August 2004

                                                 

   

  Pied Flycatcher - Portland Bill, August 31st 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 31st Something of a return to summer weather-wise although the crystal-clear moonlit night and warm sunny day saw to it that grounded migrants were hardly conspicuous. Hirundines were overhead in quantity all day, but otherwise the best the Bill area could offer were 4 Pied Flycatchers, a Merlin and the first Kingfisher of the autumn. In light offshore winds nothing much was expected from the sea so the 4 passing Great Skuas were a bonus at the Bill. Waders remain numerous at Ferrybridge, where 11 Knot and a Golden Plover made brief visits and another party of 20 Knot passed overhead without stopping. August 30th Today's excitement came late in the afternoon when 2 White Storks were spotted flying low over Weston; after leaving out to sea off Blacknor and Chesil Cove they came ashore again over Ferrybridge before carrying on to the north over Weymouth. It otherwise remained quiet in brisk north-westerly winds, with a very light sprinkle of common migrants in the Bill area included nothing much better than 4 Whinchats, 3 Grey Wagtails, 2 Tree Pipits, a Sedge Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher, whilst seawatching there produced just 4 Great and an Arctic Skua, 3 Common Scoter and 2 Manx Shearwaters. August 29th Pretty poor all round today with a freshening westerly wind not only spoiling birding on the land but also failing to produce much on the sea. The few birds at the Bill included 5 Snipe and a Pied Flycatcher, as well as a fly-over Little Egret. Seawatching there provided totals of 32 Common Scoter, 8 Arctic and 4 Great Skuas, 4 Black Terns and a Manx Shearwater, whilst the best of the waders at Ferrybridge were 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Sanderling and a Knot. August 28th A day of good variety if not great numbers in much improved weather conditions. The Barred Warbler was again on show in Top Fields at the Bill, whilst the most conspicuous commoner migrants were hirundines, Wheatears and early morning fly-over Yellow Wagtails and Tree Pipits (the latter totalled over 30 at the Bill and 20 at Suckthumb Quarry). Smaller numbers of most of the other expected migrants were scattered around the island, with the best being 3 Pied Flycatchers, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Reed Bunting at the Bill. The sea provided a few oddities, including a Tufted Duck, a Grey Plover and singles of Long-tailed, Great and Arctic Skua passing the Bill. August 27th Wet and windy conditions restricted most birders to seawatching this morning, with totals of 16 Common Scoter, 12 Great Skuas, 6 Arctic Skuas, 4 commic terns, 3 Manx Shearwaters and a Pomarine Skua logged at the Bill. The handful of migrants on the land included a Merlin, a Blackcap and a Pied Flycatcher at the Bill. August 26th The main change today was the disappearance of the Hoopoe and the reappearance of last weekend's Barred Warbler not too far from where it had originally been seen in Top Fields at the Bill. Yellow Wagtails are beginning to feature strongly in the common migrant line-up, with more than 70 at the Bill today, whilst Wheatears still number around 80 there. Most other migrants were in short supply, with 3 Pied Flycatchers being about the best of the supporting cast at the Bill. August 25th Precious little change today, with the Hoopoe still present at the Bill and just a handful of commoner migrants on land and sea. Apart from continuing good numbers of Wheatears the pick of the birds at the Bill were 3 Whimbrel, 3 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, 2 Whinchats, 2 Garden Warblers, a Merlin, a Greenshank, a Grey Wagtail and a Reed Warbler, with the sea there producing 15 Manx and 2 Balearic Shearwaters. The only other news was from Ferrybridge where there were 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Greenshank, a Sanderling and a Knot among the good numbers of commoner waders. August 24th The Hoopoe remained in Top Fields at the Bill but it was otherwise a very quiet day on land and sea. Wheatears were still by far the most conspicuous migrants at the Bill, where they numbered around 75, whilst 3 Pied Flycatchers and a Turtle Dove again constituted the only faintly noteworthy scarcer migrants on view there. With the strong wind having veered into the west the only sea-passage of interest was of 3 Great Skuas, 3 Arctic Skuas and a Manx Sheawater passing the Bill.

                                                 

   

  Hoopoe - Portland Bill, August 23rd 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 23rd A Hoopoe in Top Fields at the Bill was a good autumn record but the land otherwise remained rather quiet; Wheatears numbered in excess of 50 at both the Bill and Barleycrates Lane, and 5 Pied Flycatchers and 3 Turtle Doves were noteworthy sightings at the Bill. In brisk south-westerlies there was plenty of interest on the sea, with 10 Great, 8 Arctic and a Long-tailed Skua, and 5 Balearic and a Sooty Shearwater passing the Bill; the same Long-tailed Skua was also seen at Chesil Cove, where 6 Gadwall and 2 Arctic Skuas also passed through. August 22nd A poor man's re-run of yesterday, with no rarity and much lower numbers of the same variety of migrants. At the Bill only Sand Martins, Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears and Willow Warblers struggled into double figures, the first Grey Wagtail and Turtle Dove of the autumn passed through and scarcer migrants included a Golden Plover, a Merlin, a Hobby and a Knot. A strengthening south-east wind perked up the sea a little, with 60 Common Scoter, 10 Sandwich Terns, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Great Skuas and 4 Arctic Skuas passing through off the Bill.

