March 2002

 

Sparrowhawk - Portland Bill, March 31st 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 31st Despite promising conditions, with overcast skies and drizzle at dawn, there was scarcely any improvement in migrant numbers. There were unconfirmed reports of 2 Ring Ouzels at Verne Common and an Osprey flying over there early in the day, but the Bill area could muster no more 15 Chiffchaffs, 10 Willow Warblers, 6 Blackcaps and 5 Wheatears. A Great Spotted Woodpecker at Pennsylvania Castle was presumably the individual that wintered in the area. Seawatching improved a little, with 13 Red-throated and a Black-throated Diver, 4 Manx Shearwaters, a Great Skua and a Sandwich Tern past the Bill, 35 Common Scoter and 2 Puffins lingering offshore, and a very high count of 700 Guillemots in attendance at the auk colony.  March 30th Poorer numbers and variety of migrants today. A Puffin off the Bill, a fly-by Whimbrel there, and both Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler reported singing there were all firsts for the year. Counts of common migrants at the Bill included 30 Sand Martins, 10 Swallows, 10 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers, 5 Blackcaps, 3 Wheatears, 1 Tree Pipit and 1 Black Redstart. Seawatching there produced 135 Common Scoter, 12 Sandwich Terns, 10 Red-throated Divers and 2 Manx Shearwaters. Elsewhere there were 3 Red-necked Grebes, 2 Black-throated and a Great Northern Diver, and an Eider in Portland Harbour. March 29th The Easter weekend got off to a slow start, with clear night skies again seeing to it that grounded migrants were at a premium. A Ring Ouzel at Priory Corner, a Tree Pipit at Reap Lane and a Redstart at Barleycrates Lane were the pick of the birds on the land, with the Bill area producing nothing more than single figures of Wheatears, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Goldcrests, as well as a Fieldfare and a Reed Bunting. Overhead passage of hirundines, pipits and finches was fairly conspicuous throughout the day, with the first few House Martins being seen at several sites. There was a hint of an improvement in sea passage, with the Bill producing 51 Common and 12 Velvet Scoters, 4 Shoveler, 3 Sandwich Terns, a Red-throated Diver, a Brent Goose, a Mallard and a Great Skua. March 28th Common migrants were again all but absent, with only 6 Wheatears, a Goldcrest, a Firecrest and a Brambling grounded at the Bill, and a trickle of Sand Martins, alba Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and finches moving north up the West Cliffs. A single Red-throated Diver and 21 Common Scoter flying east off the Bill were the only seabirds of note. March 27th The recent raptor theme continued today with a Red Kite that toured the island for a while during the morning, and an Osprey that flew north up the West Cliffs shortly afterwards. However, the only other new arrivals of note were 2 Bullfinches and a single Firecrest at the Bill, and a flock of 15 Little Gulls that flew over Ferrybridge and Portland Harbour. Common migrant numbers dropped markedly, with, for example, just 3 Wheatears, a Swallow, a Sand Martin, a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff at the Bill. March 26th Clear blue skies and warm sunshine continued to give the island something of an air of the Mediterranean - unfortunately without any of the appropriate birds. An exceptionally early Whitethroat at the Windmills was the bird of the day, although rather rarer for the island was a Tree Sparrow at the Bill. The motley collection of other migrants at the Bill included 30 Wheatears, 8 Chiffchaffs, 5 Swallows, 4 Redwings, 4 Black Redstarts, 3 Willow Warblers, 3 Goldcrests, 3 Bullfinches, 2 Bramblings, a Dunlin and a Fieldfare. Northward passage of Meadow Pipits and Linnets was reported from many sites, and another 3 Buzzards appeared over the middle of the island. Common Scoter numbers remained above 100 off the Bill, but the only birds actually on the move offshore were 2 single Red-throated Divers. March 25th Another warm and sunny day with very few migrants. A Dartford Warbler was a first for the year at the Bill, but otherwise there were just 10 Wheatears, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Swallows, a Merlin, a White Wagtail and a Goldcrest there. Buzzards again wandered onto the island from the mainland, with a many as 12 over Southwell and Weston for a time. Seawatching at the Bill produced over 100 Common Scoter lingering offshore, as well as 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua passing by March 24th In clear weather, there were fewer grounded and overflying migrants around today. The Bill area produced 15 Chiffchaffs, 10 Wheatears, 2 Bullfinches, a Sand Martin, a Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest and a Firecrest. Elsewhere, 3 Buzzards over Weston were thought to be wanderers from the mainland rather than new migrants, 10 Wheatears were at Ferrybridge, and the selection of lingering divers and grebes in Portland Harbour included 9 Black-throated Divers, and 5 Slavonian and 4 Red-necked Grebes. 

 

