Portland Bird Observatory - latest news February 2006

February 28th	An unexpectedly pleasant sunny morning gave way to more indifferent conditions that even included a passing snow shower during the afternoon. There was nothing more interesting at the Bill than 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Fieldfares and a Snipe on the land, 5 Eider still settled offshore and another 3 passing Red-throated Divers. Elsewhere there were 8 Fieldfares at Barleycrates Lane and 3 Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Ferrybridge. Red Admirals ventured on to the wing at Priory Corner and in the Obs garden during the morning.
February 27th	The assortment around the island today included a Firecrest at Weston, 8 Fieldfares and a Redwing at Barleycrates Lane and a Lapwing and a Snipe at the Bill. Seven Eider remained off the Bill where another 13 Red-throated Divers passed by. Late news for recent days: the majority of reports were of sea passage off the Bill where a total of 65 Red-throated Divers passed between 18th and 26th (maximum of 21 on 19th); singles of Sooty Shearwater (18th), Shoveler (19th), Red-necked Grebe (21st) and Great Skua (22nd) also passed by during this period. The land remained very quiet with the pick of the sightings being of up to 4 Black Redstarts scattered around on 22nd/23rd and 6 Lapwings at the Bill on 25th. A single Hummingbird Hawk-moth was on the wing at Weston on 25th.
February 17th	Just a hint of some spring movement this morning when a total of 33 Black-headed Gulls passed up-Channel off the Bill. A single Manx Shearwater also passed through but that was perhaps more likely to have been an unseasonable wintering bird rather than an exceptionally early spring arrival; 9 Eider and 5 Common Scoter were still settled offshore and 6 more Red-throated Divers also passed by. Further odds and sods included 7 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Turnstone, 2 Fieldfares and a Common Buzzard at the Bill and 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and several Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge. Please note that there will be no updates to the site for the next few days; normal service will resume on 27th February.
February 16th	The mild, showery and blustery conditions that have set in over recent days continued and there was a pretty poor return for today's efforts. Four Red-throated Divers passed through off the Bill where 9 Eider and 6 Common Scoter were still settled offshore and 6 Purple Sandpipers were again present at the Bill. The only other reports were of a Blackcap at Weston, 10 Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge and 6 Black-necked and 2 Slavonian Grebes in Portland Harbour.
February 15th	The only reports today were of 4 Purple Sandpipers and a Golden Plover at the Bill, 9 Eider and 6 Common Scoter still settled off East Cliffs, a Red-throated Diver passing through off the Bill and 6 Black-necked and 6 Slavonian Grebes in Portland Harbour.
Little Egret - Ferrybridge, February 14th 2006 © Martin Cade
February 14th	Almost a blank today with virtually nobody in the field. The only reports were of 200 Brent Geese, 12 Mediterranean Gulls and several Little Egrets at Ferrybridge and a single Common Buzzard at the Bill. Late news for yesterday: a fuller count of the auks off the Bill came up with a total of at least 3000 (with an 8:1 ratio in favour of Razorbills). The assessment of Portland Harbour being very quiet during the morning proved to be unduly pessimistic as 21 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Slavonian Grebes, a Red-necked Grebe, a Black-throated Diver and a Common Scoter were found there during the afternoon.
February 13th	More of the same at the Bill where there were 3 Snipe, 2 Fieldfares and a Buzzard on the land, 9 Red-throated Divers passed through on the sea, 9 Eider and 8 Common Scoter were settled offshore and many hundreds of auks - still mainly Razorbills - were lingering offshore. Elsewhere there was a Chiffchaff at Weston, whilst a pretty thorough look at Portland Harbour in calm conditions revealed nothing more than 248 Red-breasted Mergansers, 13 Great Crested Grebes and 6 Black-necked Grebes.
February 12th	The forecast change in the weather duly materialised overnight when heavy cloud and a short spell of rain pushed through. The only reports were from the Bill where 10 Common Scoter and 6 Eider were settled offshore, 2 Red-throated Divers passed through on the sea and there were 2 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Fieldfares on the land. Two unidentified dolphins were seen briefly off the Bill.
February 11th	The weekend saw quite a few more birders in the field but quality birds were thin on the ground. The Bill area provided 4 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Snipe and 2 Fieldfares, along with what looked to be quite an increase in Meadow Pipit numbers. Offshore, seabird numbers have increased again (with 2000 or more auks - still mostly Razorbills - being particularly conspicuous), the 5 Eider were still settled off East Cliffs and 10 Common Scoter, 6 Red-throated Divers, 4 Eider and a Red-breasted Merganser passed through on the sea. Elsewhere there was a Siskin at the Grove, a Black Redstart and a Chiffchaff at Weston, a Fieldfare at Barleycrates Lane, 4 Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose with 60 Dark-bellied Brents in Portland Harbour.
