July 2001

July 31st The Melodious Warbler remained at the Bill today, although it only showed well on a few occasions at the Obs Quarry and the Obs garden. Common migrants also continued to trickle through, but only Willow Warblers were in any numbers, with the highest count being 50 at the Bill. The sea continued to produce Balearic and Manx Shearwaters but most are now being seen flying past rather than lingering offshore; today there were 16 Balearic and 9 Manx off the Bill.  

 

Melodious Warbler - Portland Bill, July 30th 2001 © Mick Rogers

  July 30th New in today was the first Melodious Warbler of the autumn; it was found in the Hut Fields early in the morning, but then settled in the Obs Quarry where it showed sporadically throughout the rest of the day. Migrants were a lot more numerous on the land, with counts at the Bill of 75 Willow Warblers, 8 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Dartford Warbler, a Garden Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Pied Flycatcher; a single Little Egret also flew over the Bill. Balearic Shearwaters were much scarcer than in recent days, with no more than 8 reported off the Bill at any one time; the sea also produced 68 Common Scoter, 25 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Teal, 2 Little Terns and a Great Skua. Waders at Ferrybridge included 8 Sanderling.  July 29th Four Storm Petrels were trapped and ringed at the Bill in the early hours of the morning, but the daytime highlight was the continuing presence of up to 50 Balearic Shearwaters offshore. The land again produced a few birds, with 12 Willow Warblers, a Grey Wagtail,  a Grasshopper Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher around the Bill area. July 28th Balearic Shearwaters continue to linger off the Bill in numbers, with more than 50 seen throughout the morning; also off there were 20 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Storm Petrels and 2 Great Skuas. Passage picked up on the land, with 8 Willow Warblers and 2 Garden Warblers around the Obs garden. July 27th Autumn passerine passage continued to verge on the non-existent, but there was still plenty of interest today. Balearic Shearwater numbers remained around 30 all day, although in the very calm weather most birds were distant and  flight views were rather infrequent; up to 10 Manx Shearwaters were also present offshore throughout the day, a Great Skua flew past in the morning, and an entirely bizarre record was of a summer plumaged Black-throated Diver drifting west past the Bill in the afternoon. Migrants at the Bill included 50 Sand Martins, 6 Sanderling, 4 Whimbrel, 3 Grey Herons, a Hobby, a Marsh Harrier and a Grasshopper Warbler.  Waders at Ferrybridge included 250 Dunlin and 4 Sanderling.

 

Balearic Shearwaters - Portland Bill, July 26th 2001 © Martin Cade

  July 26th Balearic Shearwater numbers increased dramatically at the Bill in the morning when a new flock of more than 60 joined the 20-30 already lingering offshore; numbers had dwindled by midday, and during the afternoon and evening  there were no reports of more than 20 birds. A few Manx Shearwaters were present throughout the day, and 40 Common Scoter passed through. Passerine migrants were again absent, although new waders included 2 Curlew Sandpipers at Ferrybridge and a Wood Sandpiper over the Bill. July 25th The supply of new birds on the land unexpectedly ground to a halt. Offshore, Balearic Shearwaters remained conspicuous, with more than 20 lingering off the Bill all morning; also there were 50 Common Scoter, 30 Manx Shearwaters and a fly-by Little Egret. July 24th A few migrants were again in evidence, with the Bill area producing 75 Sand Martins and 15 Willow Warblers. Rather more unexpected was the lone Great Spotted Woodpecker that roamed the south of the island during the morning. Balearic Shearwaters scarcely figured until the evening when at least 18 were seen off the Bill; also there were 113 Common Scoter and a few Manx Shearwaters.

 

Sedge Warbler - Portland Bill, July 23rd 2001 © Martin Cade

  July 23rd Balmy summer weather returned today, and there were the first real signs of autumn passerine passage. The Bill area produced 50 Sand Martins, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers and a Garden Warbler, and there were also single Grasshopper Warbler and Garden Warbler at Barleycrates Lane. A family party of Bullfinches at the Bill had presumably dispersed from a breeding site on the north of the island. The sea was less productive than in recent days, although in the evening a party of 8 Balearic Shearwaters again appeared off the Bill. July 22nd With no evidence of passage on the land, today was another seawatching day. Balearic Shearwaters outnumbered Manx Shearwaters off the Bill, with as many as 25 of the former lingering offshore and just a dozen of the latter passing through in the morning; also there were 10 Common Scoter, 7 Arctic Skuas, 2 Black-headed Gulls and a couple of late Puffins.  July 21st Seawatching again occupied most birders today, with the Bill producing more than 100 Manx and at least 10 Balearic Shearwaters, as well as 65 Common Scoter, and 5 Arctic and a Great Skua. On the land, the male Serin was seen briefly near the Bill Road dung heap during the morning, and there were also single Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail and Lesser Whitethroat around the Bill area. July 20th Seabirds was few and far between in the morning, but a freshening south-west wind and rain prompted some movement late in the day, when there were 300 Manx and 4 Balearic Shearwaters, and 2 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua off the Bill. The land provided just 6 Sand Martins and a Lesser Whitethroat in the Bill area. July 19th Despite a stiff offshore wind it was the sea that provided most of the interest today. Several hundred Manx Shearwaters lingered off the Bill all day, and there were also 60 Common Scoter, 8 Balearic Shearwaters, a Pomarine Skua and a Mediterranean Gull. Waders there included 3 Turnstones, a Ringed Plover, a Dunlin and a Whimbrel, but the land was otherwise very quiet, with the best birds being a Grey Heron, 2 Blackcaps and a Lesser Whitethroat. A single Knot was among the commoner waders at Ferrybridge. July 18th The calm after the storm saw fair numbers of birds trickling back down the Channel, with the Bill producing 100 Manx and 15 Balearic Shearwaters, 28 Common Scoter, and 3 Arctic, 1 Pomarine and 1 Great Skua. Migrants on the land remained thin on the ground, with just 4 Sand Martins, 2 Blackcaps, a Whimbrel and a Redshank at the Bill. July 17th A day of near gale force south-easterly winds and heavy rain, with seawatching from the Bill producing 50 Manx, 9 Balearic and a Sooty Shearwater, 39 Common Scoter,  and 4 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas. During the evening a lone Roseate Tern was seen in Freshwater Bay at Southwell. July 16th Another surprisingly good day. The male Serin again showed up twice at the Obs during the morning, and new arrivals at the Bill included 70 Sand Martins, 5 Grey Herons, 2 Curlew, a Little Egret, a Ringed Plover and a Lesser Whitethroat. Elsewhere on the island, a Dartford Warbler was an unexpected find at Barleycrates Lane. Seawatching at the Bill produced 134 Common Scoter, but only 2 Manx and a Balearic Shearwater. 

