Reed Warbler and Marsh Warbler - Portland Bill, May 31st 2006 © Martin Cade
With little change in the weather there was another good flurry of common migrants that included 850 Swifts, 20 Reed Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 4 Wheatears, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Grey Heron, a Hobby, a Greenshank, a Turtle Dove, a Yellow Wagtail, a Blackcap and a Willow Warbler in the Bill area. Rarity interest was provided by the Serin that continued to range widely around the Bill/Southwell area and a Marsh Warbler that was trapped and ringed in the Obs garden (click here for some more Marsh Warbler vs Reed Warbler photographs). The only reports from the sea were of a few Manx Shearwaters and a Red-throated Diver passing through off the Bill, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 11 Sanderling.
Reed Warbler and Serin - Portland Bill, May 30th 2006 © Martin Cade
Clear skies and a brisk, chilly headwind were just right for dropping another good arrival of late common migrants at the Bill, where 100 Swifts, 80 'new' Wood Pigeons, 50 Spotted Flycatchers, 20 Reed Warblers, 7 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Wheatears, 2 Redpolls, a Grey Heron, a Yellow Wagtail, a Whinchat and a Blackcap were logged; a similar selection of migrants were noted around the centre of the island, where a count of 12 Spotted Flycatchers at Avalanche Road was noteworthy. The Serin continued to roam widely between the Obs and Weston but a late Firecrest trapped and ringed at the Obs was the only other out of the ordinary sighting. A Black-throated Diver and a Balearic Shearwater passing through off the Bill were the pick of the sightings on the sea.
Red-backed Shrike, Hoopoe and Serin - Portland Bill and Broadcroft Quarry BC reserve, May 29th 2006 © Martin Cade
Evening update.
A rip-roaring start to the day saw a Hoopoe, a Serin, a Golden Oriole and a Red-backed Shrike discovered in quick succession between the Obs and Top Fields. Unfortunately none proved particularly easy to catch up with and of the quartet only the Hoopoe eventually gave itself up easily when it showed up during the afternoon at Broadcroft Quarry BC reserve; further rarity interest was provided by the long-staying Woodchat Shrike that remained at Southwell/Coombefield Quarry. Another feature of the morning was the good selection of commoner migrants on view, with the centre and south of the island providing totals that included 15 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Reed Warblers, 3 Turtle Doves, 3 Wheatears, a Whimbrel, a Whinchat, a Sedge Warbler and a Blackcap; visible passage overhead included 75 Swifts, 50 House Martins, 40 Swallows, 2 Hobbies and a Tree Pipit arriving in off the sea and another 210 Wood Pigeons arriving from the north. The sea chipped in with 150 Manx Shearwaters, 37 Common Scoter, 5 Balearic Shearwaters, a Red-throated Diver and a Storm Petrel passing through off the Bill.
A Striped Hawk-moth, a Delicate and a Bordered Straw provided immigrant interest in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning.
Barnacle Goose - Victoria Square, May 28th 2006 © Martin Cade
A big improvement in the weather saw the fog, wind and rain of recent days replaced by clearer conditions and a light breeze. The long-staying Woodchat Shrike remained at Southwell/Coombefield Quarry but the only other reports from the land were of 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Golden Plover, a Turnstone and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill, where a few late hirundines arrived in off the sea and 110 Wood Pigeons and 8 Stock Doves also passed overhead; elsewhere the escaped/feral Barnacle Goose that has been roaming around the Weymouth/Portland area for several weeks was on waste ground near Victoria Square during the evening. About 40 Storm Petrels trickled west off the Bill during the morning, but the only other birds on the move offshore were 20 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Dunlin, 3 Black-headed Gulls, a Great Northern Diver and an Arctic Skua.
Overnight moth-trapping in the Obs garden produced by way of immigrants just 2 Delicate and 1 Diamond-back Moth; Mullein Wave, Shaded Pug and Common Pug were all new for the year.