                                                 

      

      

  Bar-tailed Godwit, Barred Warbler and Whitethroat - Ferrybridge and Portland Bill, August 21st 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 21st A stiff north-west wind persisted throughout the night but with skies completely clearing for the first time for several days common  migrants got moving in quantity and there was a decent fall of birds at dawn. The Bill area seemed particularly favoured but in the fair weather nothing lingered there for long and the rest of island picked up plenty of birds as the day went on. A Barred Warbler in the Admiralty Hedge at the Bill for a while early in the morning was the only rarity discovered, but counts of common migrants at the Bill included 700 Wheatears, 300 Willow Warblers, 100 Whitethroats, 50 Yellow Wagtails, 25 Tree Pipits, 25 Whinchats, 15 Sedge Warblers, 10 Pied Flycatchers, 8 Redstarts, 6 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Sanderling, 2 Reed Warblers, a Grey Heron, a Merlin, a Hobby, a Ringed Plover, a Turnstone, a Blackcap and a Garden Warbler. The sea provided odds and sods including 3 Manx Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua passing the Bill, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 4 Sanderling, 3 Knot and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits. August 20th Grim pickings again today, with the Bill area producing 50 Wheatears but not even double-figure totals of any of the few other species of migrants seen. The sea salvaged something with 6 Manx, 2 Sooty and a Balearic Shearwater passing the Bill during the morning.

                                                 

 

   Knot - Ferrybridge, August 19th 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 19th Early heavy showers gave way to pleasant sunshine but a blustery westerly wind persisted throughout the day. A Roseate Tern passing the Bill was a good highlight, but the sea was otherwise very quiet and produced just 10 Ringed Plover, 7 Common Scoter, a Manx Shearwater, a Balearic Shearwater and an Arctic Skua. The best the land could offer was 50 Wheatears, 3 Pied and a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Sedge Warblers and a Snipe at the Bill. The pick of the waders at Ferrybridge were 4 Sanderling and 2 Knot. August 18th The sea provided most of the interest today, with 7 Manx, 5 Balearic and a Sooty Shearwater, 3 Great Skuas and the first 2 Guillemots for several weeks passing through off the Bill. Wheatears totalled at least 70 at the Bill but were the only migrants that were at all conspicuous on the land, with otherwise just a few hirundines, 10 Willow Warblers, 8 Whitethroats, 2 Swifts, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Pied Flycatchers, a Turnstone, a Tree Pipit and a Whinchat to show for searches of the Bill area. Ferrybridge provided totals including 250 Ringed Plover, 105 Great Black-backed Gulls, 16 Sandwich and 7 Common Terns, 2 Knot and a Sanderling. August 17th With the much-vaunted wind and rain holding off until late in the day there was ample opportunity to discover that it was still pretty quiet everywhere. The Bill area produced 70 Wheatears, 35 Sand Martins, 20 Willow Warblers, 4 Whinchats, 4 Pied Flycatchers, 3 Swifts, 3 Tree Pipits, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Yellow Wagtail, a Reed Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher, whilst the sea there came up with nothing more than 4 Common Scoter, 2 Great Skuas, a Manx Shearwater and an Arctic Skua. August 16th Yesterday's flurry of interest on land and sea proved to be short-lived, with the only news today being of 75 Wheatears, 20 Willow Warblers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and a Pied Flycatcher at the Bill, where 9 Common Scoter and a Great Skua passed through on the sea.

                                                 

 

   Tree Pipit - Portland Bill, August 15th 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 15th Misty, murky conditions didn't produce a big fall but there was enough to keep interest going, with 50 Willow Warblers, 40 Wheatears, 15 Pied Flycatchers, 6 Sedge Warblers, 3 Tree Pipits and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill. The sea provided constant interest if not a heavy passage, with 43 Oystercatchers, 24 Common Scoter, 23 Dunlin, 11 Great Skuas, a Balearic Shearwater and a Long-tailed Skua passing the Bill through the day. Waders were plentiful at Ferrybridge, where counts included 275 Ringed Plover, 250 Dunlin, 5 Sanderling, a Knot and a Bar-tailed Godwit. August 14th A pleasantly warm and sunny day that provided signs of things beginning to pick up on the land, with totals in the Bill area of 80 Wheatears, 60 Willow Warblers, 10 Tree Pipits, 8 Sedge Warblers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 4 Sanderling, 4 Whinchats, 4 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, a Golden Plover, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and a Spotted Flycatcher; 3 more Spotted Flycatchers were also at Verne Common. A lone Arctic Skua was the only noteworthy sighting on the sea at the Bill. August 13th Passerine movement remained at a standstill although new waders continued to show up at Ferrybridge. Odds and sods in the Bill area included 33 Wheatears, 12 Sand Martins, 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Pied Flycatchers, a Sedge Warbler and a Ringed Plover; elsewhere the only report of interest was of an unseasonable Goldcrest at Easton. A Great Skua passed overhead at Ferrybridge, whilst the shore there produced 200 Dunlin, 6 Common Sandpipers, 4 Knot, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Curlew and a Black-tailed Godwit.

