June 2003

 

Kentish Plover - Ferrybridge, June 30th 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 30th A Kentish Plover was a new arrival at Ferrybridge, and there were also 35 Black-headed Gulls and 7 Dunlin there. The only news from the Bill was of 3 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Sandwich Terns and a Great Skua passing through on the sea. June 29th A Serin made a couple of brief visits to the Obs garden early in the morning, but the only other news was of 2 Sand Martins and a Chiffchaff at the Bill and 17 Common Scoter passing through on the sea there.

 

Nuthatch - Portland Bill, June 28th 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 28th A surprise new arrival this morning was a Nuthatch trapped and ringed at the Obs and seen later at Culverwell (the seventh island record and only the second ringed at the Obs). Two Spotted Flycatchers and a Grey Wagtail were also at the Bill, where 120 Manx and 5 Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Common Scoter, an Arctic Skua, a Great Skua and a Sandwich Tern passed through on the sea. June 27th More of the same today, with the Bill area producing 2 Dunlin, a Curlew, a Blackcap and a Spotted Flycatcher, as well as 140 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Common Scoter and a Great Skua passing through on the sea. A single Greenshank was at Ferrybridge. June 26th Still very quiet. The only reports were from the Bill where there were 2 Sand Martins, a Curlew, a Grey Wagtail and a Reed Warbler, and Ferrybridge where there were 2 Sanderling and a Redshank. June 25th The only news was of a Curlew and a Robin at the Bill, a few Manx Shearwaters passing through on the sea there, and 4 Sandwich Terns, 3 Sanderling and 3 Dunlin at Ferrybridge. June 24th Surprisingly good variety today, with 8 Dunlin and a Curlew Sandpiper still at Ferrybridge, and 3 Grey Herons, a Turtle Dove, a Grey Wagtail, a Wheatear, a Redstart and a Reed Warbler at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill produced 39 Common Scoter and 12 Manx Shearwaters. June 23rd The only news today was of 12 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling and a Curlew Sandpiper at Ferrybridge, and a lone Grey Heron flying over at the Bill.

 

aberrant Swallow - Portland Bill, June 22nd 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 22nd A muggy day with occasional thundery showers. New arrivals included a Tree Sparrow at Barleycrates Lane and a couple of Reed Warblers at the Bill, whilst interest was maintained at Ferrybridge where there were 9 Dunlin, 2 Knot, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Sanderling and a Roseate Tern. Seawatching at the Bill produced 39 commic terns, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Common Scoter, a Sandwich Tern and a Curlew.

 

 

Common Rosefinch (very distant!) - Verne Common, June 21st 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 21st A touch of east in the wind sparked a little interest today, with the highlight being a singing Common Rosefinch at Verne Common for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. Elsewhere there were 2 Reed Warblers, a Turtle Dove, a Sand Martin, a Wheatear and a Willow Warbler at the Bill, and another Turtle Dove at Avalanche Road. A trickle of Manx Shearwaters and 2 Common Scoter passed through on the sea at the Bill, and a Curlew Sandpiper, a Knot and a few Dunlin were at Ferrybridge. June 20th A typical very lean mid-summer selection today, with single Chiffchaffs at the Bill, Avalanche Road and Bumpers Lane, and 2 Sand Martins and a Grey Wagtail flying over at the Bill. The winter plumaged Curlew Sandpiper remained at Ferrybridge, along with 26 Dunlin. June 19th With fog and low cloud drifting in and out all day birding was never easy, and the only news from the Bill was of a trickle of Manx Shearwaters, at least 4 Balearic Shearwaters and 2 Great Skuas passing through on the sea. A single Curlew Sandpiper was reported to still be present at Ferrybridge. June 18th One Curlew Sandpiper remained at Ferrybridge today, where there were also 10 Dunlin and 3 Turnstones. There was precious little birding done at the Bill, with the only sightings of interest being of 7 Common Scoter and a Manx Shearwater past on the sea.

 

 

Curlew Sandpipers - Ferrybridge, June 17th 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 17th The 3 Curlew Sandpipers remained at Ferrybridge along with 15 Dunlin and a Sanderling. The only news from the Bill was of an overflying Grey Heron and a single Grey Wagtail on the land, and 4 Balearic Shearwaters past on the sea.

 

 Curlew Sandpiper - Ferrybridge, June 16th 2003 © Duncan Walbridge

  June 16th Yesterday's excitement proved short-lived, with the only news today being of 2 Curlews, a Grey Wagtail and a Reed Warbler at the Bill, a Chiffchaff and a Reed Warbler at Avalanche Road and a Grey Wagtail at Bumpers Lane. In the evening 3 Curlew Sandpipers (2 still in winter plumage and the third bird in partial summer plumage) were present on the rising tide at Ferrybridge, and 20 Manx Shearwaters passed through off the Bill. 

 

 Subalpine Warbler - Portland Bill, June 15th 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 15th There was some early morning excitement today when a Subalpine Warbler was trapped and ringed at the Obs (biometry and more in-hand photos); it showed briefly an hour after release in the Obs Quarry but there were no more sightings later in the day. A Tree Sparrow was another good but brief visitor to the Obs garden, a Black Redstart was at Lloyd's Cottage and 5 Common Scoter and 3 Whimbrel passed through on the sea. June 14th Still nothing of any great consequence to report. Seawatching at the Bill produced 49 Common Scoter, 4 Manx and 3 Balearic Shearwaters, a singing Willow Warbler remained at the Culverwell and 3 Buzzards were overhead at Verne Common.  June 13th A very quiet day, with the only news being of a Sand Martin, a Willow Warbler and a Redpoll at the Bill and a Spotted Flycatcher at Southwell. June 12th Once again the only news was from the Bill area, where there were single Grey Wagtail, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher on the land, and 70 Manx and a lone Balearic Shearwater on the sea June 11th The sea provided most of the interest today, with 14 Balearic and 13 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Common Scoter and a lone Arctic Skua passing the Bill during the morning. Tardy spring migrants totalled just 2 Reed Warblers and a Willow Warbler at the Bill, and 10 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. June 10th It was with great sadness that we learnt today of the death of former PBO warden, Mick Rogers. Mick suffered a brain haemorrhage on 27th April from which he never recovered; he died peacefully at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, this morning. Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family at this time of their sad loss.