 

Blackcap - Portland Bill, July 15th 2001 © Martin Cade

  July 15th An unexpectedly productive day, with the highlight a Bee-eater that flew south over the Obs at 10:00am. The male Serin made another couple of brief visits to the Obs garden during the morning, and new arrivals included a few Swifts and Sand Martins passing through, and a Blackcap at the Obs. Off the Bill, there were plenty of Manx Shearwaters about, and the total of 10 sightings of Balearic Shearwaters involved several different individuals; 36 Common Scoter also passed the Bill during the day.  July 14th The return of some decent warm and sunny weather saw the reappearance of the male Serin, which visited the Obs garden pond twice during the morning. The Bill area also produced a few Sand Martins and 2 Chiffchaffs, and there were 15 Common Scoter, 4 Manx and a Balearic Shearwater on the sea there. Wader numbers increased again at Ferrybridge, where there were 86 Dunlin and 4 Sanderling. July 13th The sea continued to provide most of the interest, although there were fewer birds than in recent days. Manx Shearwaters numbered less than 100, and there were also 4 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Balearic Shearwater and an Arctic Skua off the Bill; the breeding auks have now left their colony at the Bill, although a few Guillemots and the occasional Puffin continue to be seen offshore. A single Chiffchaff at the Obs was again the only noteworthy bird on the land. July 12th Although the wind had abated there was still some movement off the Bill, with day totals of 500 Manx and 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 15 Common Scoter and 2 Arctic Skuas. The only bird of note on the land was a lone Chiffchaff at the Obs. July 11th With the wind having picked up overnight, seawatching was again the order of the day, and the Bill produced 450 Gannets, 200 Manx Shearwaters, 7 Common Scoter,  7 Arctic, a Great and a Pomarine Skua, and a Storm Petrel. Elsewhere there were 66 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. July 10th A blustery and at times wet day, with seawatching at the Bill producing 73 Common Scoter, 40 Manx Shearwaters, and 5 Arctic, 2 Pomarine and a Great Skua. The only birds of note on the land were 3 Sand Martins at the Bill. Dunlin increased to 70 at Ferrybridge, where they were joined by a single Sanderling. July 9th A Serin flew over the Obs garden early in the morning, but most of the other interest was off the Bill, where a Balearic Shearwater lingered for a while later in the morning, and there were also more than 50 Manx Shearwaters, 42 Common Scoter, 3 Shelduck and 2 Pomarine Skuas; 3 Grey Herons also arrived from the south during the course of the day. Waders are starting to build up at Ferrybridge, where there were 45 Dunlin during the evening. July 8th Not too much to report again today. The Bill area produced just a Sand Martin and a Chiffchaff, and seawatching there saw totals of 34 Manx and a Balearic Shearwater, 27 Common Scoter and 3 Arctic Skua logged. July 7th Three Crossbills in flight over Easton were an interesting find in the morning, but the only other new migrants on the land were 4 Sand Martins and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, and an unseasonable Purple Sandpiper on the rocks near the Bill lighthouse. Manx Shearwaters remained conspicuous off the Bill, with more than 300 counted in an hour in the late morning; also there were 9 Common Scoter, 8 Black-headed Gulls and a Sandwich Tern. July 6th The sea again produced most of the birds today, with 180 Manx Shearwaters, 12 Common Scoter, 8 Sandwich Terns and 5 Mallard off the Bill. The male Serin flew over the Obs garden once during the afternoon, and others odds and sods on the land at the Bill included 3 Lapwings, 2 Sand Martins, a Heron, a Redshank and a Curlew. July 5th There was no change in the misty, humid weather, but there were plenty more birds about the island. Seawatching at the Bill produced more than 200 Manx Shearwaters, 56 Black-headed Gulls, 54 Common Scoter, a Yellow-legged Herring Gull, a Mediterranean Gull and a Sandwich Tern. On the land, the Serin reappeared at the Bill, being seen flying over the Obs garden twice during the morning, and there were also 3 Curlews, a Hobby, a Lapwing, a Common Sandpiper and a Whimbrel at the Bill. Last night, 5 Storm Petrels were trapped during a tape-luring session at the Bill. July 4th After a night of violent electric storms, the island was shrouded in fog for much of the day, and the only migrant reported was a Curlew at the Bill.

 

Storm Petrel - Portland Bill, July 3rd 2001 © Martin Cade

  July 3rd There was no sight or sound of the Greenish Warbler at Weston today, and the Serin at the Bill was seen just a couple of times during the morning. Seven Storm Petrels were trapped at the Bill last night during a tape-luring session between midnight and 03:30, and the only other news is of a few Manx Shearwaters, 30 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua off the Bill today.

 

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Wakeham, July 2nd 2001 © Martin Cade

  July 2nd The Greenish Warbler was still present at Weston, although it remained rather elusive for much of the day. The male Serin was also still around, but it too made only brief and erratic visits to the Obs garden in the morning. There was no sign of the Kentish Plover at Ferrybridge, but an unexpected new arrival was a Great Spotted Woodpecker that visited a nut feeder in a garden at Wakeham in the afternoon. July 1st July started in exciting fashion for the second successive year. Bird of the day was a singing male Greenish Warbler that was found early in the morning alongside Weston Road; it proved to be rather mobile and frequently elusive, but showed on and off until the early evening. The male Serin made a couple of appearances beside the Obs early in the day, and late in the evening a female/immature Kentish Plover showed well at Ferrybridge. Elsewhere there was a Curlew at the Bill, and seawatching there produced a few Manx Shearwaters, 15 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua. 

