Cogden pretty quiet this afternoon: 13 Chiffs, 1 Wheatear and audio-only Firecrest. Sometimes it's other things that make an outing memorable. Like this Fox, say, or the humungous Bass! At 7lb 14oz, easily the biggest fish I've seen a Cogden angler catch. #DorsetBirds

Two of 3 Firecrests at Cogden this morning. Ropey pic, but never managed 2 in one shot before. 😎 Also 28 Chiffs, 2 Goldcrests and a Blackcap. Felt like there should have been more somehow... #DorsetBirds

V windy at Cogden this afternoon, so I worked every sheltered hedge and corner I could think of. Did a lot of standing around, waiting and seeing. Slow birding yielded 9 Chiffs, 2 fleeting Firecrests and 2 Spotted Flycatchers, one of which was very settled and obliging. Lovely stuff. 😎 #DorsetBirds

When things don't go quite as you would like... #DorsetBirds

Frustrations

This morning's walk at Cogden followed neatly in the theme set by almost every other birding effort in the last week or so: frustration. My ...

It's been a week since I last managed a walk at Cogden. Top bird in this morning's sunshine was a magical little Firecrest, though large gathering of hirundines was very enjoyable to watch. Otherwise 23 Chiffs, 2 Blackcaps, Peregrine and 3 Wheatears, plus flock of 4 Jays moving through. #DorsetBirds

A familiar silhouette on the shingle ridge at Cogden this morning, arguably harder even than the concrete lumps next to it. 😎 #DorsetBirds

Well, the seawatching was rubbish, but on a flooded West Bay field were some gulls... A lot muckier than I'd like, and I won't bet on its purity, but I guess this bird is probably okay to call a 1cy Caspian Gull. Coverts, scaps, tertials, wing pattern, tail, etc, etc, all good. 😎 #DorsetBirds

West Bay 5pm. Tanking rain, poor visibility and heaving sea. Was hoping the howling SSE might produce. Sadly, the Black Tern that would have been my first local bird since 2008(!) got no further than 'probable'. Was one though. Definitely. 😭 Almost nothing else in 90min. #DorsetBirds

Suggestions or (better still) recommendations sought: modestly-priced small (compact?) bins suitable for use by 5 or 6 year-old. Can you help perhaps, @cleyspy.bsky.social#BirdingGear

A flavour of things at West Bay earlier this morning. Much rain. Very distant large shearwater sp. E was the dubious highlight. Otherwise 9 Balearics, 16 Kitts, 6 Common Scoters and a Med Gull. #DorsetBirds