29th November

Winter again seemed a long way off on a day of unbroken sunshine, unseasonable warmth, butterflies on the wing and Hoopoe and Wheatear on the bird list; the Hoopoe - perhaps the elusive Southwell bird getting wanderlust? - was reported first at Kingbarrow Quarry and later in the Portland Castle area but couldn't be pinned down at either, whilst the Wheatear showed up at the Bill. Bird-wise, there were few other surprises: new arrivals were limited to singles of Redwing and Fieldfare, lingering Black Redstarts included 4 at Portland Castle, 2 at Blacknor and 1 at the Bill, 5 Great Northern Divers, the Eider and the Black Guillemot remained in Portland Harbour and the odd few Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests lingered on in sheltered spots everywhere.

The stiff east wind didn't die down until very late in the night so the immigrant moth catch at the Obs was limited to 4 Rusty-dot Pearl, 3 Silver Y and 2 Diamond-back Moth, with a few more of the same attracted to garden traps at Sweethill and the Grove.