June 2001

 

Serin - Southwell, June 30th 2001 © Pete and Debby Saunders

  June 30th Highlight today was a male Serin that visited the Obs garden in the morning, and a garden in Southwell in the afternoon. The only other interest was on the sea, where there were 51 Common Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwaters, an Arctic Skua, a Sandwich Tern and a Mediterranean Gull off the Bill. June 29th Once again, the only birds of note were on the sea, with 7 Common Scoter, 2 Manx Shearwaters, a Great Northern Diver and an Arctic Skua past the Bill in the morning. June 28th The sea produced the few birds reported, with 150 Gannets, 22 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Common Scoter, an Arctic Skua and a Sandwich Tern off the Bill. June 27th The only noteworthy birds today were 2 Manx Shearwaters, a Sandwich Tern, a Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, 14 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Sanderling and a Dunlin at Ferrybridge, and 2 Arctic Skuas in Chesil Cove. June 26th More of the same again today, with the Bill area producing just 7 Black-headed Gulls, a Curlew and a Chiffchaff. June 25th Back to form today, with the only birds reported being a Grey Heron, a Curlew and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, and 50 Manx Shearwaters milling around offshore there. June 24th Not before time, today saw the arrival of a decent June rarity in the form of a sub-adult Night Heron, although it proved to be only a very brief visitor. It arrived in off the sea over the Obs early in the morning, and was seen a few minutes later over the Top Fields heading towards Southwell; unfortunately it was not relocated. The only other birds of note were a Whimbrel and a Wheatear at the Bill, and a Common Sandpiper at Cheyne Weare. June 23rd The sea produced the only birds of interest today, with 10 commic Terns and 9 Common Scoter passing the Bill in the morning. June 22nd It's not getting any better! Today saw just a lone Buzzard and a few Swifts recorded at the Bill, and a single Manx Shearwater seen on a brief seawatch. June 21st Precious little action again today, with the only birds reported being single Reed and Sedge Warblers at the Bill, and 16 Manx Shearwaters offshore. June 20th A Serin flew over the Obs garden again early in the morning, and other sightings included a Ringed Plover, a Black-headed Gull and a Reed Warbler at the Bill. June 19th A Serin again put in a subliminal appearance at the Obs in the morning, and there were another 2 new Chiffchaffs at the Bill and a Buzzard over the north of the island. The land was otherwise quiet, and it was left to the sea, where there were 4 Arctic Skuas and a few Manx Shearwaters, to provide the only other interest of the day.  

 

Guillemots - Portland Bill, June 18th 2001 © Martin Cade

  June 18th It remained very quiet, although there was again just a hint of some movement taking place. Bird of the day was a Serin that was seen briefly over the Obs and at the dung heap beside the Bill Road in the morning. Also there were a Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Black-headed Gull, a Reed Warbler and another new Chiffchaff. A few Manx Shearwaters continued to linger off the Bill, and 11 Common Scoter also passed. June 17th The sea provided most of the interest today, with the highlight being the first Balearic Shearwater of the summer lingering off the East Cliffs at the Bill in the morning; also there were 25 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Arctic Skuas. The land provided just a few Swifts, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Whimbrel at the Bill. June 16th Two Reed Warblers and a Chiffchaff were new arrivals at the Bill, but the only other reports were of small numbers of Manx Sheawaters and an Arctic Skua offshore. June 15th Manx Shearwaters were again offshore in fair numbers, but the only other sightings of note were of 2 Whimbrel and a Reed Warbler at the Bill. June 14th Almost no news at all today, with an afternoon/evening movement of 200 Manx Shearwaters off the Bill being the only worthwhile occurrence. June 13th The summer doldrums continue, with the only noteworthy birds being 2 new Chiffchaffs and a Sand Martin at the Bill, a lone Manx Shearwater on the sea there, and 10 Turnstones, 5 Dunlin and a Bar-tailed Godwit at Ferrybridge. June 12th Still nothing much to show for plenty of effort, with the only migrants at the Bill being a Black Redstart and a Reed Warbler. The sea was scarcely more exciting, with 21 Common Scoter, 12 Manx Shearwaters and 5 commic Terns past the Bill. June 11th Five Sand Martins and a Reed Warbler were new at the Bill today, with seawatching there producing a few Manx Shearwaters, 7 Common Scoter and a late Great Northern Diver. June 10th New migrants today at the Bill included 2 Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap, a Buzzard was also seen over Southwell in the afternoon. Waders at Ferrybridge in the evening included 29 Dunlin, 9 Turnstones, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Redshank. June 9th A Honey Buzzard flew north over the island during the late afternoon, after another unidentified buzzard sp. had flown north at midday. There was otherwise no great change in the migrant situation today, with the Bill area producing 3 Sand Martins, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Curlew and a Yellow Wagtail. Seawatching produced just 2 Arctic Skuas and a Manx Shearwater off the Bill.

 

Reed Warbler - Portland Bill, June 8th 2001 © Martin Cade

  June 8th Late migrants at the Bill today included 2 Reed Warblers, a Yellow Wagtail and a Spotted Flycatcher, and another 2 Spotted Flycatchers were at Reap Lane. Seawatching produced just a few Manx Shearwaters off the Bill.

 

Little Owl - Portland Bill, June 7th 2001 © Martin Cade

  June 7th Still no change today, with the only birds of note being a Sand Martin and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill, and a few Manx Shearwaters milling around offshore. June 6th Interesting birds are becoming fewer by the day, with the Bill area producing just a Whimbrel, a Reed Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher. A freshening wind in the afternoon stirred up plenty of Manx Shearwaters offshore, and by the early evening they were passing the Bill at several hundred per hour; single Arctic Skuas also passed both the Bill and Chesil Cove. June 5th The sea provided most of what little interest there was today, with 36 Common Scoter, 32 commic Terns, 26 Manx Shearwaters and a Great Skua off the Bill in the morning. Six Wheatears, a Reed Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher around the Bill area were the only noteworthy migrants on the land. June 4th Late migrants were thin on the ground again today. The Bill area held just 4 Wheatears, 2 Reed Warblers and a Yellow Wagtail, although a Hobby and an unidentified buzzard sp. also flew through during the course of the day. Seawatching revealed just 20 Manx Shearwaters off the Bill. Sanderling increased to 30 at Ferrybridge. June 3rd After several lean days there was a minor flurry of new migrants around the island, with the Bill area producing 7 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Reed Warblers, 3 Wheatears, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Turtle Dove, a Black Redstart, a Sedge Warbler and a Garden Warbler. Manx Shearwaters continued to figure conspicuously offshore, with more than 600 off the Bill in the morning. On the falling tide in the evening at Ferrybridge there were 36 Dunlin and 17 Sanderling present, but no sign of the putative Kentish Plover reported there during the afternoon. June 2nd Two Hobbies flew north over Weston in the morning, but there was no increase in migrant numbers anywhere, with the Bill area producing just a couple of Spotted Flycatchers. Manx Shearwaters were fairly numerous offshore throughout the day, and 2 Arctic Skuas also passed the Bill. June 1st June hardly arrived with a flourish, with the only birds of note being another meagre sprinkle of late migrants at the Bill, where there were 70 Swifts, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Turtle Dove, a Sand Martin, a Reed Warbler and a Willow Warbler. 