Willow Warbler - Portland Bill, March 23rd 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 23rd After a fairly lean week there was a lot more movement today. Overhead visible passage was very conspicuous, with 2500 Meadow Pipits, 500 Linnets, 50 Sand Martins and 50 alba Wagtails counted moving north up the West Cliffs. An early Tree Pipit flew over at Weston, whilst at least 4 Willow Warblers at the Bill were also distinctly earlier than usual. Grounded migrants were otherwise surprisingly thin on the ground, with just 15 Wheatears, 10 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests and a Fieldfare at the Bill, and a single Merlin at Weston. March 22nd Despite promising weather conditions there was only a rather thin scatter of migrants about the island. The Bill area produced 30 Chiffchaffs, 20 Wheatears, 10 Goldcrests, a Firecrest and a Brambling, with only lower numbers of Chiffchaffs and Wheatears reported elsewhere. A lone Red-throated Diver was the only worthwhile return from seawatching at the Bill. March 21st Little improvement in the pretty dire migrant situation today. A total of 6 Fieldfares, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Wheatears, a Sand Martin, a Black Redstart, a Redwing and a Goldcrest were at the Bill, and a lone Black Redstart was at Ferrybridge. Sea passage off the Bill was restricted to just 21 Black-headed Gulls and 2 Sandwich Terns, whilst lingering wintering birds around Portland Harbour included 123 Red-breasted Mergansers, 12 Great Crested, 3 Slavonian and a Black-necked Grebe, 2 Eider and a Brent Goose. March 20th Still very little to report today, with just 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, a Black Redstart, a Wheatear, a Fieldfare and a Redwing at the Bill. Elsewhere there was a small overhead passage of Meadow Pipits and a couple more grounded Chiffchaffs around the centre of the island, and 3 Sandwich Terns in Portland Harbour. March 19th Despite calmer conditions, there was little sign of migrants getting back on the move. The Bill area produced no more than 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests and a lone Wheatear, and numbers and variety were as dismal elsewhere, where the only noteworthy sighting was of a Ring Ouzel at Nicodemus Knob.

 

Little Gull - Chesil Cove, March 18th 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 18th Stormy weather put paid to any attempts to search for migrants on the land, and seawatching was the only birding possible. Chesil Cove produced 8 Little Gulls and a Mediterranean Gull, whilst the Bill could only manage a Manx Shearwater, a single Little Gull and the lingering flock of 50 Common Scoter. March 17th Another quiet day, with only 8 Wheatears, 5 Chiffchaffs, 5 Goldcrests, 3 Redwings. 2 Black Redstarts and a Yellowhammer at the Bill, and precious little in the way of migrants elsewhere around the island. Seawatching at the Bill produced just 82 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver, a Shelduck and a Sandwich Tern, whilst the only birds found in Portland Harbour were 5 Black-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers. March 16th Despite seemingly promising weather conditions, common migrants were only thinly spread today, with the Bill area producing just 15 Wheatears, 7 Chiffchaffs, 2 Redwings, a Black Redstart, a Goldcrest and a Firecrest. Other sites fared a little better for numbers, and there were also 2 Swallows and a Woodlark at Weston, a Black Redstart at Southwell, 2 Mistle Thrushes at Tout Quarry and a report of a Ring Ouzel there again. A few gulls, including a lone Mediterranean Gull, were on the move past the Bill, but seawatching there otherwise produced just 3 Red-throated and a Black-throated Diver, and a single Manx Shearwater. Portland Harbour remained quite productive, with counts of 7 Black-throated, 2 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, 3 Red-necked, 2 Black-necked and a Slavonian Grebe and 2 Eiders there. March 15th A marked improvement in the weather and plenty more common migrants today. Highlights among the new arrivals were an exceptionally early Redstart at the Bill, 2 Ring Ouzels at Tout Quarry and another at Verne Common, and single Blackcaps at the Bill and Barleycrates Lane. The Bill area produced totals of 75 Wheatears, 50 Chiffchaffs, 11 Robins, 10 Song Thrushes, 8 Redwings, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests, a Lapwing, a Golden Plover, a White Wagtail, a Fieldfare, a Brambling and a Reed Bunting. Common migrants were also reported in good numbers elsewhere on the island, where different species included a Redpoll at Tout Quarry. Sea passage also picked up, with watches at the Bill producing 110 Common Scoter (in addition to the semi-resident flock of 50 that were still present), 8 Avocets, 5 Sandwich Terns, 2 Red-throated Divers, a Great Crested Grebe, a Teal and a Great Skua.

 

Brambling - Portland Bill, March 14th 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 14th There was no change in the miserable weather, but birds were harder to come by than in the last two days. The highlight was a very early Swallow at the Bill, but otherwise the only migrants there were 10 Wheatears, 10 Chiffchaffs, a Redwing, a Firecrest and a Brambling. Elsewhere the only report was of a Merlin at New Ground. March 13th Plenty more to see today, although a biting, gale-force easterly wind made birding very difficult. Visible passage was conspicuous, with more than 1000 Meadow Pipits passing through, together with smaller numbers of alba wagtails, a few Redwings and Fieldfares, a Merlin and a Lapwing. Grounded migrants included 25 Wheatears, 10 Chiffchaffs, a few 'crests, a Black Redstart and a Brambling. The sea was unexpectedly quiet, although the flock of 50 Common Scoter were still off the Bill, and a lone Red-throated Diver passed by.

 

Goldcrest - Portland Bill, March 12th 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 12th Overcast skies and a switch to easterly winds produced a small flurry of migrants at the Bill, where there were 20 Goldcrests, 8 Wheatears, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Redwing and a Reed Bunting, as well as fair numbers of Meadow Pipits and alba wagtails passing overhead and a couple of Rooks arriving in off the sea. Two wintering Purple Sandpipers were still there, as were the flock of 50 Common Scoter offshore. Elsewhere there was a Fieldfare and a Chiffchaff at Barleycrates Lane, and 135 Red-breasted Mergansers, 7 Black-throated Divers, 2 Eider and a Common Scoter in Portland Harbour. March 11th A hotch-potch of news to report today. Two Blackcaps were new arrivals at Southwell, but in the absence of many other new migrants around the area they seem likely to have been wintering nearby. At the Bill, the Firecrest remained in the Obs garden but the only other birds of note were 11 Stonechats, 3 Mallards and a lone Goldcrest. The sea produced a Red-throated Diver, a single Sandwich Tern and the lingering flock of 50 Common Scoter, as well as a report of a Balearic Shearwater (any further details of this sighting would be welcome - there are no previous March records for the island). Finally, belated news was received of a Barn Owl having been seen at the Bill after dark on 7th March - the first record of this species on the island for several years. March 10th Another very windy day that produced precious few migrants. At least 1 Firecrest and a couple of Goldcrests were in the Obs garden, but all the other interest was on the sea, where the first Manx Shearwater of the spring passed by along with large numbers of Kittiwakes, and the flock of 50 Common Scoter were still lingering offshore. March 9th A blasting north-west wind saw to it that migrants were hard to find. The Firecrest in the Obs garden was still present, and another 2 individuals showed up in the Obs Quarry. A few Meadow Pipits and alba wagtails struggled through during the morning, and the only other bird of note was a single Red-throated Diver passing the Bill.