Whimbrel - Ferrybridge, May 27th 2006 © Pete Saunders
The Woodchat Shrike remained at Southwell/Coombefield Quarry and a second individual was a surprise new arrival at Harbour View Road, where it was seen briefly during the morning. Further odds and sods on the land included a Cuckoo at the Bill and a Whimbrel at Ferrybridge. As in recent days the rest of the interest was on the sea, with 128 Storm Petrels, 32 Common Scoter, 25 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Great Skuas, a Black-throated Diver, a Balearic Shearwater and an Arctic Skua passing through off the Bill and another Great Northern Diver passing overhead at Ferrybridge/Chesil Beach.
A pretty miserable day with fog frequently reducing visibility over the sea and low cloud and a stiff wind spoiling attempts at birding on the land. In the clearer spells it was evident that there had been quite a clear-out of Storm Petrels: a few (less than 100) continued to trickle west at the Bill, whilst smaller numbers were still lingering offshore both there and in Freshwater Bay and a single bird passed through off Chesil Cove (and a dead individual - that had seemingly flown into an obstruction of some sort - was also found at Chesil Cove this morning). The only other reports from the sea were of 60 Manx Shearwaters passing the Bill and 40 Common Scoter and 2 Arctic Skuas passing through off Chesil Cove. The only news of any interest from the land was of the continuing presence of the Woodchat Shrike at Southwell/Coombefield Quarry.
After another night of strong winds and bucketing rain today saw much improved conditions with lighter winds and plenty of warm sunshine by the afternoon. Storm Petrels were still surprisingly plentiful with a day-total of more than 100 trickling west and smaller numbers lingering offshore at the Bill; at least half-a-dozen more lingered on in Freshwater Bay during the morning. Seawatching at the Bill also produced around 100 Manx Shearwaters, a Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver and an Arctic Skua, but the only reports from the land were of the Woodchat Shrike still at Southwell/Coombefield Quarry and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill.
Late news for yesterday: additional reports from the sea included 10 Arctic Skuas passing through off Chesil Cove.
Evening update.
A pretty miserable day with fog frequently reducing visibility over the sea and low cloud and a stiff wind spoiling attempts at birding on the land. In the clearer spells it was evident that there had been quite a clear-out of Storm Petrels: a few (less than 100) continued to trickle west at the Bill, whilst smaller numbers were still lingering offshore both there and in Freshwater Bay and a single bird passed through off Chesil Cove (and a dead individual - that had seemingly flown into an obstruction of some sort - was also found at Chesil Cove this morning). The only other reports from the sea were of 60 Manx Shearwaters passing the Bill and 40 Common Scoter and 2 Arctic Skuas passing through off Chesil Cove. The only news of any interest from the land was of the continuing presence of the Woodchat Shrike at Southwell/Coombefield Quarry.
more Storm Petrels.....we'll miss them once they're gone..... - Portland Bill, May 24th 2006 © Martin Cade
The unseasonably rough weather continued and Storm Petrels were again conspicuous offshore. More than 200 flew west past the Bill in three hours early in the morning and with many more on the move or lingering offshore throughout the rest of the day the day-total was probably well in excess of 500; smaller numbers were also still lingering in Chesil Cove and Freshwater Bay. Seawatching at the Bill also produced a steady westward passage of Manx Sheawaters and Kittiwakes along with a Great Northern Diver and a Great Skua, whilst a Yellow-legged Gull and a late Common Gull were also lingering offshore. The Woodchat Shrike remained in the Coombefield Quarry/Southwell area but the only other reports from the land were of a Hobby over Southwell and a Wheatear and a Sedge Warbler at the Bill.
A few more photographs from the last couple of days: Sanderlings, Arctic Skua and Pomarine Skua - Ferrybridge and Portland Bill, May 21st and 22nd 2006 © Pete Saunders
Storm Petrels remained offshore in quantity throughout the day; loose feeding parties of up to 25 lingered off the Bill, in Chesil Cove and at Freshwater Bay all day but the only sample count of birds on the move was of 54 flying west at the Bill in four hours during the morning. Further sea interest was provided by 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers and a Mute Swan passing the Bill in the morning and a Long-tailed Skua passing though at Chesil Cove during the evening. On the land the Woodchat Shrike remained in the Coombefield Quarry area and the light scatter of late commoner migrants around the centre and south of the island included 5 Reed Warblers, 3 Wheatears, 2 Whinchats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Yellow Wagtail, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap, a Garden Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat.