                                                 

 

   Little Stint - Ferrybridge, August 12th 2004 © Chris Courtaux

  August 12th If a description of dire applied to yesterday's numbers on the land then the description of today's is best left unprinted. The Bill area producing just 12 Wheatears, 6 Willow Warblers, 2 Grey Herons and a Garden Warbler, with seawatching there revealing nothing more than 7 Common Scoter, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Turnstone and an Arctic Skua. Elsewhere, a fly-over Wood Sandpiper was a good record at the Grove, a Reed Warbler was at Southwell and a Little Stint put in a brief appearance at Ferrybridge during the afternoon.

                                                 

 

   Mediterranean Gull - Ferrybridge, August 11th 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 11th Pretty dire numbers of common migrants today, with just 16 Willow Warblers, 15 Wheatears, 3 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers and a Grasshopper Warbler at the Bill. Seawatching at the Bill produced 25 Common Scoter, 6 Sandwich Terns, 3 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Arctic Skuas, whilst Ferrybridge provided 2 Sanderling, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Mediterranean Gull. August 10th The unsettled conditions of the past couple of days gave way to pleasant warm sunshine but there was no upsurge in migrant numbers, with the Bill area producing nothing more than 100 Swifts, 50 Willow Warblers, 30 Sand Martins, 25 Wheatears, 4 Sedge Warblers, 3 Garden Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatchers, a Grey Heron and a Dunlin; 18 Common Scoter and single Manx and Balearic Shearwaters passed through on the sea there. August 9th A dearth of Willow Warblers - usually the most conspicuous of the commoner migrants on the land at this time of year - masked evidence of a little more movement today, with 200 Swifts, 30 Wheatears, 10 Sedge Warblers, 4 Pied and a Spotted Flycatcher, a Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and a Lesser Whitethroat in the Bill area. Sea interest died off, with nothing more than 2 Manx Shearwaters passing the Bill.

                                                 

 

   Swallow - Portland Bill, August 8th 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 8th The land remained very quiet, with nothing better at the Bill than a Sedge Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher. Fortunately the sea proved slightly better than of late, with 16 Common Scoter, 3 Manx and 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Dunlin, 3 Great Skuas, 2 commic terns and a Sandwich Tern passing through off the Bill. August 7th With thick fog blanketing this part of the coast over night and into the morning it seemed as though most migrants passed overhead oblivious to the attractions of Oasis Portland. Plenty of scrutiny of the Bill area turned up just 10 Willow Warblers, 9 Wheatears, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Turnstones, 2 Garden Warblers and the first returning Purple Sandpiper of the autumn. With the fog preventing anything other than the occasional glimpse of the sea it was no surprise that only 14 Common Scoter were spotted passing through. In the evening there were 130 Ringed Plover, 120 Dunlin, a Sanderling and a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge.

                                                 

 

   Wheatear - Portland Bill, August 6th 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 6th Extremely quiet today, with reports only from the Bill where there were 20 Willow Warblers, 15 Wheatears, 3 Garden Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Sedge Warbler on the land, and 7 Common Scoter, an Arctic Skua and an Arctic Tern on the sea.

                                                 

     

   Sedge Warbler and Ringed Plover - Portland Bill and Ferrybridge, August 5th 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 5th A small fall of Willow Warblers saw numbers increase to 100 at the Bill, where there were also 10 Wheatears, 4 Sedge Warblers, 3 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Garden Warblers, a Ringed Plover and a Reed Warbler, as well as around 200 Swifts overhead. Elsewhere, a Redpoll passed over at Barleycrates Lane and there were 125 Ringed Plovers, 60 Dunlin, 8 Redshank and 4 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. August 4th Something of nothing bird-wise, with just a handful of common migrants everywhere. The Bill area came up with nothing more than 30 Willow Warblers, 15 Wheatears, 4 Tree Pipits, 4 Sedge Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, a Whimbrel, a Reed Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher, whilst the best of the waders at Ferrybridge were a high count of 94 Ringed Plovers, along with a Common Sandpiper, a Curlew and a Whimbrel. August 3rd Despite some more heavy thundery rain overnight there was still nothing in the way of numbers of common migrants, although a Moorhen and a Green Sandpiper at the Bill and a Wood Sandpiper at Ferrybridge did provide some quality. The Bill area also produced 20 Willow Warblers, 12 Wheatears, 5 Sedge Warblers, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Pied Flycatchers, a Dunlin and a Ringed Plover, whilst there were also 3 Sanderling, a Grey Plover and a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge.