May 2001

May 31st The run of quiet days continued, with the only migrants of note being 2 Wheatears and a Turtle Dove at the Bill (despite the mist-nets being open for 7 hours, no birds were trapped and ringed at the Obs!). Seawatching at the Bill in the morning produced just 12 Manx Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua.  May 30th The only reports came from the Bill area, where there were 3 Turtle Doves, 2 Wheatears, a Hobby and a Willow Warbler on the land, and a few Manx Shearwaters and 2 Arctic Skuas offshore. May 29th Despite the return of warm, sunny weather there was no change in the rather dire migrant numbers. The Bill area produced just 4 Wheatears, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Hobby (the 39th of the spring), a Sedge Warbler and a Willow Warbler. Seawatching was no more productive, with the highlights being single Arctic and Great Skuas.

 

Sedge Warbler - Portland Bill, May 28th 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 28th A hint of a few new arrivals today, with 2 Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher trapped and ringed at the Obs. Unfortunately, thick fog restricted birding elsewhere and the only other reports were of 3 Turtle Doves and another Reed Warbler elsewhere at the Bill, and 17 Sanderling at Ferrybridge May 27th No change in the weather or the birds. Migrants at the Bill today totalled just 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Wheatears, a Turtle Dove, a Sedge Warbler and a Willow Warbler. May 26th A pretty dismal start to the Bank Holiday weekend, with the island blanketed in thick fog, and very few birds about. The only reports came from the Bill, where there were 9 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Wheatears, 3 Yellow Wagtails, a Turtle Dove, a Sedge Warbler and a Chiffchaff. May 25th After the hot weather of recent days there was a sudden change today as misty low cloud and a stiff north-east wind kept the temperature pegged right down for most of the day. Unfortunately there was little improvement in migrant numbers, with the Bill area producing just a few Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Turtle Doves, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Whimbrel,  a Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit, a Whinchat, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler.

 

  

Bee-eater and Storm Petrel - Portland Bill, May 24th 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 24th The highlight today was a Bee-eater at the Bill at 08:30; unfortunately it made a typically brief visit, and after settling on wires beside the Coastguard Cottages for a couple of minutes made off north over the Top Fields and was not seen again. Common migrants remained thin on the ground, with just 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Reed Warbler at the Bill; other oddities there included a single Mistle Thrush and another late Firecrest. Seawatching during the day has produced nothing of note, although last night 4 Storm Petrels were trapped and ringed during a tape-luring session at the Bill. Access update: All previously closed footpaths and rights of way on the island have been officially reopened today. May 23rd There was another good early morning tern passage today, with 370 commic and 6 Black Terns logged off the Bill. The land is even quieter than on recent days, with, for example, just a single Spotted Flycatcher trapped at the Obs all day; other migrants included 2 Sedge Warblers, a Turtle Dove and a Yellow Wagtail around the Bill, and several Spotted Flycatchers at other sites. A Marsh Harrier flew north up the West Cliffs early in the morning, and a Hobby was settled in the Strips at the Bill later on. May 22nd The settled spell of weather continued, but a freshening north-east breeze grounded a few more late migrants than in recent days. At the Bill, Swifts passed through in fair numbers, and there were also 7 Wheatears, 6 Willow Warblers, 6 Spotted Flycatchers, a Turtle Dove, a Whinchat, a Redstart and a Chiffchaff. Seawatching at the Bill produced 140 commic Terns in the morning.

 

Spotted Flycatcher - Portland Bill, May 21st 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 21st The lean spell continued today, with little evidence of movement beyond a good passage of Swifts in the morning. The Bill area held 10 Wheatears, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, a Reed Warbler and a late Brambling. Seawatching at the Bill produced 60 commic Terns and a Great Northern Diver. May 20th More of the same today, with a sprinkle of late common migrants around the island. Reed Warbler has been the only species in any numbers, with 4 at the Bill and several singles elsewhere. Oddities included a Firecrest at the Obs and a Tree Sparrow at Barleycrates Lane. Forty Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua passed the Bill in the morning. May 19th The Bill area remained rather quiet, and produced just a few typical late migrants, including 3 Spotted and a Pied Flycatcher, 2 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, and both Sedge and Reed Warbler. Elsewhere there was a Hobby and a Ring Ouzel at Tout Quarry, and several Spotted Flycatchers at other sites. Two Arctic and a Pomarine Skua passed the Bill in the morning, but otherwise the sea was as quiet as the land.

 

Grey Heron - Portland Bill, May 18th 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 18th The island remains firmly off-the-boil at the moment, with very little movement on the land or sea. The Bill area produced 8 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Willow Warblers, a Grey Heron,  a Turtle Dove, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler and a Blackcap today. Offshore, there was just 3 Arctic Skuas, a few Manx Shearwaters and a Little Gull. May 17th A miserable day, with the island swept by near-gale force westerlies, and little of interest reported anywhere. Seawatching from the Bill produced just 90 Manx Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua, whilst a Spotted Flycatcher in the Obs garden was the sole migrant of note on the land. Twenty Sanderling were at Ferrybridge in the early afternoon. May 16th Heavy rain before dawn forced down a small flurry of late migrants this morning. Willow Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers numbered just into double figures, and there were ones and twos of Turtle Dove, Yellow Wagtail, Reed and Sedge Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler about the island. Another Hobby arrived in off the sea at the Bill, but seawatching there produced nothing better than 100 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver. Waders at Ferrybridge included 10 Sanderling and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits. May 15th The Wryneck at Suckthumb Quarry was relocated behind the Craft Centre off Weston Street during the morning, but proved to be fairly elusive throughout the rest of the day. Also seen today were a Nightjar that showed for a while settled in a tree beside the RN cemetery at Verne Common in the afternoon, and a singing Wood Warbler at the Grove in the morning. Common migrants remained very thin on the ground, with just 3 birds trapped and ringed at the Obs, and little more elsewhere. Seawatching at the Bill produced 2 Great Northern Divers, and an Arctic and a Pomarine Skua.  May 14th An odds and sods day, with a surprising variety of birds reported. The highlight was a Wryneck that spent most of the morning at Suckthumb Quarry. Migrants included a fair number of Turtle Doves (including at least 10 at Southwell), 2 Pied Flycatchers at Suckthumb Quarry, Spotted Flycatchers at several sites, a Cuckoo at Inmosthay Quarry, a Nightingale at Suckthumb Quarry and a late Goldcrest in song at Delhi Lane. The arrival of clearer westerly weather all but halted sea passage, with the Bill producing just 2 Great Northern Divers, a Storm Petrel, a Pomarine Skua and a handful of waders and commic Terns; a lone Mute Swan settled on the sea off the Bill was another unexpected sight during the morning. Passage waders at Ferrybridge included 17 Whimbrel and 10 Sanderling. May 13th The sea provided virtually all the action today. Day totals at the Bill included 960 commic, 18 Black and 2 Roseate Terns, 200 Manx Shearwaters, 37 Common Scoter, 26 Pomarine, 7 Arctic and 3 Great Skuas, a Storm Petrel and plenty of waders. Full totals for Chesil are not available yet, but morning watches there produced 1000 commic, 2 Roseate and 14 Black Terns, 9 Pomarine and 3 Arctic Skuas, 3 Little Gulls and a good variety of waders; a Roseate Tern also showed well at Ferrybridge during the afternoon. The land remained very quiet, with just a sprinkle of late migrants, including a Turtle Dove and a Redpoll, seen at the Bill. May 12th Terns were still on the move today, with counts from Chesil of 200 commics, 2 Roseate and 2 Black Terns, and from the Bill of 500 commic, 5 Black, 4 Little and 3 Roseate Terns. In the morning, a Spoonbill and a Marsh Harrier also passed Chesil, and an unidentified ringtail Harrier was seen briefly over Top Fields at the Bill. Migrants on the land have been very sparse everywhere, with, for example, just 7 birds trapped and ringed at the Obs all day. May 11th The sea provided most of the interest today, including a remarkable passage of terns off Chesil Beach. Highlight was a Caspian Tern that flew past during a movement that produced counts of 1200 commic, 4 Black and 2 Roseate Terns; a variety of waders and 5 Arctic Skuas were also seen there. In the misty weather, passage off the Bill was much slower, with just 370 commic and 3 Black Terns seen, along with 2 Arctic, 2 Great and a Pomarine Skua, a Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull. On the land, it is looking likely that the bulk of spring passerine migrants have now passed through, and it is certainly relatively quiet again today. Three Dotterels were flushed from Tout Quarry in the morning, but unfortunately flew off high to the north, and scarcer migrants elsewhere included 3 Greenshank and a Hobby at the Bill.

