Nipped out on 10th March for a short stroll round Portland Bill with Mrs D and Derek the dog. Pretty quiet overall but 3 Wheatears on the cliffs between the bill and the huts were very welcome as always. Such an impressive bird to see. We are lucky to have them as relatively common harbingers of Spring.
Then up the path towards the slope and a small bird briefly fly-catched from a bramble. I scanned through expecting the soft olive tones of a spring Chiffchaff, and was surprised to see iridescent green and then a black-fringed white eye-stripe! The Firecrest proceeded to perch up in the open, looking to pick off insects. Fantastic.
Firecrests aren't news at Portland Bill. There always seem to be some around, but I never seem to bump into them. So this was a very welcome sighting.
