Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre: 8th March

Although there were still migrants on the move it was a tad disappointing that early cloud cover and later drizzly rain looked to have dropped very little by way of grounded arrivals. Overhead passage was strong enough, with Meadow Pipits heading north along West Cliffs at around 100 an hour at times, and plenty of alba wagtails tagging along; the first moving Linnets of the season - 34 over the Bill - were also of note. On the ground, 5 Redwings and a Firecrest were new at Suckthumb, but just about the only news from the Bill was bad news, with one of the wintering Firecrests at the Obs being killed by a Sparrowhawk; one of the long-staying Black Redstarts was also still about at the Bill. Portland Harbour held 9 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Great Northern Divers and a Black-throated Diver, and 3 Red-throated Divers passed through off the Bill.