 

Greenland Wheatear - Portland Bill, May 10th 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 10th Highlight today was a Tawny Pipit that was reported from Tout Quarry in the morning; unfortunately it flew off in the direction of Verne Common soon after it was discovered, and could not be relocated. Elsewhere, 4 Little Egrets flew over the Bill, and a lone Hobby passed north up the West Cliffs in the morning. Swifts and hirundines were still on the move in good numbers, but there was only a meagre sprinkle of grounded migrants on the island. Seawatching produced 4 Tufted Ducks, a Red-throated Diver and an Arctic Skua off the Bill in the morning, and 210 Arctic Terns, 40 Bar-tailed Godwits, 12 Whimbrel and a Black Tern off Chesil Beach in the evening. May 9th A much quieter day. Among the common migrants, only hirundines and Swifts were on the move in good numbers, with most other species much scarcer than in recent days. The recent run of Hobbies continued, with 4 passing through during the morning, and in the evening a Marsh Harrier and a Merlin arrived from the south at the Bill. The only other oddity reported was a single overflying Greenshank.  Seawatching at the Bill produced just a few commic Terns, 6 Sanderling, 4 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua, and a Red-breasted Merganser. May 8th There were again a good variety of common migrants about, although numbers were not quite as high as in recent days. Hirundines, Swifts, Willow Warblers, Garden Warblers and Blackcaps were most conspicuous, with all the other expected species present in lower numbers. A Short-eared Owl arrived from the south at the Bill in the afternoon, singles Hobbies passed through at both the Bill and Weston, and a Tree Sparrow was an unusual but brief visitor to Reap Lane. With the wind remaining in the north-east, the sea was still quiet, with just 20 Common Scoter, 20 commic Terns, 8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Red-throated Divers and a Pomarine Skua past the Bill.

 

   

Hobby and Bar-tailed Godwit - Portland Bill, May 7th 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 7th Despite a less than promising start, with little around at dawn, the stiff north-east breeze forced surprising numbers of migrants down as the day went on. Willow Warblers were numerous, with more than 250 at the Bill alone, but most of the other expected common migrants were represented; other counts from the Bill included 17 Yellow Wagtails, 15 Garden Warblers, 8 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Redstarts, 3 Tree Pipits, 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, and single Black Redstart and Pied Flycatcher. Scarcer migrants included Hobby, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Siskin at the Bill, and 3 Hobbies passing through in the morning at Church Ope Cove. A single Roseate Tern lingering off the Bill in the morning livened up some otherwise dire seawatching, with the only other birds of note being single Arctic and Great Skuas. 

 

   

Chough, Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler - Portland Bill, May 6th 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 6th Yesterday's probable Chough was confirmed early in the morning when it showed well for a while in fields beside the East Cliffs at the Bill; unfortunately it proved as elusive as the birds seen earlier in the spring, and showed just once more near the Bill later in the morning. Common migrants were fairly numerous everywhere today, with counts at the Bill of, for example, 150 Willow Warblers, 40 Blackcaps and 30 Garden Warblers. Scarcer migrants included 4 Hobbies at various sites during the day,  2 Wood Warblers and a Nightingale at the Bill, and a Green Sandpiper at Yeolands Quarry. Seawatching produced just a Red-throated Diver and an Arctic Skua off the Bill in the morning, and 4 Pomarine Skuas there in the evening. May 5th Inevitably perhaps, the Bank Holiday weekend started very quietly. Numbers of common migrants were much reduced, although still included 50 Willow Warblers, 35 Blackcaps, 15 Garden Warblers, 10 Whinchats, 10 Whitethroats, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Sedge Warblers and single Whimbrel, Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Goldcrest, and Pied and Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill. A fly-over Goosander at the Bill was the most unusual bird of the day, and there were also 2 Hobbies at the Bill, and a Buzzard over Weston. Seawatching at the Bill produced 3 Great Northern Divers in the morning and 3 Pomarine Skuas in the evening. Late in the evening a possible Chough was watched flying in from the south at the Bill.

 

aberrant Blackcap - Portland Bill, May 4th 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 4th Migrants were distinctly fewer than during the last two days, but there was still plenty to see. Around the Bill area, totals included 100 Willow Warblers, 30 Blackcaps, 30 Whitethroats, 15 Garden Warblers, 15 Whinchats, 7 Whimbrel, 5 Redstarts, 5 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 3 Yellow Wagtails, a Common Sandpiper, a Turtle Dove, a White Wagtail, a Black Redstart and a Grasshopper Warbler. Among the oddities, raptors continue to figure well, with a total of 6 Hobbies and an unidentified ringtail Harrier in off the sea at the Bill, and another Hobby seen over East Weare. The latter site also produced a typically brief Serin in the morning. The stiff northerly wind continued to spoil seawatching, with nothing better than a trickle of Manx Shearwaters, and 3 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua seen off the Bill.