 

Firecrest - Portland Bill, March 8th 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 8th Still surprisingly little to report. Single Firecrests at the Obs and Culverwell were new arrivals, as was a Wheatear at Barleycrates Lane; alba wagtails also trickled through all day, and with them there were a few Meadow Pipits and 2 Grey Wagtails. March 7th Passage has well and truly ground to a halt at the moment, with the only worthwhile sightings being of the 5 Long-tailed Tits still in the Obs garden and the 50 Common Scoter still off the Bill. March 6th A very quiet day. The group of 5 Long-tailed Tits remained at the Obs, and 2 different individuals also showed up at Culverwell, but otherwise the only noteworthy birds on the land were 13 Stonechats in the Bill area. Seawatching at the Bill produced just 3 Red-throated Divers and 56 settled Common Scoter. March 5th After the flurry of birds in recent days, today looked like being an anticlimax until a Red Kite appeared over the island late in the morning; it was first seen over Verne Common, and wandered south as far as Weston before returning back northwards and leaving towards the mainland. Another good bird was a lone Crossbill that flew north over the Grove later in the day. Migrants were otherwise much scarcer than in recent days, with the only noteworthy sightings being of 11 Stonechats and 5 Redwings at the Bill, where the 5 Long-tailed Tits were also still present.

 

Wheatear - Portland Bill, March 4th 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 4th There was plenty to see around the island today. The Bill area produced the first Wheatear of the spring, as well as 31 Stonechats, 7 Purple Sandpipers, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrests, a Curlew and a Scandinavian littoralis Rock Pipit. Seawatching there produced 13 Red-throated Divers and the lingering flock of 70 Common Scoter. A White Wagtail was at Weston, but by far the rarest bird for the island was a Moorhen at Tout Quarry.

 

   

Stonechats - Portland Bill, March 3rd 2002 © Martin Cade

  March 3rd New arrivals included a White Wagtail at the Bill and a Chiffchaff at Southwell, but Stonechats were again the most conspicuous migrants, with 29 counted in the Bill area and plenty more scattered elsewhere on the island. Meadow Pipits were grounded in good numbers everywhere, although few were actually moving through today. The only other reports were of 40 Common Scoter still off the Bill, a Red-throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe passing through there, and a good selection of divers and grebes, including 9 Black-throated Divers, in Portland Harbour. March 2nd Meadow Pipits only trickled through in small numbers today, although there were again plenty of Stonechats around the island, including 16 in the Bill area. A Chiffchaff was a new arrival at the Obs, but the only other birds of note at the Bill were the wintering Buzzard, Water Rail and Goldcrest, and the lingering flock of 50 Common Scoters offshore. March 1st The first decent movement of the spring occurred today: more than 500 Meadow Pipits passed through, and among them the few alba wagtails on the move included at least 2 White Wagtails. Stonechats also increased, with a total of 19 counted at the Bill and Reap Lane. The Bill area also produced 6 Purple Sandpipers, a Turnstone and the wintering Buzzard, whilst elsewhere there were 6 Slavonian and 3 Black-necked Grebes, 3 Great Northern Divers and 2 Eider in Portland Harbour.

February 2002

 

   

Mallard - Portland Bill, February 28th 2002 © Martin Cade

  February 28th Six Stonechats were the only new migrants at the Bill today, although 3 Mallards and a Rook were also good birds for the area and firsts for the year at the Bill. The only other news was of 50 Common Scoter still off the Bill and 12 Brent Geese still at Ferrybridge. February 27th Despite very windy weather and frequent heavy showers, the first few migrant Meadow Pipits and an alba wagtail were seen arriving in off the sea at the Bill during the morning. The wintering Buzzard was still at the Bill, and the lingering flock of Common Scoter offshore had increased to 50; a lone Great Crested Grebe was the only bird of note that passed through on the sea. February 26th After some very stormy weather during the night, Kittiwakes passed through in good numbers at the Bill and Chesil Cove, but there were no other noteworthy seabirds at either site. Thirty Common Scoter were again settled off the Bill, and there were 8 Brent Geese at Portland Harbour. February 25th A pretty grim day, with heavy rain and strong winds setting in by mid-morning. Two Great Skuas passed through at Chesil Cove, and a Grey Wagtail flying north over Ferrybridge was presumably another early migrant, but otherwise there was just a single Black-throated Diver in Portland Harbour, and 3 Common Scoter and a Purple Sandpiper at the Bill. February 24th Bird of the day today was a Glaucous Gull seen briefly at Ferrybridge early in the morning. The first Brambling of the spring passed through at the Bill, but the only other birds of note there were 6 Common Scoter offshore. February 23rd A strong north-west wind made birding difficult everywhere, and the only reports were of a Great Skua at Chesil Cove, 30 Common Scoter settled off the Bill, and a small numbers of divers and grebes, including a single Red-necked Grebe, in Portland Harbour.

 

   

Black-headed Gull - Ferrybridge, February 22nd 2002 © Martin Cade

  February 22nd Not a lot to report today. A Red-throated Diver passed by off the Bill and the wintering Buzzard and 2 Turnstones were also there.