The only news today came from the Bill area, where there were 2 Reed Warblers at Culverwell, 30 Swifts and a Curlew overhead and 50 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Balearic Shearwaters and 2 Sandwich Terns past on the sea.

June 9th Plenty of effort but little reward today. Two Buzzards were overhead at Fortuneswell, a Sand Martin passed through at Inmosthay, 9 Common Scoter and 4 Sandwich Terns were off the Bill and 24 Dunlin and 12 Sanderling were at Ferrybridge. June 8th Most of the interest today was on the sea, with 600 Gannets, 300 Manx and 7 Balearic Shearwaters, 19 commic and a single Sandwich Tern, 4 Arctic Skuas and a Common Scoter passing through off the Bill. The only birds of note on the land were a Reed Warbler at Culverwell and a new Whitethroat trapped at the Obs. Waders at Ferrybridge included 7 Sanderling and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits. June 7th A very frustrating day, with neither of the two  good birds discovered being at all easy to catch up with. Bird of the day was a Greenish Warbler heard singing in the Royal Naval Cemetery at Verne Common for a couple of hours either side of midday; it was always tricky to see and - aside from some later confusion with a look-alike Willow Warbler - there were no further sightings after it had stopped singing in the early afternoon. Earlier in the day a Bee-eater was heard calling over Southwell. The only other noteworthy sightings were of 17 Manx and 3 Balearic Shearwaters, a Great Skua and a Sandwich Tern off the Bill, a Reed Warbler in the Obs garden, a Turtle Dove at Suckthumb Quarry, and 15 Dunlin and 4 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. June 6th Very little to report today, with only a couple of hours birding possible early in the morning before persistent rain set in. A Grey Wagtail flying overhead at the Bill was the only bird of note on the land there, where a few Manx Shearwaters were also milling around offshore. June 5th There was a near miss today in the form of a presumed Rose-coloured Starling that was well described by a non-birder who saw it with Starlings at Blacknor early in the morning; unfortunately, searches there and elsewhere later in the day proved fruitless. Odds and sods in the Bill area included a Sand Martin, a Yellow Wagtail, a Wheatear and a Yellowhammer, whilst seawatching there produced at least 3 Balearic Shearwaters and a single Arctic Skua. June 4th A Woodchat Shrike was reported at Verne Common at midday but subsequent searches there drew a blank. With common migrants again absent at the Bill, the only other news was of seawatching there: up to 4 Balearic Shearwaters lingered offshore during the morning, and 600 Gannets, 100 Manx Shearwaters, 20 Common Scoter, 3 Sandwich Terns and 2 Arctic Skuas passed through.

 

 Curlew Sandpiper - Ferrybridge, June 3rd 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 3rd A couple of Balearic Shearwaters were again off the Bill during the morning, where 12 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Common Scoter and 2 Sandwich Terns also passed through. Thirty Swifts and a late Wheatear were the only birds of any note in the Bill area. At Ferrybridge, a Curlew Sandpiper was a new arrival amongst the small numbers of Dunlin and Sanderling still present.

 

 Storm Petrel - Portland Bill, June 2nd 2003 © Martin Cade

  June 2nd After another extremely lean morning on the land, with no noteworthy migrants at all on the land, things perked up briefly when a Bee-eater lingered high over the Obs for a couple of minutes in the early afternoon; it was heard shortly afterwards flying over Southwell but further searches drew a blank. Off the Bill, Manx Shearwaters trickled past all morning and there were several sightings of 2 or 3 Balearic Shearwaters lingering offshore; 46 commic Terns, 6 Common Scoter, a Whimbrel, and single Arctic and Great Skuas also passed through. Eight Sanderling were among the few waders present at Ferrybridge in the evening. After dark, a single Storm Petrel was trapped and ringed during a tape-luring session at the Bill. June 1st Still precious little to report, with just 2 Turtle Doves and a Hobby on the land at the Bill, and 13 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Common Scoter, 3 Sandwich Terns and a Great Skua on the sea there.

May 2003

 

 Partial annular solar eclipse - Portland Bill, 05.15am May 31st 2003 © Martin Cade

  May 31st The only news today was from the Bill where there 3 Turtle Doves, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Reed Warblers, a Grey Wagtail, a Wheatear, a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff on the land, and 5 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Scoter and 2 Manx Shearwaters on the sea; a hybrid Barnacle Goose x Canada Goose - a different individual to the bird seen a week ago - also flew overhead there. May 30th A Honey Buzzard arrived in off the sea over the Bill late in the afternoon but grounded migrants were even fewer than yesterday, with the Bill area providing just a Yellow Wagtail, a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff; elsewhere there was a lone Turtle Dove at Reap Lane. Seawatching was hardly riveting, with totals at the Bill of 29 commic and 5 Sandwich Terns, 25 Common Scoter, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Black-headed Gulls, a Turnstone and a Sanderling.

 

  

 Hobby - Portland Bill, May 29th 2003 © Martin Cade

  May 29th The sea provided an unseasonable highlight today when a first-summer Sabine's Gull passed the Bill; also off there were 51 commic Terns, 34 Black-headed Gulls and a Great Northern Diver. In very warm and sunny weather the land remained fairly quiet, with 6 Turtle Doves, 3 Yellow Wagtails, a Hobby, a Grey Wagtail, a Wheatear, a Sedge Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill and a couple more Turtle Doves around the centre of the island.