Balearic Shearwater and Storm Petrels - Portland Bill, May 22nd 2006 © Martin Cade
Another day when virtually all the attention was given to the sea. Storm Petrels were off the Bill all day, where sample counts included 110 flying west along East Cliffs before 11am and up to 50 feeding birds visible in each scan of the sea from the Trinity House obelisk during the early afternoon. Seawatching otherwise produced 250 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Eider, 2 Arctic Skuas, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Great Skua and 1 Pomarine Skua passing the Bill and many Storm Petrels and a Pomarine Skua passing through off Chesil Cove. On the land the Woodchat Shrike remained beside Coombefield Quarry, a Turtle Dove, a Wheatear and a Reed Warbler were at the Bill and 2 Spotted Flycatchers were in the Suckthumb Quarry area.
Butterflies on the wing included 2 Painted Ladies at the Bill and a Clouded Yellow at Suckthumb Quarry.
The petrel-fest continued with both the Bill and Chesil Cove attracting Storm Petrels in quantity all day. Numbers were hard to interpret at the Bill where many were feeding offshore but the day-total was probably higher than 300; at least 50 passed through at Chesil Cove during the late afternoon and evening. The petrels aside the highlight on the sea was a Long-tailed Skua that lingered distantly off Chesil Cove for several hours from late afternoon until mid-evening; an Arctic Skua was also present in the Cove and 5 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Tufted Ducks, an Arctic Skua and a steady procession of Manx Shearwaters passed through off the Bill.
Storm Petrels - Portland Bill, May 20th 2006 © Martin Cade
Storm Petrels dominated proceedings again today with extraordinary numbers passing the Bill all day; from early morning until late afternoon birds were passing west at around 100 per hour so a total of 1000 for the day would seem to be a fair estimate (yesterday's passage was at least as strong so the provisional total of 500 quoted was surely a considerable under-estimate). Odds and sods of other movement on the sea included 400 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Arctic Skuas, a Red-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver passing the Bill and 50 commic terns, 25 Dunlin, 20 Storm Petrels, an Arctic Skua and a Tufted Duck off Chesil Cove. On the land the Woodchat Shrike remained in the Coombefield Quarry area and there was a Lesser Whitethroat and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill.
Woodchat Shrike and Storm Petrels - Coombefield Quarry and Portland Bill, May 19th 2006 © Martin Cade
In unseasonably stormy conditions the continuing presence of the Woodchat Shrike in the Coombefield Quarry/Cheyne area was the only news of any consequence from the land. On the sea the principal event was a remarkable wreck of Storm Petrels; there was no systematic count at the Bill where birds were on the move or lingering throughout the morning but even a conservative estimate would indicate that more than 500 passed through (all eventually heading west) before passage slowed up during the afternoon. A few more petrels passed through at Chesil Cove but there was very little other sea passage: 200 Manx Shearwaters, 18 Common Scoter and a single Great Skua passed through at the Bill and 50 Manx Shearwaters, 50 commic terns, 12 Common Scoter, 2 Great Skuas and 2 Mediterranean Gulls passed through at Chesil Cove.
The Woodchat Shrike remained in the Coombefield Quarry/Cheyne area (yesterday's negative news of it proved to be erroneous as evidently it was seen during a brief dry interlude during the afternoon). In blusterly, showery conditions the only new arrivals found on the land were 6 Chiffchaffs and a Redstart at the Bill. The sea was deadly quiet, with nothing more than a trickle of Manx Shearwaters, 20 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver and a Sandwich Tern passing through off the Bill.
In very windy conditions overnight the only immigrants attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps were 2 Diamond-back Moths and 1 Silver Y.
