Time to go home

Mainly cloudy, 12°, breezy NE.

A weather block out in the Channell appears to have prevented any northward bound migrants reaching Portland shores today.

In the small time we had left not much was noted as we departed northwards ourselves at around 12:30.

As well as a steady flow of Gannet, Manx Shearwater and Auks and a single Great Northern Diver flew west and a Fulmar noted.

The only land birds noted were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, and Common and Lesser Whitethroat.

Another quiet one

Sunny periods, 14°, light NE.

A slow day with a limited flurry of migrants early then all quiet.

A call from the ringing crew at Culverwell for a Golden Oriole saw most of us trek up there but to no avail as the bird appeared to pass through and was not seen again.

So back to the Obs for whatever was around:

An Arctic Skua, a Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Whimbrel and 50+ Manx Shearwater plus the usual fare over the sea.

Land: a Grey Heron, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, White Wagtail, a Swift and 50+ Swallow through the day.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Much as the day before and Painted Ladies arriving in off the sea.

The morning rush

Mainly sunny, 14°, light SW.

A light influx of migrants’ early morning, they quickly filtered through the Bill area and by midday most had departed leaving the rest of the day fairly quiet.

5 Common Scoter, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Fulmar, a Cuckoo, a Hobby, a White Wagtail, 3 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat and 3 Wheatear.

50+ Swallow trickling through the day provided the only real consistency after the morning rush.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Large White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady (many), Speckled Wood and Wall Brown.

A better day

Mainly cloudy, 14°, light SW.

The highlight of the day was a Turtle Dove that arrived off the sea and spent some time moving around the bill area before departing.

An intermittent sea-watch produced: 2 Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, 3 Red-throated Diver, 6 Common Scoter, 10 Mediterranean Gull, 6 Common Gull and 3 Manx Shearwater etc.

The land was more varied in species if not numbers: 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, a Garden Warbler, Blackcap, 8 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Common Redstart, a Whinchat, Stonechat, 4 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail and c30 Swallow.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Large White, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood and Wall Brown.

Rain stopped play

A cloudy day with rain at 13:00 onwards, 14°, mod E.

A very slow day with rain stopping play early afternoon.

Approx. 50 Common Scoter, 10 Oystercatcher and 2 Whimbrel over the sea and the odd Manx Shearwater was about it, other than the regulars.

The land didn’t do much better with 12 Swallow, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, a Wheatear and a Stonechat.

Butterflies: Large White, Orange Tip and Red Admiral.

Weather

A cloudy start, then fog, then rain, then sun, 14°, light to mod SW.

A strange day weather wise, the fog put the dampers on a sea-watch around 11:00, then a brief period of rain, then the sun came out, birding again.

The RNBWS folk arrived today so we had a lighthouse full of ex RN bods all into birding. So felt right at home.

Anyway, to the birds: the sea produced, 2 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skua, 150+ Kittiwake, a handful of Sandwich Tern, 5 Shelduck, 23 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver, 2 Red-throated Diver and 50+ Manx Shearwater etc.

Land: 2 Whimbrel, a Redpoll, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, a Reed Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Common Whitethroat, a Blackcap, a Whinchat, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 30+ Swallow.

Butterflies: Large White, Orange Tip, a Blue of some description, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown and Meadow Brown.

April b"l"ows out

Sunny, 14°, strong E.

Another blustery day on the Isle of Portland with not a lot seen on land or sea. 22 Whimbrel and 65 Bar-tailed Godwit, sometimes in mixed flock and 16 Common Scoter.

A single Swift, 5 Swallow, Little Owl, 3 Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Common Whitethroat and 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

Butterflies: Large White, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.

Another windy one

Sunny, 14°, strong NE.

Probably the worst wind for vizmig at Portland.

However, a reasonable scattering of birds. On the sea, 2 Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, a Red-throated Diver, 10 Black Tern, a few Sandwich Tern and 50+ Manx Shearwater, a Fulmar plus the Auks, Gannet etc.,

Over land, a Whimbrel, Hobby, 6 Swift, 60+ Swallow, 2 House Martin, a Sand Martin, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Spotted Flycatcher, 7 Wheatear, a Stonechat, 2 Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail and several Meadow Pipit. Missed a few good ones but there is always tomorrow.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Large White, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.

Wind! No problem

Mainly sunny with a cloudy spell, 14°, fresh NE.

Not much hope at first light, a fresh north‑easterly cutting across the bill, but as the hours passed the birds had other ideas. What began as a seemingly empty day slowly filled with movement and surprise proving migration doesn’t stop with a bit of wind.