 

  

 Red-backed Shrike - Verne Common, May 28th 2003 © Martin Cade

  May 28th Thick fog blanketed the island at dawn and new arrivals were hard to find anywhere. Once the fog cleared from the higher ground a Red-backed Shrike was found at Verne Common, single Hobbies passed overhead there and at Barleycrates Lane, and there were 3 Turtle Doves at Suckthumb Quarry, 2 Buzzards over the centre of the island and a Reed Warbler at Barleycrates Lane. Single Pomarine and Arctic Skuas passed the Bill during a brief clear spell there in the morning. May 27th Rather quiet still despite some damp, foggy weather promising to have dropped a few birds at dawn. Seven Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Turtle Dove and a Sedge Warbler were at the Bill, and a Turtle Dove and a Reed Warbler were at Avalanche Road. A Great Skua and three probable Pomarine Skuas were the only birds of note on the sea at the Bill. May 26th There was another strong passage of hirundines arriving in off the sea, but migrants otherwise remained thinly scattered. The Bill area provided 6 Spotted Flycatchers, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Wheatears, 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, a Grey Heron, a Blackcap and a Lesser Redpoll; oddities elsewhere included 2 Buzzards over Easton, a Turtle Dove at Weston Street and a Tree Pipit at Broadcroft. Four Arctic Skuas were the only noteworthy birds past on the sea at the Bill. May 25th Spotted Flycatchers were again conspicuous, with 20 or more scattered around the south of the island, and hirundines were still arriving in some quantity, but new arrivals in the Bill area otherwise consisted of just 3 Wheatears, 2 Willow Warblers, a Hobby, a Redstart, a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap; elsewhere there were 2 Turtle Doves at Barleycrates Lane. Seawatching at the Bill produced 40 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Great Northern Divers, and 2 Arctic, 1 Pomarine and 1 Great Skua; whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 41 Sanderling. For curiosity value, bird of the day was an overflying Barnacle x Canada Goose hybrid at the Bill! May 24th A Serin flew overhead at the Obs during the morning, but yesterday's small improvement in the common migrant situation was not maintained. The only new arrivals around the Bill area were small numbers of hirundines arriving in off the sea, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Wheatears, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Whinchats, a Turtle Dove and a Sedge Warbler. The sea came up with nothing more than 10 Common Scoter, 2 Manx Shearwaters, a Great Northern Diver and an Arctic Skua. There was a brief increase in wader numbers at Ferrybridge during the afternoon when 67 Dunlin, 41 Sanderling, 6 Turnstones, 4 Whimbrel and a Little Stint were present, but by the evening numbers had more than halved and the Little Stint could not be found. May 23rd A little bit more to report from the land today, with the Bill area producing 15 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Wheatears, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, a Garden Warbler, a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff; hirundines were also on the move overhead in fair numbers. Elsewhere there were 5 Spotted Flycatchers and a Sedge Warbler at Verne Common. A single Balearic Shearwater was the highlight on the sea, where there were also 50 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Whimbrel, 2 Arctic Skuas, a Dunlin and a Sandwich Tern. Waders at Ferrybridge included 16 Sanderling. May 22nd Desperate times still on the land with a lone Spotted Flycatcher being the only noteworthy migrant in the Bill area. Despite a whole morning of trying, no birds were trapped at the Obs where the ringing tally for the week stands at just 3 birds (of which only one was a summer migrant!). Fortunately, the perseverance of the seawatchers again salvaged something for the day, with totals of 300 Manx Shearwaters, 41 Common Scoter, 11 Dunlin, 5 Arctic and 3 Pomarine Skuas, 4 Sandwich Terns and a Red-throated Diver off the Bill. After yesterday's flourish, wader numbers dropped off at Ferrybridge, where only 20 Dunlin and a single Sanderling could be found. May 21st  Migrants around the Bill area today included 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Wheatears, 2 Blackcaps, a Hobby, a Sedge Warbler and a Reed Warbler. The sea remained quite productive, with totals at the Bill of 300 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Arctic and 2 Pomarine Skuas, 3 Great Northern Divers, 2 Sanderling and a Storm Petrel. Waders numbers improved a little at Ferrybridge, where there were 30 Sanderling, 21 Dunlin and a Turnstone in the evening; more than 90 Little Terns were also present in the breeding colony there.

 

  

 Storm Petrel - Portland Bill, May 20th 2003 © Martin Cade

  May 20th New arrivals on the land consisted of nothing more than a Sedge Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill so once again plenty of attention was directed towards the sea. Three Storm Petrels were the highlight at the Bill, where there were also 600 Manx Shearwaters, 10 Common Scoter and 2 Pomarine and an Arctic Skua. Chesil Cove produced just a few Manx Shearwaters, a Black-throated Diver and another Arctic Skua.  May 19th With just 2 Wheatears and 2 Spotted Flycatchers grounded in the Bill area it was obvious that passerine migration was all but non-existent and the sea occupied most birders attention. Manx Shearwaters were on the move all day, with 150 flying west off the Bill in the morning and more than 400 flying east there and at Chesil Cove in increasingly windy weather during the evening. Six Arctic, 4 Great and 2 Pomarine Skuas also passed through off the Bill. May 18th Extremely quiet on the land again today, with the Bill area producing nothing more than 5 Wheatears, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, a Purple Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Bird of the day was a Long-tailed Skua that lingered for a while in Chesil Cove early in the evening; 5 Arctic Skuas also passed through there during the morning. At the Bill there was an unprecedented spring report of a Sooty Shearwater, but otherwise the sea produced just a trickle of Manx Shearwaters and 3 Great and an Arctic Skua. May 17th Another dull, damp day with a sprinkle of common migrants everywhere. The Bill area held 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Whinchats, a Hobby, a Purple Sandpiper, a Wheatear, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler, whilst there were another 6 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Sedge Warblers at Verne Common. Seawatching at the Bill produced 40 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Common Scoter, 9 Sandwich and 7 Common Terns, 6 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas, and a Great Northern Diver, whilst at Chesil Cove a single Pomarine Skua passed through. There was a hint of an improvement in wader numbers at Ferrybridge, where there were 40 Dunlin and 7 Sanderling. May 16th Wind and rain swept in overnight and made birding pretty difficult all day. In the occasional drier interludes the only common migrants found in the Bill area were 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Reed Warbler, a Blackcap and a Willow Warbler; despite the poor conditions occasional parties of hirundines and Swifts were still on the move overhead. Seawatching was disappointingly unproductive, with just 48 Common Scoter, 11 Sanderling, 5 Arctic Skuas, 3 Great Northern Divers and a few Manx Shearwaters off the Bill.