                                                 

 

   waders, gulls and terns - Ferrybridge, August 2nd 2004 © Martin Cade

  August 2nd A pre-dawn thundery shower did nothing to improve migrant numbers at the Bill, where there were just 15 Willow Warblers, 12 Sand Martins, 7 Wheatears, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher. Ferrybridge was more productive, with 370 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling, a Common Sandpiper, a Mediterranean Gull and a Little Tern the pick of the bunch on the falling tide at midday. August 1st Quiet again in very hot and sunny weather, with the Bill area producing just 25 Willow Warblers, 8 Wheatears, a Green Sandpiper, a Tree Pipit and a Sedge Warbler; elsewhere there was a Cuckoo at Verne Common and a Common Sandpiper at Ferrybridge. Seawatching at the Bill produced just 18 Common Scoter, 8 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Manx Shearwater.

July 2004

July 31st Not so much to see today, with 40 Willow Warblers, 25 Sand Martins, 19 Wheatears, 8 Sedge Warblers, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel and 1 Garden Warbler at the Bill, where the sea produced just 2 Common Scoter, 1 Manx Shearwater and 1 Arctic Skua. July 30th Rather surprisingly bearing in mind the crystal clear skies at dawn the island played host to the best flurry of migrants so far this autumn, with 120 Willow Warblers, 20 Sedge Warblers, 5 Wheatears, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Whimbrel and a Garden Warbler counted in the Bill area alone. Seawatching came up with nothing better than 17 Common Scoter and a Great Skua passing the Bill, whilst 5 Sanderling were among the commoner waders at Ferrybridge. July 29th Bird of the day today was a Honey Buzzard that showed up twice in the early afternoon over Verne Common. Both land and sea were otherwise pretty quiet, with 20 Willow Warblers, 8 Sedge Warblers, 4 Wheatears and 2 Reed Warblers in the Bill area, 15 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Black-headed Gull passing through on the sea there and 140 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling and 2 Green Sandpipers at Ferrybridge. July 28th Quieter on the land today, with just 25 Willow Warblers, 7 Wheatears, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Grey Heron and a Greenshank at the Bill, where seawatching produced 49 Common Scoter, 4 Great Skuas, a Balearic Shearwater and a Whimbrel. 

                                                 

   

       

   Mediterranean Gull, Willow Warbler and Little Stint - Ferrybridge and Portland Bill, July 27th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 27th Similar to recent days at the Bill, where there were 40 Sand Martins, 40 Willow Warblers, 7 Sedge Warblers, 6 Wheatears, 3 Common Sandpipers, a Curlew, a Ringed Plover and a Garden Warbler on the land and 30 Common Scoter, 9 commic terns, 2 Whimbrel, a Balearic Shearwater, a Great Skua and a Sandwich Tern on the sea. Ferrybridge provided 7 Sanderling, 1 Little Stint and a Mediterranean Gull along with good numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plover. July 26th Better coverage of the Bill area saw 40 Willow Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Ringed Plover, a Wheatear and a Grasshopper Warbler logged on the land and 5 Common Scoter, 3 Whimbrel, 3 Black-headed Gulls, a Balearic Shearwater, a Little Egret, an Arctic Skua and a Mediterranean Gull seen during morning seawatches. Elsewhere there were 7 Sanderling among the commoner waders at Ferrybridge. July 25th  The Obs annual open day got in the way of serious birding today and the only news from the Bill was of a scatter of Willow Warblers and 2 Sedge Warblers on the land, a few Sand Martins passing through overhead and 17 Common Scoter, 2 Common Terns, a Manx and a Balearic Shearwater, a Great Skua and a skua sp passing on the sea.

