Then at lunchtime we went for a short walk round Portland Bill. We failed to see Firecrest at Culverwell and a Yellow-Browed Warbler near the obs, but migrants were somewhat surprisingly in evidence - I thought the clear sky and warm weather would have meant they all cleared off. We had a sprinkling of Wheatears and Pied Wagtails on the east cliffs, a swarm of hirondines over the top fields, and in the obs garden masses of Goldcrests and Chiffs in constant motion, making taking photos almost impossible. A Common Buzzard was receiving the attentions of the local crows, and we had 2 Sparrowhawks and 3 Kestrels . And a Clouded Yellow Butterfly too - have there been many of these this year?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Y32R1r8gWjE31jkknYogPEaEWbigbBiA5n7dyjnP2cOoSfLXDSRXyyRrE6ZsDXOHgPw-5ZjkB5ErWC2uaFLSQuD4ZXXsc3XuiF_LKacmX6bUG0RAg0lC1qA0buzejhd3IS1afg/s400/Wheatear.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwB01izw2_kRH3WoaC6lB2dnfAf0dUNtcCKKzr087eGTxNr2X1B7mGvgkXDmiPJcZY8lLxpz1k56E7-c71td_w5TrrL2VbDZGfvjn32cIlyt6W-jdlrUYNItSGyitv43X0e1owxQ/s400/Buzzard+Portland.jpg)
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We’ve walked the ease cliffs on the Bill on many occasions, but for some reason had not seen the enormous ammonite impression in some of the exposed rock - a foot across. And having read recently of exposed beaches millions of years old, looked again at some of the rock surfaces - is that an ancient beach? Anyone with geological knowledge please comment.