February 10th	More decent weather and another good quality new arrival in the form of a Crossbill passing overhead at the Grove. Both the Weston Black Redstarts showed up, a Little Egret passed overhead at Victoria Square and there were 6 Snipe, 3 Common Buzzards and 3 Fieldfares at the Bill. Five Common Scoter, a Black-necked Grebe and an Eider were in Portland Harbour, another 5 Eider remained settled off the Bill and 4 Red-throated Divers and Shelduck passed through on the sea there.
February 9th	A pleasant spring-like day with plenty of warmth in the sun. New arrivals included 2 Rooks over the Bill, a Siskin passing overhead at Weston, a Grey Heron over Southwell and a Black Redstart at Reap Lane, whilst long-stayers on view included a Black Redstart at Weston and 5 Purple Sandpipers, a Common Buzzard and a Snipe at the Bill. Another 12 Red-throated Divers passed through off the Bill where 8 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver and a Brent Goose also passed by and 4 Eider were still settled offshore.
Little Owl by torchlight - Portland Bill, February 8th 2006 © Martin Cade
February 8th	Still nothing much changing. Eight Purple Sandpipers, 6 Fieldfares, a Common Buzzard and a Snipe were at the Bill, where 5 Eider remained settled offshore and a single Red-throated Diver passed through. Elsewhere there were 25 Great Crested and 4 Black-necked Grebes, 5 Common Scoter, at least 3 Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Eider in Portland Harbour and a Little Egret at Grove Point. Also of interest at the Bill, the resident Obs Quarry Little Owl has been calling almost constantly in recent nights in what seems to be have become a forlorn quest for a mate. Finally, a couple of diary dates for the spring: the next In Focus field events at the Obs take place on 28th March and 17th May.
February 7th	Very little change on the land, with 8 Fieldfares, 6 Snipe, a Common Buzzard and a Redwing at the Bill and 7 Fieldfares and a Redwing at Barleycrates Lane. Seawatching at the Bill provided 11 Common Scoter and 4 Eider settled offshore and 11 Red-throated Divers passing through.
February 6th	Just routine fare today, with 8 Fieldfares, 2 Golden Plovers, a Common Buzzard and a Redwing at the Bill, 10 Common Scoter and 4 Red-throated Divers passing through off the Bill, 3 Eider still settled off East Cliffs and 2 Mediterranean Gulls at Ferrybridge.
February 5th	The big rarity today was the welcome return of clear skies and warm sunshine for the first time in nearly a week. On the bird front there were 9 Fieldfares, a Common Buzzard, a Lapwing, a Snipe and a Redwing at the Bill, where there were also 2 Eider still settled offshore and 3 Red-throated Divers and 2 Common Scoter passed through on the sea. Elsewhere there were 7 Black-necked Grebes, a Great Northern Diver and an Eider in Portland Harbour. The pleasant sunshine tempted a Red Admiral on to the wing at Southwell. Late news for yesterday: a Merlin was reported from Tout Quarry.
February 4th	Although it remained dull and drab it felt not nearly so unpleasant today with the temperature having crept up several degrees. There was little change on the bird front with the Bill area producing 22 Song Thrushes, 9 Fieldfares, 8 Purple Sandpipers, 4 Snipe, 4 Turnstones, 3 Common Buzzards and 2 Redwings; 3 Eider were still settled offshore and 7 Common Scoter passed through on the sea. Elsewhere there was another single Fieldfare at Weston.
February 3rd	Still very cold, grey and miserable. The Bill area produced 20 Song Thrushes, at least 16 Golden Plovers, 9 Fieldfares, a Common Buzzard, a Snipe and a Redwing, as well as 5 Eider still settled offshore (but the sea was otherwise all but lifeless following a complete clear-out of the large flocks of feeding seabirds that have been a feature since the turn of the year). Elsewhere there were 73 Dunlin, 42 Ringed Plover, 22 Mediterranean Gulls and a Knot at Ferrybridge.
Golden Plover - Victoria Square, February 2nd 2006 © Martin Cade
February 2nd	Heavily overcast skies, reduced visibility and a real chill in the air - Portland at its most dismal. The only reports received were of a Golden Plover and a Snipe at the Bill, the same or another Golden Plover later in the day at Victoria Square, and 33 Ringed Plover, 25 Mediterranean Gulls and 7 Little Egrets at Ferrybridge. Late news for yesterday: a Black Redstart was at Perryfields and a Chiffchaff was in a garden at Reap Lane.
February 1st	Portland Harbour was busy today, with totals that included 230 Red-breasted Mergansers, 10 Great Crested, 6 Black-necked and a Red-necked Grebe, 6 Common Scoter, 2 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver, and 1 Eider; nearby at Ferrybridge there were 14 Mediterranean Gulls. Eight Red-throated Divers and a Goldeneye passed through off the Bill, a Grey Wagtail and a Redwing were at Southwell and a Fieldfare at Barleycrates Lane, whilst at least 3 Common Buzzards continued to roam the south of the island.