 

     

Little Egret and Mediterranean Gull - Ferrybridge and Portland Harbour

February 21st 2002 © Ben Sheldon

  February 21st A thorough look around Portland Harbour today produced 160 Red-breasted Mergansers, 8 Black-throated and 5 Great Northern Divers, 5 Black-necked and a Slavonian Grebe, 2 Eider and a Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere there was a Yellowhammer and the wintering Buzzard at the Bill, 5 Common Scoter passed through on the sea there and a Little Egret was at Ferrybridge. February 20th After a stormy night there was an increase in numbers of common seabirds off the Bill, but the only noteworthy birds were the flock of 30 Common Scoter still lingering there. February 19th Very few birders were in the field today, and the only sightings were of 30 Common Scoter and 7 Purple Sandpipers at the Bill, and a lone Black-throated Diver in Portland Harbour. February 18th The only reports today were of 30 Common Scoter lingering off the Bill, 7 Purple Sandpipers and a Lapwing in the Bill area, and 3 Black-necked and a Red-necked Grebe in Portland Harbour. February 17th A dull, chilly day that saw the recent run of early spring arrivals come to an end. Portland Harbour produced 6 Black-necked, 3 Slavonian and a Red-necked Grebe, and 3 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver. The only noteworthy sightings elsewhere were of 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Little Egrets and a Great Skua at Ferrybridge, and 28 Common Scoter and 9 Purple Sandpipers at the Bill. February 16th A Reed Bunting at Reap Lane was a new arrival today, but the only other birds of note were 5 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Scoter and 3 Red-throated Divers passing the Bill, and the wintering Buzzard still around Top Fields. February 15th A pleasant day but not too much to report. The only oddity at the Bill was a lone Siskin, although the wintering Buzzard was still present and the wintering Goldcrest at Culverwell was seen for the first time for some while. Seawatching there produced 14 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser, whilst elsewhere the only reports were of 12 Little Egrets at Ferrybridge, and 2 Eider and a Great Northern Diver in Portland Harbour. February 14th The only news today was from the Bill, where a Grey Wagtail - the first there this year - and several new Stonechats were further signs of early spring passage. February 13th More pleasant weather and more evidence of early spring passage today. A Chiffchaff at Culverwell and a Chaffinch at the Obs were both new arrivals during the morning, and a Marsh Harrier arrived in off the sea at the Bill during the afternoon. The Bill area also produced 12 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones, the wintering Buzzard and a Water Rail. A Great Skua and 5 Common Scoter were the only worthwhile sightings off the Bill itself, and the same or another Great Skua was at Ferrybridge. February 12th The first bright, still early morning for a long time saw lots of resident birds in full song, and there was just a hint of spring movement off the Bill where 12 Black-headed and a single Mediterranean Gull passed through; also off there were 13 Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver. Persistent rain set in as the day went on and there were no other noteworthy reports from around the area. February 11th A windy and wet day that produced just 70 Common Scoter and a Great Skua off the Bill, and 2 Red-necked Grebes and a Great Northern Diver in Portland Harbour. February 10th Extraordinary news today of an Allen's Gallinule - the first British record for 100 years - found exhausted early in the afternoon on the West Cliffs by a local person walking their dog. The bird remained alive for a little over an hour after being brought to the Obs but died at 3.15pm (further details). Other news from the area was of 6 Red-throated Divers past the Bill, and 4 Great Northern Divers, 3 Red-necked and a Slavonian Grebe, and 2 Eider in Portland Harbour. February 9th Surprise bird of the day was a Leach's Petrel that lingered for nearly an hour during the morning in Portland Harbour; also there were 3 Red-necked and a Slavonian Grebe, 3 Great Northern Divers and 2 Eider. The only other news was of a Red-throated Diver and a Common Scoter off the Bill. February 8th The island remained very much in the February doldrums, with the only faintly interesting sightings being of 13 Common Scoter passing the Bill and a Black-throated Diver at Ferrybridge. February 7th Still nothing much to report. Eight Common Scoter and 2 Black-throated Divers passed the Bill, a Red-necked and a Slavonian Grebe were close inshore off the Air Station in Portland Harbour, and a Mediterranean Gull was at Ferrybridge. February 6th With the wind having veered to an unhelpful north-westerly, interest dwindled everywhere. Two Red-necked Grebes were still among the scatter of divers and grebes in Portland Harbour, and another Red-necked Grebe, together with a Great Crested Grebe, were at the Bill. The Bill also produced 2 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, 3 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Common Scoter and the wintering Buzzard. February 5th The Chesil Cove and Ferrybridge area produced most of the birds today, with the unexpected highlight being a Marsh Harrier passing through. Large flocks of storm-driven gulls attracting the attentions of 2 Great Skuas all morning, and a Sandwich Tern, a Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull were also there. A selection of grebes and divers, as well as an Eider, were in Portland Harbour, and there were 3 Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver off the Bill.

 

  

Sandwich Tern - Portland Harbour, February 4th 2002 © Martin Cade

  February 4th Seawatching during the morning revealed nothing more than 9 Common Scoter lingering off the Bill. In abysmal weather during the afternoon, Portland Harbour produced good numbers of storm-driven Kittiwakes, as well as a Sandwich Tern, a Great Northern Diver and 3 Red-necked Grebes. 