The sea was relatively quiet although good numbers of Manx Shearwater passed through. In addition, a single Arctic Skua, 2 Great Northern Diver and 4 Common Scoter seen by me. I probably missed what some others had noted.

The land offered up the better. A Hobby, a Peregrine, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Wheatear, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Common Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 *Willow Warbler, c30 Swallow and 6 Swift.

Butterflies: Large White, Red Admiral and Wall Brown.

*Around 18:00 I saw this slightly larger looking Willow Warbler in the Obs garden. Cold toned grey/brown upper, whitish under side, whitish supercilium, palish legs, long primary projection. Seen for approx. 10 seconds before disappearing. poss Acredula ssp???

A slow start

Sunny, 14°, light SW.

A slow day if truth be told but a few decent sightings.

12 Common Scoter, 4 Shelduck, several Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Cormorant and Shag, 20+ Whimbrel, c25 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Oystercatcher, Guillemot, Razorbill and a single Puffin, several Sandwich Tern, 5 species of Gull, c30 Swallow, 2 House Martin, a Common Redstart, a Whinchat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and 2 Peregrine Falcon.

Dragonflies: Large Red Damselfly and Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Peacock, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Speckled Wood.

A few Cholsey sightings

Sunny intervals, 18°, light N.

A few bits from Cholsey today:

Tony W saw a female Marsh Harrier over Cholsey Marsh and found our first Club-tailed Dragonfly of the year.

c30 Corn Bunting still coming to roost at the marsh as of last week.

James Beaumont reported a Cuckoo, 3 House Martin and 3 Swift in the same area, plus a Large Red Damselfly.

 

Portland

Cloudy, 12°, light ENE.

Arrived at Portland bird obs around mid-afternoon and by the time we unpacked and got some shopping in there was not much time for birding.

After an evening meal went out for a walk in the crown field and obs quarry area.

Plenty of House Sparrow and Linnet but no migrants other than 3 Swallow and a Whimbrel.

Later, a pod of what we believe were Common Dolphin seen “bow riding” a ship moving out of Weymouth bay.

A few Manx Shearwater moving early evening and after dark several Little Owl heard calling and a Barn Owl call.

Lets see what tomorrow brings.

 

 

Saturday snippets

Sunny, 18°, light SSE.

3 Swift and several Swallow and House Martin over Church Road.

Several Swift have been seen over Cholsey Meadows since 23rd. Per James Beaumont.

Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing near garden.

"I am pretty sure I have seen a White-tailed Eagle over Cholsey Oxon today and yesterday 25th and 26th April 2026. Not far from shops in village centre." Per Jack Badstock via Birdguides.

Still a little quiet

 Sunny, 18°, light E.

Still pretty quiet along the Bunk and gravel pit with a lot of human activity at the pit.

A Little Ringed Plover noted along with 2 Egyptian Geese and a few Lapwing.

4 Common Whitethroat along the Bunk, several Chiffchaff and Blackcap, a Yellow Wagtail and a few Swallow and House Martin.

2 Swallow over garden & a Sparrowhawk over being mobbed by several House Martin.

 Yesterday, a Common Sandpiper on the gravel pit from Wallingford road. Per Michael Pocock.

Butterflies: very much the same.

A Canary and a few other bits

Sunny, 18°, light E.

2 Raven over Allotments and a Swallow over Cholsey Hill.

3 local House Martin back on Church Road.

A brown morph, female Cuckoo on Cholsey Marsh. Per Brian Wyatt.

A Canary (escapee) found and videoed by Richard James in his garden.

Videos courtesy Richard James

A bit quiet-ish

Sunny, 17°, fresh E.

Well, there was bugger all on the gravel pit today. a bulldozer was busy bulldozing the banks and obviously drove off any birds either on the water or anywhere nearby.

Elsewhere along the Bunk line: 5 Chiffchaff, 6 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, a Kingfisher flashed by and 5 Swallow and 8 House Martin over.

A Grasshopper Warbler has been heard regularly at Cholsey Marsh recently and a Cuckoo intermittently. (several observers).

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Saturday snippets

Mainly sunny, 15°, light WNW.

Grasshopper Warbler, Cholsey Marsh. Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler. Per Phil Dyson. The GW also noted by an anonymous observer on Birdtrak on Thursday 16th.

Swallow over Westfield Road.

A bit quieter

Sunny periods, 17°, Breezy SSE.

A check on the gravel pit today: 12 Tufted Duck, a Little Ringed Plover, 6 Lapwing, I could hear Oystercatcher calling but not see them, overhead, 2 Swallow, 14 House Martin and 10 Sand Martin.