A miserable foggy and drizzly day. The light scatter of common migrants included 6 Reed Warblers, 5 Sedge Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, a Turtle Dove and a Whinchat at the Bill and a Yellow Wagtail at Weston. The sea was invisible for most of the morning but a Great Northern Diver was spotted passing through off the Bill in clearer conditions during the afternoon. Waders at Ferrybridge included 170 Dunlin, 12 Sanderling and a Bar-tailed Godwit, whilst 50 Arctic Terns also passed overhead there during the evening.
By the standards of the year to date there was a veritable fall of immigrant moths overnight, with the Obs garden traps attracting 15 Diamond-back Moths, 5 Silver Ys, 2 Rusty-dot Pearls, 1 Rush Veneer, 1 Gem, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
Striped Hawk-moth - Portland Bill, May 16th 2006 © Martin Cade
A fairly meagre bird list for the day although quality continued to be provided by the Woodchat Shrike that lingered on in the Coombefield Quarry/Cheyne area. Commoner migrants included 4 Reed Warblers, a Turtle Dove, a Black Redstart and a Redpoll at the Bill, 2 Hobbies passing through at Weston and a Yellow Wagtail at Reap Lane. A Red-throated Diver and a Pomarine Skua passed through off the Bill early in the morning before fog rolled in to spoil any further seawatching.
A Striped Hawk-moth was the immigrant highlight in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight; 6 Diamond-back Moths and a Silver Y were also recorded, along with the first Nutmeg and Pale Mottled Willow of the year.
Woodchat Shrike and Avocet - Coombefield Quarry and Ferrybridge, May 15th 2006 © Martin Cade
Pick of the new arrivals today were an Avocet that spent most of the morning at Ferrybridge and a Golden Oriole that was flushed from Suckthumb Quarry at midday and headed off in the direction of the windmills/Wakeham; the Coombefield Quarry/Cheyne Woodchat Shrike was also still present. Commoner migrants included 2 Reed Warblers, a Hobby, a Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, a Whimbrel, a Turtle Dove, a Sedge Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat at the Bill, a Firecrest at Southwell, a Turtle Dove at Cheyne and 225 Dunlin and 9 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. Two Great Northern Divers and an Arctic Skua passed by off the Bill, up to 50 Manx Shearwaters were still lingering offshore there and another Great Northern Diver passed overhead at Cheyne.
Woodchat Shrike - Coombefield Quarry, May 14th 2006 © Martin Cade
A bit more quality today in the form of a Woodchat Shrike that spent most of the day in the Cheyne/Coombefield Quarry area. Unfortunately commoner migrants remained thin on the ground, with the best at the Bill being 4 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Whinchats, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Golden Plover, a Short-eared Owl, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler and a late Brambling; 5 more Spotted Flycatchers at Avalanche Road/Barleycrates Lane and a Turtle Dove at Reap Lane were the pick of the migrants elsewhere. The second Roseate Tern of the spring was the highlight on the sea at the Bill, where there were otherwise just 3 Great Northern Diver, a Great Crested Grebe, a Great Skua and a trickle of Manx Shearwaters.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included 5 Diamond-back Moths, 2 Silver Ys and a Rusty-dot Pearl; Common Wave and Spectacle were both new for the year.
Green-winged Orchid, Early Purple Orchid and Spotted Flycatcher - Portland Bill, May 13th 2006 © Lorne Edwards (orchids) and Martin Cade (flycatcher)
Spotted Flycatchers featured conspicuously today, with around 40 either settled or passing straight through at the Bill and plenty more seen at other sites around the island. Most of the other new arrivals on the land were also passing straight through, with a Golden Plover (which didn't even make it to land before being picked off over the sea by a Peregrine!), a Turtle Dove, a Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and a Redpoll all noted at the Bill. The only oddities found were 3 Jays at Verne Common (although the pagers also carried a report of a Red-rumped Swallow at Portland Harbour during the morning; we would welcome any further information regarding this sighting). Seawatching at the Bill produced 46 Dunlin, 4 Great Northern Divers, 4 Shelduck, 4 Great Skuas, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Pomarine Skua.