 

  

Kittiwakes - Portland Bill, February 3rd 2002 © Martin Cade

  February 3rd Common seabirds remain much in evidence all round the area, but the only oddities reported were 9 Red-throated Divers, 3 Common Scoter and a Great Crested Grebe off the Bill, and a Petrel sp, thought to be a Leach's Petrel, briefly and distantly off Chesil Cove. February 2nd With Atlantic depressions continuing to dominate the weather, all the interest was again on the sea. Gannets, auks and Kittiwakes trickled past the Bill all day, where there were also 6 Red-throated Divers, a Curlew and a settled flock of 70 Common Scoter; the highlight though was a lone Leach's Petrel that flew west late in the morning. Elsewhere, a Little Gull and a Slavonian Grebe were in Chesil Cove, a Great Skua joined the gull flock at Ferrybridge for a while, and there were 8 Great Northern and 3 Black-throated Divers, a Red-necked and a Slavonian Grebe, and an Eider  in Portland Harbour. February 1st The sea again provided the only interest today, with a Red-throated Diver and a Little Auk off the Bill, and 3 Great Skuas and a Little Gull at Chesil Cove.

January 2002

January 31st Another 8 Red-throated Divers off the Bill during the morning where the only birds of note today. January 30th A very quiet day, with the only news from the Bill where 8 Red-throated Divers and 2 Common Scoter passed through on the sea. January 29th With the weather having calmed down a little, small fishing flocks of Gannets, gulls and auks gathered again off the Bill, where they attracted 2 Little Gulls and a Sooty Shearwater during the course of the morning; 22 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Red-throated Divers and 2 Common Scoter also passed through there. The only noteworthy sightings on the land were of 4 Purple Sandpipers and a Golden Plover at the Bill. January 28th A Great Skua and a Little Gull were in Chesil Cove during the morning, but there was little other sea passage of interest either there or off the Bill. Two Eider, a Black-throated Diver, a Slavonian Grebe and a Goldeneye were in Portland Harbour. January 27th The wet and windy spell continued, and the only noteworthy sightings were of 2 Little Gulls lingering all day in Chesil Cove and 7 Common Scoter off the Bill. January 26th Heavy rain and gale-force winds again made birding pretty difficult today. In the relative shelter of Chesil Cove some seawatching was possible: a Balearic Shearwater passed through in the morning, and an Iceland Gull and a Little Gull were present for a while in mid-afternoon. Watches from the Bill in the occasional clearer spells revealed a lot less birds than in recent days, and nothing of note was reported there. January 25th There were 7 Red-throated Divers, a Sooty Shearwater and a Common Scoter past the Bill during the first couple of hours of the day, but heavy rain set in by mid-morning and no more seawatching or other birding was possible.  January 24th After a very stormy night, the fishing flock of Gannets, gulls and auks off the East Cliffs at the Bill had increased in size and contained 2 Sooty and a Balearic Shearwater for the first couple of hours of the day. One Sooty Shearwater reappeared offshore for a while during the afternoon, before flying off west past the Bill. Single Red-throated and Black-throated Divers also passed the Bill, and there was a lone Little Gull in Chesil Cove. The only other news from the area was of 14 Black-necked Grebes in Portland Harbour.

 

Sooty Shearwater - Portland Bill, January 23rd 2002 © Martin Cade

  January 23rd The Sooty Shearwater remained off the East Cliffs at the Bill for most of the morning, but there were no reports of it in poorer weather during the afternoon. The sea was otherwise busy with feeding flocks of Gannets, gulls and auks, and there were also 7 Red-throated and 2 Black-throated Divers, 3 Common Scoter and a Great Skua off the Bill. January 22nd Strange events at sea again today. A Balearic Shearwater spent most of the morning with the feeding Gannets, Kittiwakes and auks off the East Cliffs at the Bill, and in the late afternoon a cursory check of the same feeding flock revealed first a Manx Shearwater and then a Sooty Shearwater joining the flock; both birds remained offshore showing well until dusk. The sea also produced 3 Red-throated Divers and 3 Common Scoter, but the land came up with nothing better than 8 Purple Sandpipers and 4 Turnstones. The only other news from the area was of 3 Black Redstarts at Weston, and a Great Northern Diver and an Eider in Portland Harbour.

 

Guillemots and Razorbills - Portland Bill, January 21st 2002 © Martin Cade

  January 21st Although conditions did not seem at all promising there was quite an increase in sea passage off the Bill. A Balearic Shearwater - only the second mid-winter record for the island - was the highlight, but there were also more than 5000 auks, 400 Kittiwakes, 250 Gannets, 2 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser. The land produced just 10 Purple Sandpipers and a Lapwing. January 20th More comprehensively miserable weather today that kept most birders firmly indoors. Seawatching was hampered by reduced visibilty, but it seemed apparent there was little more on the move than slightly increased numbers of Gannets, Kittiwakes and auks. The wintering Buzzard was again the only noteworthy bird on the land. January 19th Another pretty dismal offering from the island today. Three Common Scoter passed through off the Bill, and there were 2 Purple Sandpipers and a Turnstone on the land there. The only report from elsewhere was of a Red-throated Diver off Chesil Cove. January 18th Auk numbers off the Bill increased again to more than 5000, and 6 Red-throated Divers passed through there. The wintering Buzzard was the only noteworthy bird on the land. January 17th A pretty miserable day, with rain only clearing through late in the afternoon. The only reports from the island were of the wintering Buzzard at the Bill, and 51 Linnets - the highest count of the winter - at Reap Lane. January 16th A very quiet day. Gulls were still abundant off the Bill, but auk numbers had dropped to near-normal levels. Thirteen Common Scoter and 7 Red-throated Divers were the only other birds of note offshore, and 12 Purple Sandpipers and the wintering Buzzard were the only worthwhile sightings on the land at the Bill.

