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.

November 2001

November 30th A miserable, damp day. The only birding done confirmed the continuing presence of the 3 Velvet Scoters off the East Cliffs at the Bill. November 29th  Another wet and windy day, with the only sightings of note being of the Common and Velvet Scoters still off the Bill, and a fly-by Great Northern Diver there. November 28th The only news today came from the Bill where there were 4 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstones and a Ringed Plover on the shore at the Bill itself, the Common and Velvet Scoters still lingering offshore, and a Pomarine Skua and 2 Red-throated Divers passing through. November 27th A strengthening westerly wind and frequent heavy showers saw to it that today was another seawatching day. Watches at the Bill produced 1200 Kittiwakes and 1000 Gannets, as well as 2 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, and a lone Great Crested Grebe; small numbers of Fulmars have also now reappeared offshore after their moult absence. The Common and Velvet Scoters were still off the East Cliffs, with the numbers of the former having now fallen to 70. The only bird of note on the land was a Black Redstart at Weston. November 26th A ridge of high pressure quietened the weather but late migrants were not very conspicuous. There was a thin scatter of thrushes and finches, including 4 Siskins at Easton and a Brambling at the Bill, but the only other noteworthy birds tempted out by the sunshine were a Water Rail, a Blackcap and a Goldcrest at Culverwell, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff at Pennsylvania Castle. The wintering Buzzard wandered widely and was joined by a second individual over Weston in the afternoon. Off the Bill, the Common and Velvet Scoters were still present, and 8 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver passed through. November 25th The long spell of dry weather ended with a day of almost constant rain or drizzle and there were few birders out in the field. Nothing of note was seen on the land, and seawatching at the Bill produced just a Red-throated Diver and a Brent Goose in addition to the Velvet and Common Scoters that were still lingering offshore. November 24th More very good weather but a distinct lack of good birds. The Buzzard remained at the Bill, and the trickle of late migrants there included 6 Redwings, 2 Fieldfares, a Golden Plover, a Blackcap and a Siskin. The Velvet and Common Scoters were still off the East Cliffs at the Bill, and a lone Red-throated Diver passed by offshore. November 23rd A calm and sunny day that produced another flurry of late migrants. Finches were conspicuous, with plenty of new Chaffinches, Linnets, Greenfinches and Goldfinches as well as several Bramblings, Redpolls and Siskins at the Bill. Also there were 5 Redwings, 4 Reed Buntings, 3 Golden Plover, 2 Snipe, a Lapwing, a Black Redstart, a Mistle Thrush, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest. The Scoter flock off the Bill again included 2 Velvet Scoter, and fly-bys there included 5 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Little Auk. A few more wintering birds are now appearing in Portland Harbour, where there were 5 Black-necked and a Red-necked Grebe, and a Black-throated Diver today. November 22nd Another very quiet day. In addition to the long-staying Buzzard and 6 wintering Purple Sandpipers the Bill area produced just a late Swallow, a Redwing and a Redpoll. Offshore there was still at least 1 Velvet Scoter with the Common Scoter flock. Elsewhere a Spoonbill made a brief visit to Ferrybridge in the morning and a single Eider was in Portland Harbour. November 21st A much quieter day, with the few birds around staying well hidden as the south-west wind freshened through the day. The only noteworthy late migrants were a couple of Bramblings and a Blackcap at the Bill, and a flock of 1500 Starlings moving north up the West Cliffs at Weston. The Common and Velvet Scoters  remained off the Bill, where a lone Great Northern Diver also passed through.

 

'eastern' Chiffchaff - Portland Bill, November 20th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 20th There was another good scatter of migrants around the island, although the numbers of thrushes and finches were not as high as in recent days. Among the new arrivals in the Bill area were a Golden Plover, a Snipe, a Blackcap, an 'eastern' abietinus/tristis Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest, whilst elsewhere there was still a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Pennsylvania Castle, and several Goldcrests were in sheltered spots around the centre of the island. At least 1 Velvet Scoter remained with the Common Scoter flock off the Bill. November 19th Migrants remained on the move in surprisingly good numbers. Among the scatter of thrushes and finches around the Bill area there was also a Water Rail, a Snipe, a Blackcap and a Goldcrest; the Purple Sandpiper flock also increased to 12. Elsewhere there were 6 Goldcrests, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Chiffchaff and a Bullfinch at Pennsylvania Castle, and another Chiffchaff at Avalanche Road. The 3 Velvet Scoter were still off the Bill with the resident flock of Common Scoter, and fly-bys there included 6 Brent Geese, 2 Shoveler and a Red-throated Diver.