 

Pied Flycatcher - Portland Bill, May 3rd 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 3rd There were plenty of migrants on the island again today, with the day's ringing total at the Obs reaching over 150 (taking the spring total to over 2000 - a well above average figure). The same array of common migrants as yesterday were present, with counts at the Bill including 300 Willow Warblers, 30 Whitethroats, 20 Whinchats and 10 Lesser Whitethroats; less common species included a Cuckoo, a Turtle Dove, a Redpoll, a Brambling and a Black Redstart. Three Great Northern Divers were also still in Portland Harbour. Oddities on the island included 3 Hobbies and a Marsh Harrier in off the sea at the Bill, another Hobby and another Marsh Harrier over Weston, 3 Goosanders and 2 Pomarine Skuas past the Bill, and a Firecrest trapped at the Obs.

 

Swallow - Portland Bill, May 2nd 2001 © Martin Cade

  May 2nd A busy day on the island, with the highlights being a female Serin (the same individual as the bird trapped last week) around the Hut Fields for much of the morning, a female Marsh Harrier in off the sea at the Bill in the morning, a Garganey past the Bill with Common Scoter, and a probable Dotterel seen in flight over Southwell. Common migrants were in reasonable supply everywhere, with counts at the Bill of 250 Willow Warblers, 50 Chiffchaffs, 30 Wheatears, 40 Whitethroats, 15 Blackcaps, 12 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Reed Warblers, and lower numbers of all the other expected species and a few oddities, including single Hobby, Turtle Dove, Grasshopper Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Redpoll; hirundines and Swifts were also on the move in good numbers all day. Bearing in mind the offshore wind, the sea was fairly productive, with totals at the Bill of 800 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Pomarine and 3 Arctic Skua, and 4 Tufted Ducks.  May 1st May arrived with grey skies, a blasting north-east wind and frequent heavy rain, and, not surprisingly, migrants were at a premium for most of the day. A Serin was an unexpected but brief visitor to Cheyne Weares, where there was also a Grasshopper Warbler. The Bill area produced nothing better than a few Swifts, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps. Seawatching was no better, with just 10 Common Scoter, 7 Manx Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua off the Bill. Clear weather finally arrived in the early evening, and there was a late flurry of activity at the Bill: hirundines and Swifts moved through in some numbers, and a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier flew in from the south in quick succession.

April 2001

 

Lesser Whitethroat - Portland Bill, April 30th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 30th Despite very clear skies, the cold northerly wind ensured a reasonable scatter of common migrants were grounded on the island at dawn. The Bill area held 100 Willow Warblers, 50 Wheatears, 20 Whitethroats, 15 Blackcaps, 8 Garden Warblers, 5 Redstarts, 4 Whimbrel, 4 Whinchats, 3 Sedge Warblers, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, and single Black Redstart, Grasshopper Warbler and Firecrest; a Serin was also seen briefly at the Obs Quarry in the morning. The offshore wind saw to it that seawatching produced very little, with just 3 Arctic Skuas and a Great Northern Diver seen from the Bill. April 29th Migrants were again in fairly short supply today, with the Bill area producing 10 Whimbrel, 5 Redstarts, 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Nightingale and a Pied Flycatcher, among a sprinkle of commoner species. Elsewhere the highlights were a Hobby and a Tree Sparrow at the Grove. The sea was equally slow, with the best birds being 2 Great Northern Divers and an Arctic Skua off the Bill. 

 

Whinchat - Portland Bill, April 28th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 28th A much quieter day that produced a good variety of migrants, but none in very high numbers. At the Bill there were plenty of hirundines, along with a few Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtails, Tree Pipits, Wheatears, Whinchats, Redstarts, Sedge Warblers, Grasshopper Warblers, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, and Pied and Spotted Flycatchers. Elsewhere there was a Wood Warbler at Verne Common, and a Firecrest was still at Pennsylvania Castle; waders are also starting to show up in higher numbers at Ferrybridge, where there were 200 Dunlin and 3 Sanderling. Seawatching from the Bill produced 5 Arctic and 5 Great Skuas, a Great Northern Diver and a few Manx Shearwaters, and 4 Black Terns passed through Ferrybridge in the morning.

 

Serin - Portland Bill, April 27th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 27th Damp and murky conditions at dawn saw migrants arrive in excellent numbers everywhere today. Counts at the Bill included 400 Willow Warblers, 40 Whitethroats, 40 Redstarts, 25 Garden Warblers, 20 Whinchats, 15 Tree Pipits, 15 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Pied Flycatchers, 4 Turtle Doves, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, a Black Redstart, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Nightingale; there were also lots of hirundines and Swifts, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and a Little Egret, and in the afternoon a female Serin, that was eventually trapped and ringed, showed up around the Obs and the Hut Fields. Elsewhere there were plenty more common migrants, with other species recorded including Hobby and  Nuthatch at Verne Common, and Firecrest at Pennsylvania Castle; a male Serin was also seen briefly at Southwell in the afternoon. The sea was much quieter than in recent days, with the best birds being 60 commic Terns, and 2 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua off the Bill.  April 26th The sea produced most of the action today, with totals of 9 Great, 8 Arctic and 6 Pomarine Skuas off the Bill; also seen there were 3 Red-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers, and plenty of Manx Shearwaters. A Serin made a couple of fleeting visits to the Obs garden in the morning, and plenty of hirundines were on the move all day, but otherwise migrants were very thin on the ground at the Bill. Elsewhere there were single Firecrests at both Pennsylvania Castle and East Weare. April 25th There was again a good variety of migrants about the island, although numbers were generally on the low side. The Bill area held several Yellow Wagtails, Redstarts, Sedge Warblers and Lesser Whitethroats, as well as single Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, Firecrest and Pied Flycatcher; there was also a brief sighting of a Serin over the Obs in the morning. The sea remained productive, with totals off the Bill of 68 commic Terns, 35 Common Scoter, 8 Arctic Skuas, 4  Pomarine Skuas, 4 Great Northern Divers, 3 Great Skuas and 3 Red-throated Divers. 