                                                 

  

   Yellow Wagtail - Southwell, July 24th 2004 © Debby Saunders

  July 24th More of the same again, with the Bill area producing 35 Sand Martins, 25 Willow Warblers, 5 Wheatears, 5 Sedge Warblers, 2 Dunlin, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, a Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, a Reed Warbler and a Garden Warbler; elsewhere there was a Cuckoo at Suckthumb Quarry and a Yellow Wagtail at Southwell. A total of 85 Common Scoter passed the Bill during the morning and a lone Mediterranean Gull passed through later in the day. July 23rd Another minor flurry of migrants this morning, with 25 Willow Warblers, 12 Sand Martins, 4 Wheatears, a Ringed Plover, a Curlew and a Garden Warbler at the Bill. Seawatching there produced 3 Sandwich Terns, a Mediterranean Gull, a Common Gull and a Black-headed Gull. In the evening there were 80 Dunlin, 45 Ringed Plovers, 2 Sanderling, 2 Curlew and a Redshank at Ferrybridge. July 22nd A promising-looking overcast, muggy and damp dawn that would no doubt have produced a hatful of migrants in a few weeks time nonetheless dropped a surprising selection of birds for so early in the autumn, with the Bill area providing totals of 6 Willow Warblers, 4 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Lapwing, a Ringed Plover, a Wheatear, a Whinchat and a Garden Warbler. The only news from elsewhere was of 178 Dunlin, 49 Ringed Plovers, 3 Curlew and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge.

                                                 

     

   Little Owl - Portland Bill, July 21st 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 21st A fly-over Crossbill was a quality new arrival at the Bill, where other migrants included a Common Sandpiper, a Wheatear and a Willow Warbler; the long-staying Pheasant was also still present and the family group of Little Owls continued to show well in the Obs Quarry. Seawatching there produced just 53 Common Scoter and a Sandwich Tern. July 20th The first 2 Sedge Warblers and first 2 Willow Warblers of the autumn were new arrivals at the Bill, along with 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, a Grey Heron and a handful of over-flying Sand Martins. The sea provided just 39 Common Scoter, 2 commic terns and a Manx Shearwater, whilst there were 120 Dunlin and 2 Sandwich Terns at Ferrybridge. July 19th Early autumn migrants today included 67 Sand Martins, 3 Whimbrel, a Green Sandpiper, a Yellow Wagtail and a Reed Warbler at the Bill, where there were also 2 Yellowhammers. Nine Common Scoter and 9 commic terns also passed through on the sea at the Bill, 10 Common Terns and a Black Tern flew overhead at Ferrybridge and single Mediterranean Gulls were at Ferrybridge and Chesil Cove. July 18th There was a small movement of Sand Martins overhead, but otherwise most of the interest today was on the sea, with totals of 111 Common Scoter, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 5 commic terns, 1 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Arctic Skua and 1 Great Skua passing through off the Bill.

                                                 

     

   Marsh Warbler - Portland Bill, July 17th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 17th Having failed with the early July rarity in the nets there was some compensation today when a Marsh Warbler was trapped and ringed in the Obs garden late in the morning; it was released into the Obs Quarry where brief searches later in the day failed to reveal any sign of it. Seawatching at the Bill produced 87 Common Scoter, a Shoveler and a Great Skua, whilst an Arctic Skua flew over Ferrybridge where there were also 130 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 9 Oystercatchers, 7 Common Terns, 2 Sanderling and a Wheatear.

                                                 

     

   Little Egret - Ferrybridge, July 16th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 16th Late afternoon update. Just typical mid-July fare today, with 13 Common Scoter and a Great Skua past the Bill (where the last few tardy Guillemots and Razorbills remain offshore but no Puffins have been seen for a couple of days) and 96 Dunlin, 7 Sanderling, 6 Common Terns, a Little Egret and a Wheatear at Ferrybridge.  July 15th Hardly a bumper selection of news, with just 30 Common Scoter and a Sandwich Tern past the Bill and a single Common Sandpiper at Grove Point. July 14th Very little to report today. A single Chiffchaff was at the Bill, whilst Ferrybridge produced 109 Dunlin, 5 Sanderling, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Little Terns, 3 Common Terns, a Great Crested Grebe, a Curlew and a Sandwich Tern.

                                                 

       

   Sand Martin and Gannets - Portland Bill, July 10th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 13th Sand Martins were again conspicuous, with more than 300 feeding over Top Fields and further small parties leaving to the south from the Bill throughout the morning. The Bill area also produced 2 Grey Herons and a Little Egret, with 11 Common Scoter, 2 Manx and a Balearic Shearwater and a Whimbrel passing on the sea. Dunlin increased to 125 at Ferrybridge, but there was otherwise just a Curlew and a Little Tern there. July 12th A Balearic Shearwater was lingering off the Bill again during the morning, but otherwise the only reports were of a few more Sand Martins and Swifts passing overhead and 2 Grey Wagtails, a Redshank and a Swift at the Bill. July 11th The early autumn trickle continued, with 100 Swifts and 35 Sand Martin leaving to the south from the Bill and a Wheatear new in on the land there. A Balearic Shearwater lingered offshore for a while in the morning, but sea passage otherwise consisted of just 62 Common Scoter, 3 Manx Shearwater and a Whimbrel moving west. Ferrybridge produced 90 Dunlin, a Little Ringed Plover, a Sanderling and a Curlew.

