Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre: 26th April

With wind and rain having blown in overnight it was day for seawatching, although - disappointingly for the considerable influx of weekend visitors - expectations considerably outweighed rewards. Day-totals at the Bill included 300 commic terns (with Arctics considered to be very well represented), 100 Manx Shearwaters, 34 Bar-tailed Godwits, 29 Whimbrel, 16 Sandwich Terns, 9 Arctic Skuas, 8 Great Skuas, 5 Red-throated Divers, 2 Gadwall, 2 Little Terns and singles of Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver and Little Gull; shorter watches at Chesil came up with 47 Whimbrel, 14 Little Terns, 3 Great Skuas, 2 Arctic Skuas, a Little Gull and an Iceland Gull. Coverage of the land was pretty hard work in the wind, but 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Redstarts, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Garden Warbler at the Bill, another Grasshopper Warbler at Weston, a Hobby at East Weare and a White Wagtail at Ferrybridge all provided interest amongst the thin spread of more routine fare.