 

Velvet Scoter - Portland Bill, November 18th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 18th There was no sign of the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler today despite plenty of searching. Late migrants continued to trickle through at the Bill, where there were a few thrushes, 4 Bramblings, 3 Goldcrests and a Blackcap; the long-staying Buzzard that has been seen several times over the last fortnight was also still there. Offshore, the 3 Velvet Scoter were still present along with the flock of around 100 Common Scoter.  November 17th The Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was still present around the Obs garden today but it was generally extremely elusive in the strong easterly wind that made any birding on the land pretty difficult. The only other birds of note around the Bill area were 10 Redwings, 2 Fieldfares and a Merlin. The sea was quite productive with 3 Velvet Scoters among the resident flock of Common Scoter off the Bill, a fly-by Red-necked Grebe,  and a motley selection of other passing wildfowl including 8 Wigeon, 2 Shovelers, 2 Mallard, a Pochard and a Red-breasted Merganser. November 16th The Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was still present and showed well throughout the morning; it became much more elusive in the early  afternoon and was seen just once more before being retrapped just prior to dusk (its weight had increased from 5.5gms on first capture yesterday to 6.4 gms). Under heavily overcast skies at dawn thrushes and finches were conspicuous everywhere, with counts at the Bill of 120 Redwings, 100 Blackbirds, 40 Bramblings and 30 Fieldfares; later more than 600 Starlings also passed through at the Bill. The rest of the day was quieter, although 2 new Chiffchaffs were found at Southwell and a late Swallow passed through at the Bill. Off the Bill, 3 Velvet Scoter joined the Common Scoter flock that had increased to nearly 100.

 

  

Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler - Portland Bill, November 15th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 15th The recent flurry of interest continued today with the discovery of a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in the Obs garden; it was trapped and ringed late in the morning (in-hand pictures) and showed well throughout the rest of the day. Migrants were otherwise in fairly short supply, although there was a northward movement of 1000 Starlings, as well as a trickle of thrushes and finches passing through all day. The only other scarce migrant seen was a Hen Harrier that flew north over Weston in the afternoon. November 14th Late migrants were on the move in some numbers again today, with the Bill area producing counts of 70 Redwings, 60 Chaffinches, 50 Blackbirds, 30 Fieldfares, 15 Lapwings, 8 Bramblings, 5 Redpolls, 3 Snipe, 2 Siskins, 2 Goldcrests, a Mistle Thrush and a Blackcap. Elsewhere there was still a Firecrest at Pennsylvania Castle. The resident flock of Common Scoter remained off the Bill, where there were also 10 Wigeon, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Teal.

 

Fieldfare - Portland Bill, November 13th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 13th There was no sign all day of the Blyth's Reed Warbler, and unfortunately nothing of great note arrived in its place. A total of 50 Fieldfares passed through at the Bill and Southwell, but otherwise the south of the island produced just a handful of Redwings and Chaffinches, a Blackcap, a Goldcrest and a Redpoll. The Pennsylvania Castle area was busier, with totals of 14 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff, a Firecrest, a Treecreeper and the first Coal Tit of the autumn. The resident flock of 70 Common Scoter were still off the Bill, but the only other bird of note offshore was a single Arctic Skua.

 

  

Blyth's Reed Warbler - Portland Bill, November 12th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 12th After the unexpectedly busy weekend there was a marked absence of common migrants, but this was more than made up for when a Blyth's Reed Warbler was trapped and ringed at the Obs during the morning; it proved very elusive but was later retrapped, and at the end of the day showed well in the same ivy patch on the edge of the Obs garden that the 'mystery Acrocephalus' frequented in late October/early November. A few thrushes and finches passed overhead through the morning, but the only other birds of interest on the land were a Short-eared Owl at the Bill and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Barleycrates Lane. The resident flock of 70 Common Scoter, as well as single Arctic and Great Skuas were still lingering offshore, and single Red-throated and Great Northern Divers were also seen passing the Bill.  November 11th Thrushes, finches and Starlings were again on the move in good numbers all day, with the highlights being movements of 2250 Starlings in off the sea at the Bill, and 1100 Chaffinches passing north up the West Cliffs at Weston. Other records on the land included 4 Mistle Thrushes, 3 Blackcaps, a Little Egret, a Woodcock and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, and a Black Redstart at Reap Lane. The sea was also productive: 3 settled Little Auks were along the East Cliffs at the Bill early in the morning, the Common Scoter flock offshore increased to 70, and 2 Great and 2 Arctic Skuas lingered offshore all morning. Another Little Auk was reported from Portland Harbour in the morning.