 

 

 Purple Sandpiper - Portland Bill, May 15th 2003 © Martin Cade

  May 15th Something of a repeat of yesterday but without the rarity. Another minor flurry of common migrants provided counts of 13 Spotted Flycatchers, 7 Wheatears, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Redstarts, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, a Buzzard, a Purple Sandpiper and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill, where a sample hour-long count of visible passage on the West Cliffs also produced 486 Swallows, 15 House Martins and 14 Swifts passing through. Seawatchers at the Bill were rewarded with nothing more than 27 Common Scoter, 10 Oystercatchers, 8 commic Terns, 2 Arctic Skuas, a Great Northern Diver and a Whimbrel.

 

   

 Golden Oriole - Portland Bill, May 14th 2003 © Martin Cade

  May 14th The arrival of a singing male Golden Oriole revived flagging spirits today; it first showed up in the Obs garden from where it soon moved on to the Top Fields before eventually leaving towards Southwell. A few more common migrants were also in evidence, with counts from the Bill area of 10 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Sedge Warblers, 3 Turtle Doves, 3 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Wheatears, a Purple Sandpiper, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler. Offshore, Manx Shearwaters trickled westwards all morning and a lone Great Northern Diver passed through. May 13th  Bright and blustery north-westerly weather is rarely productive at Portland, and today proved no exception. The handful of migrants at the Bill included 6 Wheatears, a Common Sandpiper (the first of the spring there!), a Sedge Warbler, a Garden Warbler, a Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher. The sea produced nothing more than a couple of Great Northern Divers in the morning and a steady up-Channel movement of Manx Shearwaters during the afternoon. May 12th Eight Wheatears and a Chiffchaff were the only new arrivals reported on the ground at the Bill, where a trickle of hirundines and 11 Swifts also passed overhead. Dogged effort produced a little more reward on the sea, with 31 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Arctic, 3 Pomarine and a Great Skua, 3 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, and 3 Sanderling logged passing the Bill. May 11th Precious little improvement despite more seemingly promising conditions. The Bill area held 12 Wheatears, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, a Purple Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail, a Whinchat, a Sedge Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat. A lot of seawatching effort at the Bill produced just 57 Common Scoter, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Great and 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Whimbrel and a Red-throated Diver. May 10th Bearing in mind the near-perfect 'fall' conditions at dawn, interest on the land plumbed previously unimagined depths, with - occasional hirundines and breeding Whitethroats aside - just single Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear and Chiffchaff in the whole Bill area. Seawatching at the Bill produced a trickle of Manx Shearwaters, 7 Common Scoter, 3 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas, and 2 Red-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers. May 9th The extremely mobile and elusive Jay remained at the Bill and there were early morning reports of Serins briefly at both Culverwell and Reap Lane. Common migrants were all but absent, with the Bill area producing just 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit, a Redstart and a Blackcap. The sea continued to provide a little interest, with 14 Common Scoter, 2 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, 2 Sanderling, a Long-tailed Duck and a Great Skua off the Bill.

 

 Serin - Portland Bill, May 8th 2003 © Martin Cade

  May 8th Another day with extremely promising-looking overcast conditions at dawn but hardly any birds to be seen. Ten Wheatears, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Willow Warbler were the sum total of the non-hirundine migrants at the Bill, where the only injection of excitement came with the discovery of a Jay and a Serin. Seawatching there produced 29 Common Scoter, 5 Black-headed Gulls and single Red-throated, Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, and Great and Pomarine Skuas. May 7th More typical fare today, with 25 Wheatears, 13 Spotted Flycatchers, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whinchats, 2 Redstarts, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, a Black Redstart and a Reed Warbler scattered around the south of the island; Swallows and House Martins trickled through overhead all day. For most of the day the sea was again very quiet, with just single Black-throated and Great Northern Divers passing the Bill all morning, however in the evening 7 Pomarine and an Arctic Skua passed through there. In common with the rest of recent passage, wader numbers at Ferrybridge have been abysmal: this evening there were just 11 Dunlin and a single Sanderling there. May 6th An end of spring feel to the day, with a handful of typical late-arriving common migrants everywhere. Spotted Flycatchers were widely scattered, with at least 8 in the Bill area where there were also 14 Greenland Wheatears, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Redstarts and a Sedge Warbler; arrivals in off the sea during the day included a Hobby in the morning and a Marsh Harrier in the afternoon. A lone Red-throated Diver was in Portland Harbour, but no noteworthy sea movement was recorded at the Bill or Chesil. May 5th And so ended the poorest Early May Bank Holiday weekend in recent memory! The grand total of just 8 summer migrants trapped and ringed at the Obs during the three days (the comparable figure for last year was 459) was an entirely accurate reflection of the dearth of birds everywhere, with nothing of even minor interest reported on the land today. A hint of respectability was salvaged by the seawatchers who logged more than 100 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Pomarine Skuas and 3 Red-throated, 3 Great Northern and 1 Black-throated Diver passing the Bill.   May 4th A clear night was followed by a warm, sunny day and migrant numbers and variety were much reduced on both land and sea. Swallows arrived in off the sea in quantity all day, but more unexpected was a strong southward passage of more 200 Goldfinches at the Bill. Migrants were hard to find on the land, with nothing more interesting than a scatter of Spotted Flycatchers everywhere, and 2 Siskins and a Turtle Dove at the Bill. Plenty of seawatching provided just a few Manx Shearwaters and terns, 27 Common Scoter, 9 Sanderling, 2 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua, and 2 Great Nothern Divers off the Bill, and a lone Arctic Skua off Chesil Beach. May 3rd Quieter weather and much quieter on the bird front. The thin sprinkle of common migrants included ones and twos of most of the expected species, together with a Dartford Warbler at Verne Common, a Nightingale at Easton, a Grasshopper Warbler at the Bill (the first there this year) and a Hobby passing overhead there. Seawatching at the Bill produced 6 Pomarine, 2 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas, and 2 Great Northern, a Red-throated and a Black-throated Diver but precious little movement of commoner species. May 2nd A very stormy day that produced a fair bit on the sea and also, somewhat unexpectedly, more on the land than for some while. The Golden Oriole remained in Top Fields but was always elusive in the windy conditions. The relative shelter of Verne Common provided counts of 20 Willow Warblers, 12 Spotted and a Pied Flycatcher, 5 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whinchats, 3 Garden Warblers, a Tree Pipit, a Redstart ,a Wood Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher, whilst the Bill area produced smaller numbers of the same species together with 4 Sedge Warblers and a Turtle Dove; elsewhere a Reed Warbler was at the Grove. Morning seawatching at Chesil Cove provided counts including 14 Arctic and 5 Pomarine Skuas, and longer watches at the Bill provided 8 Arctic, 7 Great and 4 Pomarine Skuas, and 6 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver.