Green-winged Orchids and Early Purple Orchids are now in flower at the Bill.
Five Diamond-back Moths and 5 Silver Ys were the only immigrants attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps overnight; Cabbage Moth in a garden moth-trap at Fortuneswell and Common Swift, Least Black Arches and Large Yellow Underwing at the Obs were all new for the year.
Sunny and warm once again. Hirundines were arriving in off the sea in better numbers than in recent days and another 120 Wood Pigeons, 3 Dunlin, a Hobby, a Tree Pipit and a Lesser Redpoll passed overhead at the Bill, but grounded migrants there consisted of nothing much more than 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Whinchats, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, a Wheatear, a Blackcap and a Bullfinch; elsewhere there was a Sedge Warbler at Reap Lane and 50 Dunlin and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge. Seawatching at the Bill produced 75 Common Scoter, 5 Great Northern Divers, 4 Sandwich Terns, 2 Whimbrel, a Red-throated Diver and a Pomarine Skua, whilst 19 Black-headed Gulls, 14 commic terns, 6 Sanderling, 3 Common Gulls, 2 Grey Plover and a Curlew passed through off Chesil Beach.
An Oak-tree Pug was a noteworthy capture overnight in the Obs garden moth-traps (this species was recorded on Portland for the first time last year; perhaps it had been overlooked previously?); 4 Plutella xylostella and a Silver Y were the only immigrants caught, whilst Garden Carpet and Heart and Dart were both new species for the year.
Red-rumped Swallow - Portland Bill, May 11th 2006 © Martin Cade
For the most part very quiet on the land again in balmy, sunny conditions. Fortunately some day-visitors were still in the field after the locals had given up for the day and they were rewarded with the discovery of a Red-rumped Swallow that lingered for a while amongst the local House Martins over Top Fields during the afternoon. Three more Jays had appeared earlier in the day at Avalanche Road, Southwell, and a rather late Ring Ouzel was seen at the Bill. The thin scatter of commoner migrants included 12 Whinchats between the Bill and Barleycrates Lane and a Pied Flycatcher at Reap Lane. Another pulse of overflying Wood Pigeons - including 120 arriving from the north at the Bill - were the pick of the visible passage. Action on the sea was limited to 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 diver sp and an Arctic Skua passing through off the Bill and 18 Sanderling and 2 diver sp passing Chesil Beach.
Overnight moth-trapping at the Obs produced by way of immigrants just 10 Diamond-back Moths and a Dark Sword Grass; Brindled Pug, Lime-speck Pug, Galium Carpet and Yellow Belle were also new for the year.
It's beginning to look like the majority of spring migrants have passed through, with decent-looking conditions today - clear skies and a brisk headwind - producing nothing more than a light scatter of typical tail end of the season species such as Garden Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers. A Turtle Dove at the Bill and a Pied Flycatcher at Blacknor were the best of the scarcer migrants, whilst single Jays (perhaps the same individual in each case) at Southwell, Reap Lane and the Bill were the only out of the ordinary sightings. Manx Shearwaters were again lingering off the Bill in quantity, but the offshore breeze saw to it that the only birds of note on the move there were singles of Great Northern Diver, Great Skua and Arctic Skua. In the evening large numbers of gulls, including more than 1100 Herring Gulls, 40 Kittiwakes, 20 Black-headed Gulls and 3 Common Gulls, were feeding off Chesil Beach where there appeared to have been an emergence of small invertebrates.
Jay - Portland Bill, May 9th 2006 © Martin Cade
Another pretty dreadful day for common migrants, with hirundines passing through in some numbers but very few new grounded arrivals. A Hoopoe seen early in the morning at Suckthumb Quarry was presumably new in (there was no word either way on the Broadcroft Quarry Hoopoe), whilst a party of 5 Jays that appeared overhead at the Bill were a first record for the year. Seawatching at the Bill produced 4 Pomarine Skuas, 3 Great Northern Divers, a Red-throated Diver and a Great Skua.