 

Nightingale - Portland Bill, April 24th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 24th Wind and rain had swept in overnight and there were a fair number of migrants, including both Nightingale and Grasshopper Warbler, about the Bill area at dawn. Unfortunately most quickly left as soon as the rain stopped during the morning, and it was left to the sea to provide most of the interest during the rest of the day. Watches from the Bill produced 200 Manx Shearwaters, 120 Common Scoter, 29 Great and 14 Arctic Skuas, 24 Teal, 16 Shoveler, 15 commic and 9 Arctic Terns, 2 Little Gulls, a Red-throated Diver and a Black Tern. April 23rd Fine spring weather returned to the island, but there were not many birds about to make the most of it. Migrants at the Bill included 70 Willow Warblers, 33 Whimbrel, 15 Wheatears, 4 Redstarts, 3 Blackcaps, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Whitethroat and 1 Garden Warbler; hirundines passed through in good numbers as the day went on. Following the strong passage yesterday, the sea was still productive, with 100 Manx Shearwaters, 89 Common Scoter, 7 Great and 5 Arctic Skuas, and 3 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver off the Bill. April 22nd A really miserable day, with rain setting in for the day a couple of hours after dawn. The land was very quiet, with the only birds of note being 10 Whimbrel at the Bill. Sea passage was slow in the morning, but picked up well in the late afternoon when the first really strong up-Channel movement of the spring got going; totals off the Bill included 1000 Gannets, 450 Common Terns, 300 Fulmars, 300 auks, 85 Manx Shearwaters, 67 Whimbrel, 31 Common Scoter, 15 Sandwich Terns, 12 Arctic Skuas, 11 Arctic Terns, 6 Eider, 6 Red-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Gadwalls, 2 Great Skuas, 1 Little Tern and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit. The only other birds reported from the area were 42 Little Terns and a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge. April 21st Another very clear night saw to it that migrants were rather thin on the ground. The Bill area held 60 Willow Warblers, 30 Wheatears, 25 Blackcaps, 8 Whimbrel, 4 Whitethroats, a Yellow Wagtail, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Bullfinch. The sea was quiet until the afternoon, when a change in wind direction produced totals of 400 Manx Shearwaters, 27 Common Scoter, 4 Arctic Skuas, 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Skuas and an Eider off the Bill. Elsewhere there were 3 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour and a Buzzard at Tout Quarry.  April 20th With no great change in the weather, the migrant situation was much the same as in recent days. The Bill area held a scatter of a wide variety of species, including 70 Wheatears, 50 Willow Warblers, 40 Blackcaps, 5 Whimbrel, 3 Redstarts, 2 Pied Flycatchers, a Reed Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Bullfinch. Elsewhere there were single Cuckoo, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher at Verne Common. The sea was still very quiet, with the only birds of note off the Bill in the morning being 41 Common Scoter, 7 Sandwich Terns and 2 Red-throated Diver; in the evening there was an up-Channel passage of 70 Manx Shearwaters. Six Little Terns were at Ferrybridge, and 2 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour.

 

Serin - Portland Bill, April 19th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 19th The cold northerly winds continued, and there was another surprisingly good scatter of migrants on the island. A Serin in the Obs garden briefly in the morning was the highlight, but the Bill area also held 75 Willow Warblers, 30 Wheatears, 30 Blackcaps, 8 Whimbrel, 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Redstarts, 4 Pied Flycatchers, a Yellow Wagtail, a Whitethoat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Firecrest, a Siskin and a Bullfinch; the first Swift of the year also passed through, and plenty of hirundines were again on the move. Seawatching produced 15 Eider and a Great Skua, and 3 Great Northern Divers remained in Portland Harbour. April 18th The quietest day for a while. At the Bill there were 16 Wheatears,10 Willow Warblers, 5 Whimbrel, 5 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and single Buzzard, Common Sandpiper, Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Whinchat and Firecrest; the sea produced nothing more than 8 Sandwich Terns. Elsewhere a Serin passed north over Easton, there were 3 Great Northern Divers, 2 Common Scoter and a Black-necked Grebe in Portland Harbour, and several Little Terns were at Ferrybridge.

 

Subalpine Warbler - Southwell, April 17th 2001 © Pete and Debby  Saunders

  April 17th Despite the continuing clear and cold weather there was still plenty to see on the island, with the highlight being a male Subalpine Warbler that made a brief visit to a garden in Southwell during the morning. The Bill area held 100 Willow Warblers, 25 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Wheatears, 4 Redstarts, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and single Buzzard, Merlin, Whimbrel, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Firecrest and Pied Flycatcher. Hirundines were conspicuous everywhere, with over 1000 Swallows counted moving north at Weston, and migrants at other sites included a Hen Harrier passing over Ferrybridge, a Ring Ouzel at Tout Quarry and a Grasshopper Warbler at Weston. Seawatching produced just a single Red-throated Diver, and lone Great and Arctic Skuas off the Bill.

 

Pied Flycatcher - Portland Bill, April 15th 2001 © Charlie Moores

  April 16th After a very clear night it was a surprise to find a fair sprinkle of migrants about the island in the morning. There were 75 Willow Warblers, 30 Wheatears, 20 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, 6 Redstarts, 5 Whimbrel, 4 Tree Pipits, 3 Firecrests (all new individuals), a Common Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail, a Ring Ouzel and a Black Redstart at the Bill, with other species including Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Pied Flycatcher elsewhere; as the day went on plenty of hirundines and finches also started to arrive from the south. With the wind in the north, the sea remained quiet, with the best birds being 21 Manx Shearwaters, a Great Northern Diver, a Pintail and a Great Skua off the Bill. Rarities of the day were the Hoopoe that continued to show occasionally at Weston, and a Little Egret that flew past the Bill in the evening.

 

Hoopoe - Weston, April 15th 2001 © Charlie Moores

  April 15th A quieter day for common migrants; the species mix was similar to recent days, but numbers were much reduced. Highlights at the Bill were a Buzzard and a Firecrest, and there were also a few Redstarts there, and single Pied Flycatchers both there and at Barleycrates Lane. Seawatching produced nothing better than 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Teal and single Arctic and Great Skuas off the Bill. In the afternoon news came through of a Hoopoe frequenting gardens on the south side of Weston, and eventually the bird showed for a while in a small paddock near the junction of Barleycrates Lane and Weston Road (please note that Barleycrates Lane itself is still closed). April 14th Passage remained strong in some more chilly, overcast weather. The Bill area produced another 250 Willow Warblers and 200 Swallows, together with 30 Chiffchaffs, 30 Wheatears, 28 Whimbrel, 20 Blackcaps, 6 Whitethroats, 5 Redstarts, 4 Tree Pipits, 2 Goldcrests, a Fieldfare and the first Garden Warbler of the spring. Elsewhere on the island there were plenty of hirundines and finches moving north along the West Cliffs at Weston, and single Buzzard, Redwing and Grasshopper Warbler at Verne Common. Seawatching  produced 7 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, and 5 Great Skuas off the Bill, and there were 2 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver in Portland Harbour. There was a report of the Subalpine Warbler being seen by a single observer near the Obs Quarry early in the morning, but later searches proved fruitless. April 13th Migrants were still on the move in good numbers, with a cold north-easterly wind and drizzle grounding many around the Bill in the morning. There were more than 200 Willow Warblers, along with 50 Chiffchaffs, 15 Redstarts, 10 Blackcaps, 6 Goldcrests, 4 Whitethroats, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Ring Ouzel and a Firecrest at the Bill, with several Redstarts and another Ring Ouzel at Verne Common. Despite plenty of searching the Subalpine Warbler could not be found today. 