 

 Whinchat - Portland Bill, May 1st 2003 © Phil Sydenham

  May 1st The Serin flew over the Obs garden several times during the morning and the Golden Oriole remained in Top Fields, but it was otherwise a most inauspicious start to the new month with, for example, just two birds (a Whinchat and a Whitethroat) trapped and ringed at the Obs all day. Odds and sods elsewhere around the Bill area included 12 Wheatears (the majority of Wheatears seen in recent days have been Greenland Wheatears), 2 Whinchats and singles of a few other species, whilst a Hobby passed overhead there together with a trickle of Swallows and 4 Swifts. The blustery westerly conditions were not helpful for the seawatchers, and a lot of effort at the Bill produced just 19 Common Scoter, 9 Manx Shearwaters, 7 Sandwich Terns, 3 Arctic, 2 Pomarine and 2 Great Skuas, a Red-throated Diver and a Whimbrel.

April 2003

 

 Golden Oriole - Portland Bill, April 30th 2003 © Martin Cade

  April 30th A Serin - presumably the bird seen yesterday - flew over the Obs garden twice during the morning, but bird of the day was a Golden Oriole that showed up first at Culverwell and eventually settled in Top Fields. Common migrants in the Bill area included 30 Wheatears, 4 Whinchats, a Redstart, a Sedge Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Redpoll, whilst elsewhere there were 3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Wood Warbler at Verne Common; the resident Red-legged Partridge was also seen again at Southwell. Seawatching at the Bill produced 21 Whimbrel, 15 Common Scoter, 5 Pomarine, 2 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas, a Great Northern Diver and a Bar-tailed Godwit, whilst a lone Little Gull was the only bird of note at Chesil Cove. April 29th Best of the few new arrivals today was a Serin that roamed the Bill area for a while during the morning but was never seen settled. Common migrants were only thinly spread again, with the best being a couple of Turtle Doves and the first 2 Spotted Flycatchers of the year at the Bill. The sea went some way towards redeeming the poor show on the land, with totals of 27 Common Scoter, 27 Whimbrel, 4 Great, 4 Pomarine and an Arctic Skua, 3 Red-throated Divers and an Eider past the Bill during the morning. Eight Sanderling were at Ferrybridge and an Arctic Skua flew overhead there. April 28th Despite some unseasonably stormy weather there was a small arrival of new migrants in the Bill area, including 20 Wheatears, 10 Willow Warblers, 6 Blackcaps, 5 Garden Warblers, 3 Whinchats, 3 Redstarts, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Merlin, a Yellow Wagtail and a White Wagtail; 85 Swifts and a Little Egret also overflew there, another Little Egret flew over at Chesil Cove and the long-staying Reed Bunting was still at Southwell. Seawatching was not as productive as hoped, with the pick of a mearge bunch being 16 Whimbrel, 3 Arctic, 2 Great and a Pomarine Skua at the Bill, and an Arctic Skua at Chesil Cove. Waders at Ferrybridge included 25 Bar-tailed Godwits and 3 Sanderling. April 27th Although Swallows were again on the move in some quantity there was no change at all in the dismal grounded migrant situation, with 2 Turtle Doves being not only the most interesting but also just about the only birds in the Bill area. The sea continued to provide a little interest, with 12 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Arctic and a Pomarine Skua, 3 Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver off the Bill, and 14 Eider, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Black-throated Diver off Chesil Cove. April 26th Grounded migrants remained at a premium, with a lone Turtle Dove at the Bill being the only interesting sighting amongst ones and twos of the commoner species; Swallows passed overhead in fair numbers and a single Hobby flew north at the Bill. Seawatching was hardly riveting, with totals at the Bill of just 17 Whimbrel, 5 Pomarine, 4 Arctic and 3 Great Skuas, 2 Black-throated, 1 Red-throated and 1 Great Northern Diver, 4 Manx Shearwaters and a Bar-tailed Godwit; Chesil Beach produced 77 Whimbrel and a lot more terns, including 33 passing Little Terns, and a Pomarine and an Arctic Skua. Elsewhere there were 3 Sanderling at Ferrybridge and a Slavonian Grebe in Portland Harbour. April 25th A couple of hours of dry weather at dawn permitted a reasonable check of the Bill area but conditions soon deteriorated and the rest of the day was a washout. Three Turtle Doves and a Reed Bunting were at Southwell and a lone Pied Flycatcher passed through on the West Cliffs, but commoner migrants were otherwise all but absent. Seawatching at the Bill produced 52 Common Scoter, 46 Whimbrel, 3 Great and 2 Arctic Skuas, 3 Black Terns, a Velvet Scoter and a Bar-tailed Godwit; a similar selection of birds off Chesil Beach included higher counts of 221 Bar-tailed Godwits and 77 Whimbrel.

 

 

 Turtle Dove - Southwell, April 24th 2003 © Debby Saunders

  April 24th The first substantial rainfall for a month or so prompted hopes of a flurry of grounded migrants but in the event little of note was found. The Bill area produced a few Sylvia warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Whinchats, a Short-eared Owl, a Turtle Dove, a Redstart and a Pied Flycatcher but little else on the ground. Passage along the West Cliffs was stronger than expected, with 170 Swallows and a good variety of other species counted in an hour during the morning. Seawatching at the Bill produced 318 commic terns, 61 Whimbrel, 8 Common Scoter, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Great and 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

 

                             

