Portland Bird Observatory

27th August

Early afternoon update.

There was a tiny increase in the number of migrants overhead early in the morning but the situation on the ground was just as dire as it's been in recent days. The only concerted coverage was of the Bill area which produced 25 Yellow Wagtails, 13 Wheatears, 8 Tree Pipits, 3 Grey Wagtails, 3 Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers and singles of Merlin, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. The wind was a little too far north of west for the sea, from where the only reports were of 12 Common Scoter, 7 Balearic Sheawaters, a Manx Shearwater and a Razorbill passing the Bill.

This morning's immigrant moth tally at the Obs didn't get beyond 2 Rusty-dot Pearl.

Late news for last Saturday (23rd August): we keep forgetting to mention some late news of the first Short-eared Owl of the autumn seen at dawn at the Bill.

26th August

It's a bad job when in late August western Ireland is graced with more Yellow Warblers than there are Willow Warblers in the Obs garden - we mist-netted at the Obs for another seven hours today and caught precisely nothing! The odds and ends that did make it onto the day sheet at the Bill included 15 Wheatears, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Whitethroats, a Merlin, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Crossbill, whilst the sea there produced 15 Common Scoter, 6 Balearic Shearwaters and 2 Arctic Skuas. Elsewhere there were 2 Little Stints and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge.

Overnight mothing at the Obs remained uneventful: the classic Portland autumn trio of Feathered Ranunculus, Beautiful Gothic and Feathered Brindle were all on the wing for the first time but immigrant interest was restricted to singles of Dark Sword Grass and Silver Y.

Kestrel, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher from yesterday - St Georges Church and Southwell, 24th August 2008 © Stuart Martindale (Kestrel) and Pete Saunders (Redstart and Pied Fly)

25th August

There was a general air of bafflement regarding today's lack of birds as the weather conditions - a damp, drizzly dawn after a mainly clear night - had looked to be really suitable for a good fall of migrants. In the event the only reports from the land were of 3 Wheatears, 3 Willow Warblers and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill and a Spotted Flycatcher at Church Ope Cove. The only other news was of seawatching at the Bill that produced 9 Common Scoter, 7 Arctic Skuas, 8 Balearic, a Manx and a Sooty Shearwater, 2 Sandwich Terns and a single commic tern.

Immigrant moths were as few and far between as migrant birds: 2 Rusty-dot Pearl and a Silver Y were the only overnight captures in the Obs garden traps.

Late news for yesterday: 2 Redstarts and 2 Pied Flycatchers were at Southwell in the afternoon.