 

  

Subalpine Warbler -  Portland Bill, April 12th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 12th A still and mainly overcast day that produced plenty more migrants. Highlight was a first-summer female Subalpine Warbler that was trapped and ringed at the Obs at midday; it was released in the Obs Quarry but was not seen again until 5 o'clock when it showed briefly several times for half an hour near the edge of the Obs garden. Common migrants at the Bill included 300 Willow Warblers, 30 Chiffchaffs, 20 Wheatears, 4 Redstarts, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Whinchats, 2 Firecrests and 1 Sedge Warbler; other oddities included a Buzzard and a Dartford Warbler. Elsewhere on the island there were 2 Pied Flycatchers and a Reed Warbler at Verne Common, and a Whimbrel at Ferrybridge. Seawatching remained slow, with the best birds being 5 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Red-throated Divers and 2 Great Skuas off the Bill. April 11th Another flurry of migrants arrived on the island today. Willow Warblers again numbered about 150 at the Bill, and there were also 9 Wheatears, 5 Tree Pipits, 2 Redstarts, 2 Yellow Wagtails, a Common Sandpiper, a Brambling and plenty of hirundines (including the first few House Martins) there. Migrants elsewhere included 2 Pied Flycatchers at Verne Common. Rarity of the day was an Osprey that arrived in off the sea at the Bill in the late afternoon, and was then seen moving north over both Weston and Tout Quarry. April 10th Despite the fresh north wind, there was a distinct upsurge in passage today, although variety was still limited. Willow Warblers numbered more than 150 at the Bill, where there were also 25 Swallows, 4 Blackcaps, 2 White Wagtails, a Redstart and a Firecrest; oddities there included a Lapwing and a Little Ringed Plover, and there was also an early Whinchat at the Grove, and the first Little Tern of the spring at Ferrybridge. The offshore wind meant that the only noteworthy birds on the sea were a couple of Great Skuas off the Bill.

 

Stonechat -  Portland Bill, April 9th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 9th No great change today. Migrants remained in low numbers, with the Bill area producing just a trickle of Swallows, 10 Willow Warblers, 4 Wheatears, 2 Firecrests, a Buzzard, a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff. Sea passage was equally slow, with 4 Red-throated Divers, 4 Manx Shearwaters, a Common Scoter and a Great Skua off the Bill. April 8th There was a surprise to start the day when the Chough reappeared around the Bill. It proved to be very mobile again, and had left to the north by mid-morning. Migrants were still scarce, with totals at the Bill of just 4 Willow Warblers, 4 Wheatears, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Firecrests, a Tree Pipit and a few Swallows. The sea produced 4 Pintail, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Artic Skua and 1 Common Scoter. Eight Sandwich Terns and a single Sanderling were at Ferrybridge. April 7th A cold, damp day, with little improvement on the migrant front. The Bill area produced 6 Willow Warblers, 5 Wheatears, 3 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests, a Siskin and a few Swallows. The sea was little better, with just 8 Common Scoter, 7 Sandwich Terns, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Red-throated Divers and 2 Great Skuas counted from the Bill. Two Buzzards were over the middle of the island during the afternoon, and 6 Great Northern Divers were still in Portland Harbour.

 

Goldfinch -  Portland Bill, April 6th 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 6th Passage remained at a standstill, with today's dismal haul of migrants at the Bill consisting of just 1 Swallow, 1 Wheatear, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler and a Firecrest that has been present for nearly three weeks. Seawatching was equally unproductive, with the Bill producing 3 Common Scoter, an unidentified Diver and a Manx Shearwater. We received news today that there were 2 Alpine Swifts along the cliffs near Southwell on the afternoon of 3rd April. April 5th Another miserable wet and windy day meant there was little else to do but seawatch, with totals at the Bill of just 16 Common Scoter, 5 Red-throated Divers, 5 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Arctic Skuas. The handful of birds on the land included a few Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Wheatears, a Firecrest  and a Redstart around the Bill.

 

Serin -  Southwell, April 4th 2001 © Pete Saunders

  April 4th Clear weather and a strong north-west wind ensured that migrants remained very sparse. A singing Serin visited several gardens in Southwell in the afternoon, but none of the other rarities seen yesterday could be found today. Oddities at the Bill included a Firecrest and a Black Redstart, but there were otherwise just a handful of Wheatears, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers on the land. The sea produced more than 1000 Gannets, 6 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver. April 3rd Common migrants were again thin on the ground, but this was more than made up for by a series of rarities. Single Serins, different birds in each case, were seen briefly at the DERA compound at the Bill and at Southwell in the morning; equally brief was an Alpine Swift that flew north over Southwell at midday. The afternoon saw the arrival of another Chough - seemingly a different individual to the bird seen two weeks ago - at the Bill; quite apart from being extremely vocal, it also proved to be very mobile and left to the north after an hour roaming the Bill area. In the evening a female Kentish Plover showed up at Ferrybridge. Common migrants in the area today included just 2 Blackcaps and a Black Redstart at the Bill, and a Redstart at Southwell, whilst seawatching at the Bill produced only 5 Red-throated Divers and a Great Skua. April 2nd The supply of migrants eased again, but there was still plenty to see. A singing Serin at the Obs got the day off to a good start, and there were also 25 Willow Warblers, 20 Chiffchaffs, 5 Goldcrests, 4 Firecrests, 4 Bullfinches and a White Wagtail around the Bill area. Seawatching was much more productive than in recent days, with totals from the Bill of 250 Common Scoter, 14 Sandwich Terns, 8 Red-throated Divers, 4 Pintail, 3 Arctic and a Great Skua; the few breeding Puffins are also now beginning to show regularly in the mornings off the Bill.

 

Redstart -  Portland Bill, April 1st 2001 © Martin Cade

  April 1st There was another good fall of migrants in damp, foggy weather. Counts at the Bill included 100 Willow Warblers, 75 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, 4 Redstarts, 4 Firecrests and a Tree Pipit; clearer conditions in the afternoon also saw a few hirundines arriving. Seawatching was spoilt by poor visibility in the morning, and just a few Common Scoter and Sandwich Terns, and 3 Brent Geese passed in the afternoon.