 Hoopoe - Portland Bill, April 23rd 2003 © John Hurst

  April 23rd A much more obliging Hoopoe was bird of the day today; it was found in roadside fields at Culverwell early in the morning but later settled well in Top Fields where it remained until dusk. After another clear night grounded common migrants were few and far between, with the best being a Cuckoo at the Bill, a Turtle Dove at the Grove, a Lesser Redpoll at Tout Quarry and a few Whinchats dotted around. A shift in wind direction back to the east saw visible passage pick up again along the West Cliffs, where Swifts, hirundines, pipits, wagtails, Wheatears and finches passed through in quantity all morning; a Hobby and a Merlin also passed through elsewhere. Sea passage died a death, with totals at the Bill of just 44 Common Scoter, 43 Whimbrel, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Grey Plover and an Arctic Skua. April 22nd Despite a promising start, with a Hoopoe seen soon after first light, it was a much quieter day on the island. Unfortunately the Hoopoe proved very mobile and gave birders the run-around as it moved north between the first sighting at Cheyne and the last at the Verne. Common migrants were very thin on the ground, with the best being the odd Redstart here and there, 2 Turtle Doves in Top Fields and a wandering Buzzard; Swallows passed through in some quantity and a couple more presumed migrant Buzzards passed quickly north.  Seawatching produced 110 Bar-tailed Godwits, 17 Common Scoter, 6 Sandwich Terns, 6 Whimbrel, 4 Arctic, 2 Pomarine and 1 Great Skua, 2 Red-throated Divers and a Manx Shearwater at the Bill, and 61 Common Scoter, 34 Whimbrel, 3 Arctic and a Great Skua off Chesil Beach.

 

    

 Serin - Portland Bill, April 21st 2003 © Martin Cade

  April 21st A shift in wind direction to a warmer south-westerly finally did the trick today and migrants were much more numerous everywhere. Birds of the day were a Serin that was trapped and ringed at the Obs during the morning and a Wryneck that showed up at Southwell in the afternoon. Among the common migrants, Lesser Whitethroats at the Verne and the Bill, and Wood Warblers at the Verne and Weston were additions to the year list. The Verne area also produced 4 Pied Flycatchers, a Ring Ouzel and good numbers of Sylvias, another Pied Flycatcher was at Southwell and there was a good sprinkle of commoner migrants everywhere. Sea passage picked up well, with the highlights being 80 Manx Shearwaters, 58 commic terns, 8 Arctic, 4 Pomarine and 3 Great Skuas, and 5 Red-throated Divers off the Bill, and 100 commic terns, 11 Arctic, 3 Great and 1 Pomarine Skua, 3 Black-throated Divers, 2 Little Gulls and a Mediterranean Gull off Chesil Beach. Thirteen Bar-tailed Godwits were pick of the waders at Ferrybridge. April 20th Predominantly overcast skies again with the chilly wind remaining firmly in the east. At the Bill there was a small influx of 20 Whinchats, but it otherwise remained quiet with totals of just 30 Willow Warblers, 20 Wheatears, 4 Tree Pipits, 4 Whitethroats, 4 Garden Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Redstarts, 2 Redpolls, a Cuckoo, a Robin, a Firecrest and a Yellowhammer; Swallows trickled through all day and 3 Swifts also passed through. Elsewhere the only news was of a Hobby over Barleycrates Lane. The sea provided just 5 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Common Scoter and a Whimbrel. April 19th A much quieter day with the balmy conditions of recent days replaced by a cold north-east wind and a veil of heavy cloud that swept in during the morning. Visible movement and sea passage slowed to a trickle, whilst  grounded migrants were thin on the ground as well as being hard to get to grips with in the strong wind. Cuckoo and Garden Warbler were both additions to the year list at the Bill, where there were also 50 Willow Warblers, 20 Wheatears, 3 Blackcaps, and single Tree Pipit, Redstart, Whinchat, Fieldfare, Whitethroat and Firecrest; a lone Redpoll overhead at Barleycrates Lane was the only worthwhile sighting elsewhere. Odds and sods on the sea at the Bill included 36 Sandwich Terns, 13 Grey Plover, 2 Whimbrel, an Arctic Skua and a Manx Shearwater, whilst Chesil Beach provided 61 Black-headed Gulls, 33 Sandwich, 5 Little and 2 Common Terns, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Whimbrel, 3 Dunlin, 2 Turnstones and a Red-breasted Merganser. Finally, 2 Little Terns and a Mediterranean Gull were at Ferrybridge.

 

 

 Little Owls - Portland Bill, April 18th 2003 © Martin Cade

  April 18th The north and west of the island was the place to be today, with plenty of visible passage along the West Cliffs, a sprinkle of grounded migrants in the Verne Common area and the best of the seawatching off Chesil Beach. Northward passage was very strong along the length of the West Cliffs; Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches and Linnets dominated, but there were also plenty of hirundines, Yellow Wagtails and Tree Pipits, as well as oddities such as a couple of Redpolls. The Verne Common area produced more than 20 Whitethroats, 4 Ring Ouzels and a Buzzard, and another 2 Ring Ouzels were at Grove Point. Elsewhere the thin scatter of grounded birds included several Redstarts and Whinchats on the west side, a Reed Warbler at Reap Lane and single Grey Plover, Nightingale, Fieldfare and Pied Flycatcher at the Bill. Seawatching produced 56 Black-headed Gulls, 13 Little Gulls, 5 Red-throated Divers and a variety of terns and waders off Chesil Beach, but little more than 2 Arctic Skuas and a lone Red-throated Diver off the Bill.

 

 

