arctic Skua.

 

Redstart - Portland Bill, April 2nd 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 2nd Migrants arrived in some numbers overnight, with the Bill area producing counts of 60 Wheatears, 60 Willow Warblers, 40 Chiffchaffs, 25 Blackcaps, 4 Redstarts, a Tree Pipit, a Black Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher and a Goldcrest; the total of 49 new birds ringed at the Obs was the highest day-total so far this year. There were similar numbers and variety elsewhere, with Barleycrates Lane also producing 2 Sedge Warblers and a Whitethroat. Light eastward sea-passage continued off the Bill, where there were 190 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Shelducks, a Curlew, a Sandwich Tern and the first Common Tern of the spring.

 

Pied Flycatcher - Portland Bill, April 1st 2002 © Martin Cade

  April 1st Another rather light sprinkle of migrants saw the Easter holiday weekend close quietly. A Pied Flycatcher in the Obs garden was the only new species for the year, and the Bill area otherwise produced just small numbers of grounded Wheatears, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, and a few Swallows, Meadow Pipits and alba Wagtails passing overhead. Offshore, the lingering Common Scoter flock numbered up to 40, and 4 Red-throated and 2 Black-throated Divers, an Arctic and a Great Skua, and a single Manx Shearwater passed through.