                                                 

  

   Sandwich Tern - Ferrybridge, July 10th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 10th A Cuckoo, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler remained at the Bill, but the only new arrivals there were a few Sand Martins, a Curlew and a Grey Wagtail; 18 Common Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Great Skua passed through on the sea. Ferrybridge provided totals of 70 Dunlin, 7 Sandwich Terns and 3 Curlew.

                                                 

       

   Cuckoo and Mediterranean Gull - Portland Bill and Ferrybridge, July 9th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 9th The return of quieter weather saw the arrival of a few more birds on the land, including 3 Cuckoos, 3 Grey Wagtails, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler at the Bill. Seawatching there produced just 43 Common Scoter, 1 Manx Shearwater and 1 Black-headed Gull, whilst there were 75 Dunlin, 4 Sandwich Terns and a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge.

                                                 

  

   Peregrine - Southwell, July 5th 2004 © Guy Edwardes www.guyedwardes.com

  July 8th Birds remained on the move in between occasional heavy showers, with 300 Swifts, 42 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Curlew, 3 Sand Martins, 2 Dunlin and a Whimbrel passing overhead at the Bill; seawatching there produced 43 Manx Shearwaters, 9 Common Scoter and a Sandwich Tern. Elsewhere, Dunlin increased to 252 at Ferrybridge, where there were also 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Curlew, a Greenshank and a Sandwich Tern, whilst juvenile Peregrines are now on the wing and showing well at Southwell.

                                                 

  

   Lapwing - Portland Bill, July 7th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 7th Yesterday's return to summer proved to be short-lived, with a strong north-east wind and heavy rain sweeping in today. There was still some movement overhead, with 250 Swifts, 51 Sand Martins, 2 Dunlin, a Lapwing and a Hobby passing though into the stiff wind at the Bill. The sea was rather quiet, with just 25 Common Scoter, 6 Black-headed Gulls and 2 Manx Shearwaters logged at the Bill. Ferrybridge produced 56 Dunlin, 8 Little Terns, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns, a Curlew and a Mediterranean Gull.

                                                 

   

    

   Guillemot (juvenile settled and leaping from the cliffs), Swift and Little Ringed Plover - Portland Bill and Ferrybridge, July 6th 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 6th Swifts and Sand Martins remained on the move, with the latter being particularly conspicuous: 16 passed straight through at the Bill where another flock of at least 70 were feeding over Top Fields. Two Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Curlew, a Tree Pipit and a Grey Wagtail were also at the Bill today. A Little Ringed Plover and a Whimbrel were the pick of the waders at Ferrybridge, where there was also an unseasonable Common Gull; a juvenile Little Tern was also on the wing (the offspring of the only pair of terns that remained in the breeding colony there after the mass desertion in late June). An hour after sunset the juvenile Guillemots reared in the auk colony at the Bill successfully abandoned the breeding ledges and made off out to sea. July 5th At last a day of unbroken sunshine and nothing more than a gentle breeze. Early autumn migrants included 30 Sand Martins and 2 Black-headed Gulls passing overhead at the Bill, where 4 Sandwich Terns, a Little Egret and a commic tern passed by on the sea; 2 Common Sandpipers were also present along West Cliffs. July 4th A length spell of rain during the afternoon spoilt what was otherwise a much more pleasant day, with the strong wind of the last week having dropped right away. A Sand Martin passed overhead at the Bill, where seawatching provided totals of 120 Common Scoter, 80 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Sandwich Terns, 3 Arctic Skuas and 2 Great Crested Grebes. July 3rd Another windy day that produced just 54 Manx Shearwaters and 27 Common Scoter passing through off the Bill. July 2nd A very unsettled day, with the westerly wind gusting close to gale force at times. Birds are clearly in short supply in the near parts of the English Channel at the moment since seawatching at the Bill produced nothing more than 23 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Curlew.

                                                 

  

   Osprey - Portland Bill, July 1st 2004 © Martin Cade

  July 1st Despite auspicious precedents, the prevailing cool, blustery westerly weather conditions promised precious little in the way of rarities this year, so a surprise early autumn migrant in the form of an Osprey that flew south down the island and left out to sea was a welcome sighting during the morning. A singing Garden Warbler at the Obs was also unexpected, but otherwise the best the Bill area could turn up was an overflying Curlew and 8 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Common Scoter passing on the sea.