 Nightingale - Portland Bill, April 17th 2003 © Martin Cade

  April 17th Three year-ticks today in the form of a Hobby in off the sea at the Bill, a Nightingale trapped and ringed at the Obs and a Pied Flycatcher at Southwell School, but common migrants otherwise remained extremely thin on the ground. A flurry of birds between Reap Lane and Tout Quarry, where there were 14 Wheatears, 7 Whitethroats, 6 Redstarts, a White Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail, a Whinchat and a Blackcap, was not replicated at the Bill, where there were just a few Wheatears and Willow Warblers, a Redstart, a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap. With the wind still in the east  there was plenty more visible passage along the West Cliffs, where more than 750 Goldfinches, as well as plenty of hirundines, pipits, wagtails and Linnets were logged. The sea remained fairly quiet, with the Bill producing 40 Sandwich and 18 commic Terns, 36 Common Scoter, 25 Whimbrel, 4 Dunlin, 2 Shoveler, 2 Arctic Skuas, a Red-throated Diver and a Bar-tailed Godwit. April 16th A day of clear blue skies, hot sunshine and even fewer birds than yesterday! One or two Whitethroats appeared back on territory around the island, but new arrivals at the Bill were restricted to a handful of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, 3 Wheatears, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Bullfinches, a Robin and a Redstart. Hirundines, pipits, wagtails and finches trickled overhead all morning but no particularly noteworthy counts were reported anywhere. Interest dwindled on the sea, with morning watches at the Bill producing just 96 Common Scoter, 17 commic terns, 6 Whimbrel, 2 Manx Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua. April 15th Plenty of warm sunshine and less wind than in recent days but still extremely little reward for the many birders tempted into the field, with a pitiful selection of grounded migrants, a meagre overhead passage and a rather lean seawatch. Highlights on the land were the first Whitethroat and Reed Warbler of the year at Southwell and the Obs respectively, 5 Yellow Wagtails at Weston, 4 Song Thrushes at Avalanche Road, a late Brent Goose at Ferrybridge, and 6 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Robins, 2 Goldcrests and a Tree Pipit at the Bill. An hour-long count of visible passage on the West Cliffs provided totals of 168 Linnets, 64 Goldfinches, 28 Swallows, 22 Meadow Pipits, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Sand Martin. Seawatching at the Bill produced 102 Sandwich Terns, 40 Common Scoter, 5 Red-throated Divers, 4 Arctic Skuas, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Whimbrel. April 14th An Osprey and a Marsh Harrier arrived in off the sea at the Bill late in the afternoon, and a Turtle Dove at the Bill and a Swift over New Ground were both rather early, but otherwise the day was something of a repeat of yesterday, with a fair sea passage but next to nothing on the land. Grounded migrants in the Bill area consisted of nothing more than a handful of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, 2 Redstarts, a Grey Heron, a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap. Visible passage was a little more conspicuous than in recent days, with a two hour sample count on the West Cliffs producing 375 Linnets, 126 Meadow Pipits, 54 Swallows, 31 Goldfinches, 6 Sand Martins, 2 Yellow and 2 alba Wagtails, 2 Chiffchaffs and 2 Greenfinches. Morning seawatching at the Bill provided totals of 150 Bar-tailed Godwits, 56 Sandwich, 34 commic, 3 Little and 1 Black Tern, 48 Whimbrel, 14 Common Scoter, 8 Red-throated and a Black-throated Diver, 6 Arctic, 1 Great and 1 Pomarine Skua, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers and 1 Manx Shearwater. Finally, a Red-legged Partridge was seen near Culverwell. April 13th Despite promising-looking cloudy and damp conditions virtually no new grounded migrants arrived, and it was left to the sea to again salvage the day. A few hirundines trickled in off the sea all day, but the only noteworthy new migrant on the land was a Grasshopper Warbler at Weston Corner. The sea was busy throughout the morning, with totals at the Bill of 600 Gannets, 107 Common and 3 Velvet Scoter, 30 Sandwich, 27 commic, 15 Common and an Arctic Tern, 25 Arctic, 3 Great and a Pomarine Skua, 14 Whimbrel, 5 Red-throated Divers, 3 Manx Shearwaters, a Shelduck and a Mediterranean Gull.  April 12th Yesterday's faint promise was not maintained and there was precious little to be found anywhere. Grounded migrants around the Bill area included 10 Wheatears, 5 Chiffchaffs, a Water Rail, a Lapwing, a Yellow Wagtail, a Black Redstart and a Bullfinch, whilst the trickle of movement overhead included 50 Swallows, 10 Sand Martins and 5 House Martins. Seawatching there produced 180 Common Scoter, 9 Eider, 5 Sandwich Terns, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua, whilst a watch off Chesil Beach produced the first Little Tern of the spring, as well as 124 Common Scoter, 5 Sandwich Terns, 2 Brent Geese, 1 Red-throated Diver and 1 Arctic Skua. April 11th Just a hint of a little more movement today with the first small flurry of grounded commoner migrants of the week. The Bill area provided totals of 70 Wheatears, 40 Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, 7 Purple Sandpipers, 3 Redstarts, a Merlin, a Tree Pipit, a Black Redstart and a Goldcrest; visible passage was limited to a trickle of Swallows and Linnets. The only reports from elsewhere were of a Redwing and a Reed Bunting at Suckthumb Quarry. Seawatching was less productive than in recent days, with 82 Common and 2 Velvet Scoter, 3 Red-throated Divers, an Arctic Skua and a Whimbrel logged at the Bill. April 10th A reappearance by the Serin and a trickle of movement offshore salvaged a day when migration otherwise remained at a standstill, with even visible passage drying up completely. The Serin showed up once in the Obs garden and three times in flight near the Bill during the morning, but the only other birds of note on the land were 4 Purple Sandpipers, a Redshank, a Merlin and a Black Redstart in the Bill area. Seawatching at the Bill produced 170 Common and 2 Velvet Scoter, 8 Whimbrel, 3 Red-throated and 1 Great Northern Diver, 3 Great and 1 Arctic Skua and 2 Sandwich Terns.

 

 