 

Razorbills - Portland Bill, January 15th 2002 © Martin Cade January 15th Large feeding flocks of gulls and auks remained off the Bill, where they again had a Great Skua in attendance during the morning; 4 Common Scoter and 3 Red-throated Divers also passed through there. The Bill area itself produced nothing much more than 6 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones, a Golden Plover and a Lapwing. No divers could be found in Portland Harbour today, but there were 210 Red-breasted Mergansers, 15 Black-necked, 12 Great Crested, 2 Slavonian and a Red-necked Grebe, 3 Eider, 2 Little Egrets and a Goldeneye there; nearby there were 350 Brent Geese at Ferrybridge. January 14th The sea continues to provide most of the worthwhile sightings. Auk numbers remained high off the Bill, with more than 6000 counted in an hour early in the morning; also past there were 8 Common and a Velvet Scoter, 3 Red-throated Divers and 2 Black-headed Gulls, with 12 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks at the Bill itself. Counts from Portland Harbour today included 10 Black-necked Grebes, 7 Black-throated Divers and 2 Great Northern Divers. January 13th Very little to report today. Large feeding flocks of gulls and auks remained off the Bill, where there were also 3 Common Scoter, 3 unidentified divers and a Red-throated Diver; 12 Purple Sandpipers were the only birds of note on the land there. Portland Harbour produced just a few divers and grebes, including 9 Black-necked Grebes, and nearby, a Curlew was at Ferrybridge. January 12th Large numbers of gulls and auks - sample counts suggesting there were well over 5000 of the latter - were still a feature off the Bill, but the only birds of note on the sea were a Red-throated Diver and a Great Skua. The Bill area otherwise produced 9 Purple Sandpipers, 'the' Buzzard and a Chiffchaff, and elsewhere there were 9 Black-necked Grebes, 7 Black-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers, and an Eider in Portland Harbour.

 

gull flock - Portland Bill, January 11th 2002 © Martin Cade

  January 11th The sea was busy again at the Bill, where shoaling sprats attracted large numbers of gulls and auks during the morning; 7 Red-throated Divers, 6 Common Scoter and 2 Brent Geese also passed through there. Highlights on the land were a Golden Plover and a Goldcrest at the Bill, 2 Siskins and a Goldcrest at East Weare, 3 Yellowhammers at the Grove and a Fieldfare at Easton. Elsewhere, there were 4 Black-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers in Portland Harbour. January 10th All the interest at the Bill today was on the sea, where auks were passing at around 3000 per hour in the morning, and there were also 12 Red-throated Divers, 3 Common Scoter and a Brent Goose. Elsewhere, the first visit to Pennsylvania Castle for a long time produced 3 Goldcrests, a Firecrest and a Siskin, and nearby there were 6 Redwings at Wakeham.

 

Buzzard - Portland Bill, January 9th 2002 © Martin Cade

  January 9th Very little change today. The Bill area produced 12 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Redwings, a Golden Plover, a Lapwing, and the wintering Buzzard and Water Rail, as well as 5 Red-throated Divers and a Brent Goose passing on the sea. The only other reports came from Portland Harbour where there were 11 Black-necked Grebes and a Black-throated Diver, and Easton where there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker. January 8th Once again most of what little news there was came from the Bill area, where the wintering Buzzard was still in residence, and there was also a Golden Plover, a Lapwing and a Fieldfare; auk numbers increased again offshore, but the sea otherwise produced just 2 Red-throated Divers and 2 Common Scoter. Elsewhere there were 3 Chiffchaffs at Easton. January 7th All the reports today came from the Bill area, where there were 9 Purple Sandpipers, 5 Fieldfares, 2 Redwings, a Grey Heron, a Lapwing, a Golden Plover, a Goldcrest and a Yellowhammer. Seawatching there produced a Red-throated Diver, a Great Skua and a Little Gull. January 6th Interest dwindled somewhat today in mild but rather damp and misty weather. A Chiffchaff was an unexpected new arrival at the Bill, where there were also 10 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Redwings, 'the' Buzzard, a Golden Plover, a Lapwing and a Snipe. Three Little Gulls lingered off the Bill in the morning and 2 Mute Swans passed by. Divers and grebes remained fairly conspicuous around Portland Harbour, and there were still 2 Eider there.  January 5th Another surprisingly productive day that was even mild enough to tempt a Skylark into song at the Bill. The Bill area produced 17 Lapwings, 14 Purple Sandpipers, 8 Golden Plovers, 2 Turnstones, 'the' Buzzard and a Redwing, with 4 Red-throated Divers, an Eider and a Little Gull passing through on the sea. A Firecrest was found at Verne Common, a Black Redstart at Portland Castle, and Portland Harbour produced 2 Eider and a few of the usual divers and grebes, including a good count of 11 Black-necked Grebes; nearby, there were 3 Little Egrets at Ferrybridge. January 4th A peculiar selection of birds, including several island rarities, made this the most interesting day for some while. Song Thrushes increased again to 23 around the Bill area, where there were also nearly 50 Meadow Pipits (by far the highest count of the winter), 15 Lapwings, 6 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones,  2 Redwings and the wintering Buzzard. Seawatching there produced 4 Little Gulls, a Red-throated and an unidentified Diver, and a Pintail. Elsewhere, there were 2 Mute Swans and a Coot at Chesil Cove, 2 Black Redstarts at Weston, a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge, and 3 Common Scoter and a selection of divers and grebes in Portland Harbour. January 3rd The strong wind continued to keep most birders indoors and most birds out of sight. The Bill area produced just 'the' Buzzard, a Golden Plover and a Redwing, as well as 6 Red-throated Divers and 3 Eider passing through on the sea. Elsewhere, a lone Pale-bellied Brent Goose was with the Brent Goose flock at Ferrybridge. January 2nd Birding anywhere on the island today was difficult in a blasting south-east wind. A few cold weather refugees, including 15 Golden Plovers, 8 Lapwings and a Snipe, were again found around the Bill area, where the wintering Buzzard and Goldcrest were also still present. Seawatching there produced nothing better than 3 Red-throated Divers, whilst the rough conditions saw to it that only a few divers and grebes, an Eider and a Mediterranean Gull could be found in Portland Harbour. January 1st There was hint of some more cold weather movement today with the arrival of 34 Golden Plovers, 3 Lapwings and a Brambling at the Bill. The wintering Buzzard remained at the Bill, and there were also several Purple Sandpipers and a Ringed Plover there. Three Red-throated Divers passed through offshore, but numbers of Kittiwakes and auks had fallen again and were back to almost normal levels for the time of year. Portland Harbour again provided a sprinkle of divers and grebes, and there were 5 Little Egrets at Ferrybridge.