Nearby, 3 Common Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, several Blackcap and Chiffchaff and 3 Yellowhammer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Bunk, Gravel pit and a Cuckoo

Sunny spells, 16°, light to breezy SSE.

Bunk and Gravel pit:

A Greenshank appeared briefly and called, only to fly and disappear into one of the pits with no view of it.

In fact most of the birds were doing this today as the viewable pit was being worked and very little on it.

A Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Lapwing, a Little Grebe, a Raven over and an ever-dwindling number of Gulls.

A Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, 5 Swallow and 3 Yellowhammer.

Geoff Wyatt had a pair of Peregrine above Ilges Lane today repeatedly making the “ee-chup” call, a pair bonding call. They were circling and tangling frequently.

James Beaumont found our first Cuckoo of the year on Cholsey Marsh, towards the 4-Arches railway bridge, plus Reed Warbler, Swallow and Kingfisher.  

Mammals: Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Spring still giving

Cloudy, 12°, breezy S.

Bunk line and Gravel pit:

75+ Hirundines feeding low over CSW, mainly House Martin and a fair number of Swallow and a Yellow Wagtail present.

GP hosted 2 Shelduck, a Great-crested Grebe, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher, 8 Lapwing and 4 Tufted Duck. 3 House Martin, 2 Swallow and a Sand Martin feeding overhead.

Several Chiffchaff and Blackcap on walk.

On Sunday spent some time in the garden and had an unusual garden tick. An Oystercatcher flew over then 5 minutes later a Kingfisher (5th garden record) flew downstream over the brook.

Butterflies: a few Peacock and a Speckled Wood.

A lot of Hawthorn Fly (Bibio marci) around today.

Unidentified Duck sp found along footpath

Saturday snippets

Mainly cloudy, 10°, breezy SW.

A couple more summer arrivals, new for the year:

Lesser Whitethroat Bunk line. Per Brian Wyatt.

Yellow Wagtail Cholsey Hill. Per Richard Broughton.

A pair of Mallard on a neighbours pond.

Summer arrivals

Mainly cloudy, 10°, light S.

Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Common Whitethroat, Cholsey Marsh. Per Brian Wyatt.

Bunk area: on the walk out there were 10+ House Martin feeding high over CSW. On the way back the numbers had grown to 20+ House Martin, 5+ Swallow and several Sand Martin, this time feeding a lot lower over the beds.

The Gravel pit hosted a Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 3 Oystercatcher and 30+ Lapwing, c12 House Martin, 5 Swallow and several Sand Martin.

2 Peregrine over. I think I’ve mentioned these before and I believe these 2 males to be the ones raised in South Stoke last year. I’ve seen them together on several occasions this year and they appear to hunt together. Maybe a successful survival strategy.

Elsewhere on the walk: 2 Common Whitethroat, several Blackcap and Chiffchaff and a couple of Jay etc.

Butterflies: just a couple of Brimstone and Peacock.

Mallard & Muntjac both in garden today

Is it Spring yet?

Overcast, 14°, mod W.

Lollingdon Hill was somewhat quiet with just a small flock of Linnet and Goldfinch feeding on Dandelion seeds and several Skylark in song.

Nearby a male Common Redstart, heard calling and then flew off towards the Amwell Spring area.

The Lollingdon flood is now the mud, as it mainly dried up. Just 2 Lapwing in the vicinity.

On the walk out, a Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff, 4 Yellowhammer and 10 Fieldfare.

Geoff Wyatt had 2 Ringed Plover fly north over Ilges Lane repeatedly making alarm calls. A Sparrowhawk had just flown over heading north with Starlings mobbing and alarm calling.

A Swallow over Church Road c18:00 and Loren had one cross her path on Cholsey Hill a little earlier and a Raven heard “kronking” over home at 19:30.

Butterflies: very few on the wing, Brimstone, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

A warm one

Sunny, 23°, light W.

A couple of hours well spent up by the gravel pit today:

3 Shelduck, an Egyptian Goose, 2 Gadwall, 2 pair of Mallard with 18 young between them, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, 7 Lapwing, a Peregrine and 2 Grey Heron over, a Sedge Warbler, a Swallow and 2 Sand Martin.

On the walk out: a Willow Warbler at CSW, a Common Whitethroat, Green Lane, 4 Blackcap and 5 Chiffchaff.

A single Fieldfare flying alongside the road on Cholsey Hill.  

Good to see Michael P at the pit today. yesterday he had 3 Wheatear on Lollingdon Hill, 6 Fieldfare nearby and a singing Cetti’s Warbler on Cholsey Marsh.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.