June 2004

June 30th A quiet end to a quiet month. Swifts continued to trickle through overhead but the only birds on the land at the Bill were the Pheasant and the first Robin for several weeks in the Obs garden, Seawatching at the Bill produced 40 Common Scoter and 4 Sandwich Terns. June 29th Poor reward again today, with the best of a poor showing at the Bill being the Pheasant, a Curlew and a Reed Warbler; a few more Swifts and a Sand Martin also passed through overhead; the sea came up with just 21 Common Scoter and a single Sandwich Tern. In the evening Ferrybridge produced a Redshank and a Curlew amongst small numbers of commoner waders; dispersing Black-headed Gulls are increasing in number there, but the count of Little Terns dwindled to just 3. June 28th Odds and sods at the Bill included a few Swifts and 2 Sand Martins passing overhead, a new Chiffchaff trapped at the Obs, the long-staying Pheasant still in Top Fields, the 2 island-bred family parties of Ravens making a brief visit and a Manx Shearwater and a Sandwich Tern lingering offshore.

                                                 

  

   Little Tern - Ferrybridge, June 27th 2004 © Martin Cade

  June 27th Extremely quiet today, with the only news from the Bill being of seawatching that produced just 4 Common Scoter, 3 Manx Shearwaters and a Sandwich Tern. At Ferrybridge this evening the only Little Terns present were flocked on the shoreline, with the breeding colony on Chesil Beach appearing to have been deserted (Fox predation is reported to have devastated the colony again this year). June 26th Miserable wet and breezy conditions returned and again kept birding to a minimum. A Storm Petrel lingered off the Bill for a while early in the morning, but otherwise seawatching there produced just 14 Common Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Curlews and 2 Sandwich Terns. Swifts were passing overhead in quantity, with more than 500 flying south into the wind over the Bill. Of further interest at the Bill, the well-watched Little Owls in the Obs Quarry have bred successfully - a very vocal juvenile was on view there today. June 25th Quieter weather today allowed more birding on the land, where a Sand Martin, a Grey Wagtail, a Reed Warbler and a Willow Warbler were new arrivals at the Bill; the long-staying Pheasant was seen again there. Offshore, Manx Shearwaters trickled westwards, with 131 passing the Bill during the morning, and 8 Common Scoter and 8 Curlew also passed through. June 24th Despite quite an improvement in the weather nothing of note was found on the land and it was left to seawatching at the Bill - that produced just 25 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua - to salvage some interest from the day. June 23rd An unseasonably stormy day, with winds strong enough to not only devastate the warden's carefully nurtured sweet-pea patch but also to break substantial branches from trees in the Obs garden. In such conditions seawatching was the only birding possible, although this proved to be less rewarding than anticipated, with just a steady passage of Gannets, 26 Manx and a Balearic Shearwater, 4 Great and an Arctic Skua, and 3 Common Scoter off the Bill. A similar assortment off Chesil Cove early in the day included 2 Great and an Arctic Skua. June 22nd Precious little to report from what little birding was done before the first substantial rain for many weeks set in late in the morning. A Chiffchaff and a Pheasant were at the Bill, where 9 Common Scoter also passed through on the sea. June 21st A day with more of a feel of early autumn than late spring, with 52 Common Scoter moving down-Channel off the Bill and a Sand Martin leaving to the south from there; likely autumn returnees at Ferrybridge included 33 Dunlin, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Black-headed Gull. The only obvious late spring arrival was a Reed Warbler in song at the Bill.

                                                 

   

   Waterspout - Portland Bill, June 20th 2004 © Martin Cade

  June 20th Single Reed Warblers were new arrivals at the Bill and Verne Common, but the only other news was of seawatching at the Bill where the 16 Common Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwaters and 1 Arctic Skua that passed through were somewhat eclipsed by the sighting of a distant waterspout. June 19th A surprise flurry of late migrants/failed breeders perked things up a little today, with a Whinchat, a Sedge Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Spotted Flycatcher all new arrivals at the Bill; the long-staying Pheasant there was the only other sighting of note. June 18th Another new Chiffchaff trapped at the Obs was the only worthwhile sighting on the land, whilst seawatching there produced nothing more than 15 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Common Scoter and 2 commic terns. June 17th The arrival of much fresher, windier weather did nothing to improve the bird situation on the land, with the only news being of a trickle of Swifts overhead, a lone Chiffchaff at the Bill and 26 Dunlin and 3 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. During the afternoon Manx Shearwaters were on the move in some numbers off the Bill, where the first 2 Balearic Shearwaters of the summer also passed through.