 

  

Redpoll and Little Auk - Portland Bill, November 10th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 10th A big improvement in the weather and quite a few more birds about. Thrushes and finches, especially Blackbirds and Redpolls, passed through in good numbers, and there was also a decent northward movement of Lapwings and Starlings. A Long-eared Owl was seen early in the morning at Portland Heights, and later another arrived in off the sea at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill produced a few divers and wildfowl, as well as a single fly-by Little Auk; a further 2 Little Auks were later found settled off the East Cliffs. Waders at Ferrybridge included 95 Dunlin, and nearby there were 2 Eider and a Little Auk in Portland Harbour. November 9th The wind stayed as strong and cold but a subtle change towards the east produced a few more late migrants. All the reports again came from the Bill area where the constant trickle of finches included 15 Bramblings, 6 Siskins and 3 Redpolls; also there were 2 Chiffchaffs, a Lapwing, a Snipe, a late Ring Ouzel and a Reed Bunting. A few Brent Geese and Black-headed Gulls passed on the sea, and the settled flock of Common Scoter again numbered over 30. November 8th A blast of bitter northerly winds did nothing to improve the birding. The only reports were from the Bill area where there were just 3 Chaffinches, a Fieldfare and a Redpoll on the land, and 34 Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver on the sea.

 

Yellow-legged Gull - Portland Bill, November 7th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 7th Strong westerly winds again dominated and the only migrants around the Bill area were 6 Chaffinches, 2 Redwings, 2 Fieldfares, 2 Goldcrests and a Short-eared Owl; elsewhere, the sheltered east side of the island produced a few Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests, and a single Blackcap. Another Little Auk passed the Bill, but the only other birds of note offshore were 44 Common Scoter, 2 Mallard and an unidentified diver; additionally, a Yellow-legged Gull joined the flock of storm-driven gulls on the Common at the Bill in the morning. November 6th Stiff westerly winds are rarely productive in November, and today proved no exception. Eight Chaffinches, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Redpolls, a Swallow, a Redwing and a Chiffchaff were the only late migrants logged at the Bill. Seawatching there produced the highlight of the day in the form of lone Little Auk, although the only other birds of note were 16 Common Scoter. 

 

Woodcock - Southwell, November 5th 2001 © Martin Cade

  November 5th More of the same today, with a light passage of thrushes and finches overhead but little of note on the ground. The Bill area produced totals including 30 Redpolls, 15 Swallows, 9 Bramblings, 4 Siskins, a Buzzard, a Snipe and a Bullfinch, and elsewhere there was a Woodcock at Southwell and a Treecreeper at Pennsylvania Castle. November 4th The unidentified Acrocephalus seems to have left - it was not seen all day despite plenty of searching. Common migrants remained sparsely spread, with fly-over thrushes and finches again dominating, and the only scarcer species noted were several Black Redstarts, a Merlin and a Mistle Thrush. Seawatching at the Bill produced 27 Common and a Velvet Scoter, 3 Wigeon, a Red-throated Diver and a Mediterranean Gull. November 3rd The mystery Acrocephalus showed well again at the Obs, but the only other scarce migrants reported today were several Firecrests and Black Redstarts, a Short-eared Owl and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Common migrants were still rather thin on the ground, with just a meagre passage overhead and precious little grounded around the island. Winter visitors are now starting to arrive in Portland Harbour, where there were 4 Slavonian and 3 Black-necked Grebes along with good numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers. November 2nd The unidentified Acrocephalus was still at the Obs, and 2 Spoonbills seen briefly at Ferrybridge at midday were a very good island rarity. Common migrants were in short supply, and consisted mainly of small numbers of fly-over pigeons, thrushes and finches. Oddities included a Dartford Warbler at Barleycrates Lane, a Treecreeper at Pennsylvania Castle  and a Corn Bunting at the Bill. Seawatching was unexpectedly interesting, with 50 Common Scoter, 8 Eider, a Red-breasted Merganser, an Arctic Skua and a Little Auk off the Bill November 1st The unidentified Acrocephalus was still showing well at the Obs, but it was otherwise a day of fly-over late migrants. The variety of pigeons, thrushes, finches and buntings passing through in the morning included a good count of 11 Mistle Thrushes, but grounded migrants were all in low numbers. The only scarcer migrants reported were 3 Firecrests at Pennsylvania Castle and another at Southwell, single Ring Ouzels at the Bill and East Weare, a Short-eared Owl at the Bill, and a Buzzard over Southwell.