The Obs garden moth-traps produced by way of an immigrant just one Diamond-back Moth. Yesterday's daily summary omitted to mention the moth-trapping: the only immigrants caught at the Obs were 4 Diamond-back Moths and 2 Silver Ys.
Mealy Redpoll - Portland Bill, May 8th 2006 © Martin Cade
Overnight cloud and rain took a while to clear through but clear skies and sunshine had returned by mid-morning. Waders were conspicuously on the move, with 300 Dunlin and 5 Knot at Ferrybridge and 50 presumed Sanderling passing through rapidly at the Bill. Grounded migrants were a little more numerous than in recent days at the Bill, where there were 15 Garden Warblers, 3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Pied Flycatcher along with a light scatter of other typical late spring species. Quality was provided by the Hoopoe that lingered on in the Broadcroft Quarry area, 2 Tree Sparrows that were an 'on cue' arrival at Avalanche Road, Southwell, and another tricky Redpoll - seemingly a Mealy - that dropped in briefly at the Bill. Three Arctic Skuas, 3 Pomarine Skuas and 3 Great Northern Divers were the pick of a pretty limited sea passage at the Bill, where there were also still more than 300 Manx Shearwaters lingering offshore.
The Hoopoe remained in the Broadcroft Quarry area but otherwise interest seems to be dwindling by the day, with the sea now as quiet as the land. The only even faintly out of the ordinary migrants on or overhead on the land were a Grey Heron, a Grey Plover and a Bullfinch at the Bill. Some hundreds of Manx Shearwaters were still lingering off the Bill but a single Great Skua passing through off Chesil Beach was just about the only bird of note that was actually on the move on the sea.
Painted Ladies and Red Admirals are increasing, with double figure counts of both at the Bill today.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included 5 Silver Y, 4 Diamond-back Moths and 1 Delicate.
Hoopoe and peculiar cloud formations - Broadcroft Quarry BC reserve and Portland Bill, May 6th 2006 © Martin Cade
Once again an almost complete lack of common migrants - grounded or passing overhead - throughout the island today. A Hoopoe saved the day for many of the weekend visitors; it showed only briefly on initial discovery beside the Bill car park early in the morning, but what was presumably the same individual was found again during the afternoon at Broadcroft Quarry butterfly reserve where it showed from time to time. There was a trickle of pretty routine movement on the sea, including 110 commic terns, 90 Bar-tailed Godwits, 9 Arctic Skuas, a Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver and a Grey Plover off the Bill and 44 Bar-tailed Godwits, 24 Arctic Terns, 10 Whimbrel, 9 Arctic Skuas, 3 Knot and a Grey Plover off Chesil Beach; Manx Shearwaters were lingering in quantity off both sites (more than 1000 estimated off the Bill) and the first Balearic Shearwater of the year also appeared off Chesil.
Moth interest in the Obs garden traps this morning was restricted to 10 Diamond-back Moths, 2 Silver Y and a single Chocolate-tip (the latter species is only a very infrequent visitor to the island).
Late news for yesterday: the one Pomarine Skua of the day was omitted in error from yesterday's seawatch list for the Bill
Fox - Portland Bill, May 5th 2006 © Martin Cade
Virtually all the interest was on the sea today, with a Long-tailed Skua passing through off the Bill along with 14 Arctic Skuas, 7 Great Skuas, a Red-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver and a Mediterranean Gull. The land was particularly hopeless - just 4 new birds were trapped and ringed in the Obs garden all day - with the only minor highlight being a Turtle Dove amongst the pitiful selection of commoner migrants at the Bill.
Immigrant interest picked up a little in the Obs garden moth-traps, with 27 Diamond-back Moths and a single Silver Y caught overnight.
Finally, anyone at a loose end tomorrow (6th May) is welcome to come along and try their hand at stone-walling at the Bill. An informal - free of charge - stone-walling course, supervised by a local stone-waller, will be taking place between 10am and 3pm on the south-eastern boundary wall of Helen's Fields (the boundary wall on the ridge above the Culverwell Mesolithic site). These fields are owned by the PBO chairman, Helen Brotherton, and managed by the Obs so this will be a useful opportunity to tidy up part of 'our' land at the Bill.