 Serin - Portland Bill, April 9th 2003 © Martin Cade

  April 9th There was no repeat of yesterday's excitement, although the first Serin of the spring - a drab female that appeared twice in the Obs garden during the morning - and an overflying Goosander at the Bill were decent highlights on a day when grounded migrants were again all but absent. Small numbers of migrants were still on the move overhead, with 30 Wheatears, a Merlin, a Tree Pipit and a Redpoll seen amongst the trickle of Meadow Pipits, hirundines and finches moving north along the West Cliffs. The only birds of note on the ground were the first Whinchat of the spring, and single Redstart and Black Redstart at the Bill. Interest was maintained on the sea, with watches from the Bill producing 156 Common and 10 Velvet Scoter, 6 Sandwich Terns, 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Common Tern. April 8th Spring finally sprung to life just after midday when a Black Kite arrived in off the sea at the Bill; unfortunately it didn't linger and left quickly to north up the West Cliffs. Further searches for it proved futile, with the only reward being a Hen Harrier that was spotted flying west across the island at Southwell; this bird also passed straight through, being seen shortly afterwards off Chesil Cove before finally making landfall again to the north of Ferrybridge. Visible passage was again quite strong, with 327 Linnets, 104 Meadow Pipits, 34 Goldfinches, 28 Swallows, 4 Wheatears, 3 Sand Martins, 2 alba wagtails, a House Martin, a Willow Warbler and a Greenfinch moving north along the West Cliffs in a two hour sample count during the morning. Grounded migrants were almost non-existent, with the best being single Redwings at the Bill and Barleycrates Lane, a Bullfinch in Top Fields and a Long-tailed Tit near the Obs. The rest of the interest was on the sea, where another up-Channel movement off the Bill provided totals of 230 Common and 16 Velvet Scoter, 8 commic and 4 Sandwich Terns, 4 Red-throated Divers, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Garganey, an Eider and an Arctic Skua.  April 7th A strong and unpleasantly chilly easterly wind had sprung up overnight and spoilt an otherwise fine and sunny day. Passage on the land slowed still further, with only 4 Wheatears, 3 Chiffchaffs, a Water Rail, a Black Redstart and a Siskin found in the Bill area. A few visible migrants were still on the move however, with a two hour count on the West Cliffs producing 143 Linnets, 55 Goldfinches, 40 Meadow Pipits, 4 alba wagtails, a Whimbrel, a Swallow, a Sand Martin and a Greenfinch flying north. Off the Bill, another 325 Common Scoter passed through, along with a steady passage of Common Gulls, 6 Oystercatchers, 6 Whimbrel, 3 Red-throated Divers, the first 2 commic terns of the spring, an Arctic Skua and a lone Sandwich Tern.

 

    

 Raven and Yellowhammer - north Portland, April 6th 2003 © Charlie Moores and Mary Snell

  April 6th Quiet anticyclonic conditions again, but with cloud cover maintained for most of the day. Migrants were surprisingly thin on the ground, with the Bill area providing little more than 40 Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, 10 Wheatears, 6 Purple Sandpipers, a Mallard, a Water Rail, a Grey Plover, a Black Redstart, a Bullfinch and a Reed Bunting. An hour-long count of visible passage on the West Cliffs revealed 145 Linnets, 50 Meadow Pipits, 13 Swallows and 8 Sand Martins passing north; a few other hirundines were logged passing through elsewhere as well. The best birds at other island sites were an Osprey over north Portland and Ferrybridge late in the afternoon, a Ring Ouzel at Suckthumb Quarry and a Redwing at Barleycrates Lane. Offshore, a small up-Channel passage of Common Scoter in the morning provided counts of 186 off the Bill and 133 off Chesil Beach; further totals at these sites included 44 Black-headed Gulls, 11 Velvet Scoter, 2 Red-throated Divers, a Shoveler and an Eider off the Bill, and the same 11 Velvet Scoter, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Sanderling, a Red-throated Diver and an Eider off Chesil. An evening watch off Chesil provided a further 51 Common and 6 Velvet Scoter, as well as 8 Shoveler.

 

 

 Redstart - Portland Bill, April 5th 2003 © Martin Cade

  April 5th Something of a repeat of yesterday, although heavier cloud cover early in the morning dropped proportionately more common migrants. Bird of the day was an Osprey that arrived in off the sea over the Bill in the morning. Willow Warblers remained by far the most numerous species, with more than 100 in the Bill area alone; also there were 25 Wheatears, 10 Swallows, 10 Chiffchaffs, 8 Song Thrushes, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Redstarts, a Grey Plover, a Sand Martin, a Black Redstart, a Ring Ouzel and a Goldcrest. Elsewhere there was a Buzzard over the centre and north of the island again, and another Black Redstart at Reap Lane. Seawatching at the Bill produced 55 Common Scoter, 14 Sandwich Terns, 3 Red-throated Divers and the regular 3 Puffins.

 

 

 Grey Plover - Portland Bill, April 4th 2003 © Martin Cade

  April 4th A little cloud cover at dawn prompted a few Willow Warblers to drop in, but as skies cleared the rest of the day was notable only for balmy summer-like warmth. More than 50 Willow Warbler passed rapidly through the Obs garden soon after dawn, but the only other migrants around the Bill area were 20 Wheatears, 6 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Swallows, a Merlin, a Grey Plover, a Black Redstart, a Ring Ouzel, a Sand Martin, a Goldcrest and yet another new Bullfinch (the eighth individual of this minor Bill-rarity to be trapped and ringed at the Obs so far). Elsewhere, Barleycrates Lane continued its good run of island year-ticks by providing the first Sedge Warbler of the spring. In light offshore winds the sea remained quiet, with just 35 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Shelduck and a Sandwich Tern passing the Bill during the morning. April 3rd A much more pleasant day, but no sign of passage picking up again. The majority of common migrants at the Bill seemed to be left-overs from recent days: among the small numbers of Wheatears, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Goldcrests, there were single Ring Ouzel, Black Redstart, Blackcap and Bullfinch; visible passage consisted of no more than a few Linnets, 2 Swallows and a Yellow Wagtail. Elsewhere the only birds of note were 3 Buzzards soaring over the centre of the island. Morning seawatching at the Bill produced just 2 Common Scoter. April 2nd In chilly north-westerlies, with frequent showers through the morning, most of the interest today was on the sea. Watches at the Bill produced the first Arctic Skua of the spring, along with 7 Common and a Velvet Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Puffins, a Red-throated Diver and a Sandwich Tern; 6 Purple Sandpipers and a Turnstone were also on the rocks at the Bill-tip. On the land there were a handful of Wheatears, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests, as well as a Ring Ouzel and a Blackcap. Two Sandwich Terns were at Ferrybridge. April 1st Yesterday's Hoopoe(s) couldn't be found and the bird of the day was another Osprey that passed though along the east side of the island during the morning. In blustery westerlies and frequent showers there was not much to be found on the land: among small numbers of Wheatears, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Goldcrests, there were a couple of Mallards, a Ring Ouzel and a Reed Bunting at the Bill, and another Reed Bunting at Weston. Off the Bill, 2 Manx Shearwaters were the first of the year and 22 Common Scoter, 14 Eider, 7 Red-throated Divers and 3 Curlews passed by; a flock of 21 Cormorants also arrived from the south and a Red-breasted Merganser was settled off the East Cliffs.