                                                 

   

   Coal Tit - Portland Bill, June 16th 2004 © Martin Cade

  June 16th A juvenile Coal Tit was a most unexpected capture in the Obs garden this morning, but the only other reports were of a Reed Warbler and a Chiffchaff at the Bill. June 15th Flaming June continues to provide clear blue skies and hot sunshine, but noteworthy birds remain at a premium. Seven hours mist-netting in the Obs garden produced not a single bird, whilst the only worthwhile sightings elsewhere were of a couple of Chiffchaffs at the Bill, a lone Reed Warbler at Barleycrates Lane, 4 Manx Shearwaters passing on the sea off the Bill and 13 Dunlin and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge. June 14th The search for another June rarity is proving to be hard work and less than rewarding, with today producing nothing better than a light passage of Swifts overhead and 3 Chiffchaffs and a Reed Warbler at the Bill. Wader passage seems to petering out at Ferrybridge, where there were just 19 Dunlin in the evening. June 13th Virtually a repeat of yesterday, with 2 Chiffchaffs and a Pheasant at the Bill and 17 Manx Shearwaters and 8 Common Scoter passing on the sea there. Waders at Ferrybridge included 19 Dunlin and 10 Sanderling. June 12th More of the same today. Two Chiffchaffs, a Pheasant and a Sedge Warbler were the only noteworthy sightings on the land at the Bill, where 7 Common Scoter and 6 Manx Shearwaters passed through offshore. In the evening 25 Dunlin and 19 Sanderling were at Ferrybridge. June 11th Back to form today, with little of interest reported from the island. Six Chiffchaffs and a Turtle Dove were at the Bill and Southwell, where there were also a few Swifts and a Hobby overhead. Two Common Scoter, a Manx Shearwater and a Sandwich Tern passed through off the Bill and a lone Curlew was the pick of the waders at Ferrybridge. June 10th Unfortunately, today's quality June rarity - a Greenish Warbler in the Obs garden during the morning - proved to be no more than the most fleeting of visitors. The only other news was of 3 Chiffchaffs, a Pheasant and a Curlew at the Bill, and 30 Dunlin and 14 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. June 9th Very few interesting sightings today, with just 2 Chiffchaffs, a Pheasant, a Turtle Dove and a Reed Warbler at the Bill, and 11 Common Scoter and 3 Great Skuas passing on the sea there.

                                                 

       

  Transit of Venus and Red-backed Shrike - Portland Bill and Reap Lane, June 8th 2004 © Martin Cade

  June 8th Just when it looked like the highlight of the day would be views of the transit of Venus across the Sun, a Red-backed Shrike was found at Reap Lane to at least provide some bird interest. The only other news was of 2 Chiffchaffs and a Pheasant at the Bill and 15 Common Scoter, 6 Black-headed Gulls and 3 Sandwich Terns passing through on the sea there. June 7th Another hot, sunny day that had seemed as birdless as recent days until a Black Kite and another raptor - perhaps a second Black Kite - flew north over Weston and Easton late in the afternoon. The only other news was of 4 Chiffchaffs and 2 Reed Warblers at the Bill, 24 commic terns, 18 Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Terns, a Manx Shearwater and a Black-headed Gull passing on the sea off the Bill and 40 Dunlin, 8 Sanderling, a Grey Plover and a Redshank at Ferrybridge. June 6th Still precious little to report, with the Bill area producing just 3 Reed Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Curlew and a Blackcap; 14 passing Common Scoter were the only birds of note on the sea there. June 5th A touch of the summer doldrums today, with clear blue skies, hot sunshine and few birds. The most obvious new arrivals were 49 Sanderling at Ferrybridge, where there were also 70 Dunlin. The only reports from the rest of the island were of 2 Chiffchaffs, a Wheatear, a Blackcap and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill, and another Spotted Flycatcher at Barleycrates Lane. June 4th There were high hopes of another decent June rarity when the day dawned with overcast skies and a few spots of rain. In the event all that could be found at the Bill were 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, one of the long-staying Pheasants, a Grey Wagtail, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler; 48 Common Scoter and 3 Manx Shearwaters passed through on the sea. June 3rd No sign of the Common Rosefinches today, so it was left to a handful of tardy migrants to provide some interest. Two Turtle Doves, 2 Reed Warblers, a Grey Wagtail and a Spotted Flycatcher were in the Bill area, 3 more Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Chiffchaffs were at Weston Street and 46 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling were at Ferrybridge. Seawatching at the Bill produced a steady passage of Gannets, along with 17 Manx Shearwaters, 11 commic terns, 9 Sandwich Terns, 6 Common Scoter and a Mallard.

                                                 

  

   Common Rosefinch - Southwell, June 2nd 2004 © Steve Arlow

  June 2nd Yesterday's 'red' Common Rosefinch was found again at Verne Common, although it remained extremely elusive; in the evening a 'brown' male was discovered lurking in a weedy field at Southwell, where it too proved tricky to see. It was otherwise still very quiet, with 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Garden Warbler the only noteworthy migrants at the Bill. June 1st With a wet and foggy night having delivered nothing more than a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Garden Warbler to the Bill area it was quite a surprise when a singing adult male Common Rosefinch was found at Verne Common early in the afternoon; unfortunately it proved to be no more than a fleeting visitor and later searches drew a blank. Small numbers of Manx Shearwaters remained off the Bill and 2 Sanderling were the best of the waders at Ferrybridge.