December 2001

 

Common Gull - Portland Bill, December 31st 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 31st The sea was quieter than in recent days, although auks and Kittiwakes were still present in fair numbers; 2 Red-throated Divers also passed through. Purple Sandpipers increased to 12 at the Bill, where there were also 29 Song Thrushes, 18 Golden Plovers, 3 Snipe and the wintering Buzzard and Water Rail. Elsewhere, Portland Harbour produced a scatter of divers and grebes, and a single Eider. Additionally, belated news received today is of 2 Woodcock and 2 Long-eared Owls having been seen at Verne Common during the Christmas period.  December 30th Auks, particularly Razorbills, still numbered in the thousands off the Bill, but there was little else offshore except for 3 fly-by Red-throated Divers. Four Purple Sandpipers and 2 Turnstones were on the rocks at the tip of the Bill, but the land otherwise produced just the wintering Goldcrest at Culverwell. In the afternoon a Spoonbill showed up at Ferrybridge, but it flew off to the north before dark. December 29th Despite the hills of the mainland having acquired a dusting of snow overnight, there was no sign of any cold weather movement on the island. Song Thrushes numbered around 20 at the Bill, where the only other birds of note were the wintering Buzzard and Goldcrest. Auks and Kittiwakes, the former totalling over 2000, were still a feature off the Bill throughout the morning, and 3 Red-throated Divers passed through there. Portland Harbour is at last attracting a few birds, with reports of 5 Great Northern and 3 Black-throated Divers, 7 Black-necked Grebes and an Eider there today. December 28th The large feeding flock of Gannets, auks and Kittiwakes remained off the Bill all day, but a single Red-throated Diver was the only other noteworthy sighting on the sea. Song Thrushes were still conspicuous everywhere on the land, and there was a Black Redstart and a Chiffchaff at Weston. December 27th The sea again provided the only interest today. Gannets, auks and Kittiwakes were still present in very high numbers off the Bill, but the only other bird of note there was a single unidentified fly-by Diver.  December 26th More of the same today. Auks were again on the move off the Bill, with more than 2000 flying east during a half-hour sample count in the late morning; Gannets, Kittiwakes and other gulls were also still feeding offshore in quantity throughout the day. The only other sightings of note were of a Ringed Plover settled on the rocks at the Bill, and a single Black Redstart at Weston. December 25th Another quiet day for birds and birders. At the Bill, there were good numbers of Kittiwakes and auks passing through during the morning, and later in the day a feeding flock of more than 500 Kittiwakes had gathered offshore; also lingering offshore were 25 Common Scoter. The only bird of note on the land was a single Golden Plover. December 24th Very little birding was done today, and the only sightings of note came from the Bill where there was a lone Redwing on the land, and 12 Common Scoter and an unidentified Diver flying past offshore.

 

Little Egret - Ferrybridge, December 23rd 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 23rd With the weather remaining distinctly chilly a few birds were again on the move. The Bill area produced 28 Song Thrushes, 3 Snipe, 2 Fieldfares, a Lapwing, a Golden Plover and a Redwing. Elsewhere, a Blackcap at Southwell and a Chiffchaff at Weston were both presumed wintering birds, and there were 4 Little Egrets at Ferrybridge. Three Red-throated Divers and a Brent Goose passed the Bill, but there was no sign of the Long-tailed Duck offshore. December 22nd After a frosty night, Song Thrush numbers increased again at the Bill, but there was otherwise little of interest on the land. A Long-tailed Duck joined the small group of settled Common Scoter offshore, but the sea otherwise produced only a Red-throated Diver and a Brent Goose. December 21st Even less than of late. A wintering Water Rail was about the only bird of note on the land at the Bill, and the sea there produced nothing more than a couple of Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver. Portland Harbour remains remarkably quiet for the time of year, with just a few Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes seen there today.

 

Purple Sandpiper - Portland Bill, December 20th 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 20th Another fairly quiet day, with the Bill area producing just a Golden Plover and several wintering Purple Sandpipers and Turnstones; 2 Red-throated Divers passed on the sea, and 14 Common and a Velvet Scoter remained offshore. Elsewhere, 5 Long-tailed Tits visited a garden in Southwell.

 

Song Thrush - Portland Bill, December 18th 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 19th The unexpectedly calm weather enabled the mist-nets to be opened at the Obs, where a Song Thrush had the distinction of being the 5500th bird ringed this year (the fourth-highest annual total at PBO); also trapped there was a surprisingly late new Blackcap. The island was otherwise rather quiet, with the best birds being the wintering Buzzard, a Snipe, a Golden Plover and three fly-by Red-throated Divers at the Bill, and a Black Redstart at Weston.

 

Golden Plover - Portland Bill, December 18th 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 18th Very little to report today, with the Bill area producing just a few Song Thrushes, 6 Purple Sandpipers, 'the' Buzzard, a Golden Plover and a Turnstone on the land, and 2 Brent Geese and a Red-throated Diver offshore. December 17th After the grim weather of recent days there was a lot less wind and some pleasant winter sunshine today. Birds were hardly plentiful but there was a good scatter of Song Thrushes everywhere, as well as 8 Lapwings, 3 Redwings and a Golden Plover at the Bill. The wintering Buzzard and Goldcrest also remained at the Bill, and seawatching there produced over 60 Common and a Velvet Scoter, 4 Black-headed Gulls and a Red-throated Diver.  December 16th Grey skies and a bitter wind kept most birders indoors, and there was little reward for the few who did venture out. The wintering Buzzard remained at the Bill, and elsewhere there a few Black-necked and a Slavonian Grebe in Portland Harbour, a Black Redstart at Chesil Cove and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Wakeham. December 15th Song Thrushes were again obvious everywhere, but they remain the only species conspicuously affected by the recent cold weather. Five Lapwings also passed through at the Bill, but the only other birds of note there were a Blackcap and the wintering Buzzard and Goldcrest. Seawatching produced nothing better than 27 Common Scoter and 2 of the long-staying Velvet Scoters. December 14th A Goosander flying over Blacknor was the bird of the day, although not a particularly surprising one bearing in mind the continuing cold weather. The only other birds of note were a Grey Heron, a Snipe and the wintering Water Rail at the Bill.

 

Lapwing - Portland Bill, December 13th 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 13th The raw easterly wind had increased overnight and there was a little more interest on the sea. Gannets and Kittiwakes were in good numbers off the Bill, and 28 Common and a Velvet Scoter, 6 Red-throated Divers, 3 Pintail and a Golden Plover also passed there. On the land, the 'eastern' Chiffchaff was seen again at Haylands, 2 Black Redstarts were at Weston, and there were a sprinkle of Song Thrushes, 3 Redwings and a Lapwing at the Bill. December 12th Despite it remaining pretty chilly there was little improvement in the birding. The Bill area produced 15 Song Thrushes, 2 Redwings and a Golden Plover, as well as a flock of 7 Long-tailed Tits that had presumably wandered down from the centre of the island. Single Red-throated and Black-throated Divers passed through on the sea.  December 11th It was a struggle to find anything of note today and the only worthwhile sightings were of the wintering Buzzard and a single Velvet Scoter at the Bill, and 4 Black-necked Grebes and a Kingfisher at Portland Harbour. December 10th The wind remained a cold easterly but again there was little on the move. A few new Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, 3 Lapwings and a Fieldfare were dotted around the Bill and Southwell, but the only other birds of note there were the wintering Buzzard, Water Rail and Goldcrest. At least 1 Velvet Scoter remained offshore, and 3 Red-throated Divers and 4 Eider passed through. Elsewhere there was a single Little Egret on the tidal pools below the Grove. December 9th A brisk east wind and sharp drop in temperature promised some birds, but in the event little was found. An 'eastern' Chiffchaff was a new arrival at Haylands, but the Bill produced nothing more than 9 wintering Purple Sandpipers, 4 Lapwings, 2 Redwings, a Fieldfare and the resident Buzzard. The highlight on the sea was once again the 3 Velvet Scoters off the East Cliffs, with only 12 Black-headed Gulls,  9 Common Scoter and 2 Brent Geese passing through offshore. December 8th A few flocks of Starlings passed through during the morning, but the only other new arrivals around the Bill area were 9 Redwings and a Brambling. The 3 Velvet Scoters remained offshore, and the sea also produced 18 Common Scoter, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Red-throated Diver and an Eider. December 7th Odds and sods around the Bill area today included a couple of Golden Plovers, a Dunlin, a Redwing and a Fieldfare, as well as the long-staying Buzzard and Goldcrest. Seawatching there produced 11 Red-throated Divers, 4 unidentified divers, 2 Shelduck and a Red-necked Grebe, whilst the 3 Velvet Scoters were still settled offshore. December 6th An unexpected highlight today was a Marsh Tit (only the second Portland record) seen briefly at Easton Square with a flock of Long-tailed Tits in the early afternoon; searches in the vicinity shortly afterwards drew a blank. New arrivals elsewhere were all but non-existent, with the Bill producing just a Water Rail, the wintering Buzzard and a fly-by Great Northern Diver.

 

Gannet - Portland Bill, December 5th 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 5th Once again the stormy weather precluded any birding but seawatching, and that produced nothing more exciting than a lone Great Skua off the Bill December 4th Seawatching at the Bill produced the only sightings of note today, with 3 Red-throated Divers and a Great Skua passing through and the 3 Velvet Scoters still lingering offshore. 

 

Mistle Thrush - Portland Bill, December 3rd 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 3rd There was another small flurry of late migrants today, with the Bill area producing 3 Redwings, a Water Rail, a Mistle Thrush and a Chiffchaff; the Buzzard was also still present there, as was a Goldcrest that has been lingering at Culverwell for some days. Eight Eider and 6 Red-throated Divers passed the Bill, and the 3 Velvet Scoters were still present offshore.

 

Redwing - Portland Bill, December 2nd 2001 © Martin Cade

  December 2nd Just as it had looked like autumn passage was over, so another flurry of late migrants appeared. The sprinkle of new arrivals at the Bill included 30 Chaffinches, 20 Blackbirds, 10 Redwings, 3 Fieldfares, 2 Bramblings, a Blackcap and a Yellowhammer, with another 2 Bramblings at Reap Lane. The 3 Velvet Scoters remained off the Bill but the Common Scoter flock has either broken-up or moved: just 6 fly-bys were seen today; 4 Brent Geese and a Wigeon also passed the Bill. December 1st Despite a marked improvement in the weather the few birders in the field went largely unrewarded. A Golden Plover and a Brambling passed through at the Bill, and the wintering Buzzard again put in an appearance there; seawatching produced nothing more than a single Great Northern Diver.