Siskin - Southwell, May 4th 2006 © Keith Pritchard
What a difference a day makes! Today provided nothing in the way of rarities, barely a smattering of common migrants and sea passage that was hardly busy. Grounded migrants consisted of one minor oddity - a Siskin in song at Southwell - but otherwise nothing more than single figure totals of even the commonest expected species, whilst overhead there was little more than a trickle of hirundines passing through. The sea produced what little interest there was, with 350 commic terns, 11 Black Terns, 6 Arctic Skuas, 4 Little Terns, an Arctic Skua and a Pomarine Skua passing through off the Bill and 460 commic terns, 85 Dunlin, 68 Black-headed Gulls, 28 Whimbrel, 17 Grey Plovers, 10 Ringed Plovers, 6 Sanderling, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Black Terns, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Black-tailed Godwit passing through off Chesil Beach.
A Diamond-back Moth and a Dark Sword Grass were the only immigrants attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps overnight.
Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier and Red-rumped Swallows - New Ground, Cheyne Weare and Portland Bill, May 3rd 2006 © Martin Cade
Lots of interest today with an excellent selection of rarities backed up by a good variety of commoner migrants and a few seabirds. The highlights were an apparent Ashy-headed Wagtail seen briefly in Top Fields during the morning (the first record for the island) and a group of up to 3 Red-rumped Swallows that roamed widely around the island for much of the morning (2 were found at Chesil Cove mid-morning, 3 then appeared intermittently over Fortuneswell before 2 eventually settled over fields near the Obs for an hour or so around midday); a Wryneck had earlier been seen at Barleycrates Lane, 2 Serins were reported to have been seen flying over Top Fields, whilst passing raptors included a Hen Harrier seen twice at New Ground and a Marsh Harrier that arrived in off the sea at the Bill and carried on northwards over Southwell and Weston. The pick of the more routine migrants included a Hobby and a Wood Warbler at Southwell, 8 Turtle Doves and a Hobby at the Bill, a late Fieldfare at New Ground and a late Siskin at Verne Common. Sea passage was a lot slower than yesterday, although 10 Arctic and 3 Pomarine Skuas passed through off Chesil Cove and 5 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Skuas and 2 Pomarine Skuas passed through off the Bill.
A Painted Lady was on the wing at Barleycrates Lane. Despite promising-looking conditions overnight no immigrant moths were attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps; the only new species for the year in the traps was a Rustic Shoulder-knot.
With interest on the land restricted to an insignificant number of common migrants along with a very late Jack Snipe and the long-staying Cuckoo at the Bill most attention was paid to the sea. Passage was disappointingly slow throughout the morning but picked up well during the afternoon, with totals at Chesil Cove that included 350 Manx Shearwaters, 27 Whimbrel, 24 Pomarine Skuas, 18 Bar-tailed Godwits, 14 Common Scoter, 14 Arctic Skuas, 3 Great Skuas, 2 Little Gulls and a Red-throated Diver; full counts for the Bill are not yet available (the watchers are currently seeking liquid refreshment!) but provisional totals included 800 commic terns, 20 Pomarine Skuas, 6 Arctic Skuas, 5 Red-throated Divers, 4 Great Skuas, 3 Black-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver.
Bar-tailed Godwits - Ferrybridge, May 1st 2006 © Pete Saunders
A very low-key start to the new month, with some overnight wind and rain seemingly putting the block on passerine migration. That just 3 new birds were trapped and ringed in the Obs garden all day wasn't particularly surprising given the extremely low numbers of migrants reported by all those who ventured into the field; a single Cuckoo in Top Fields was the only report of interest from the Bill area. Seawatching at the Bill was hardly more lively, with 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 9 Whimbrel, a Pomarine Skua and a Great Skua the only worthwhile sightings to show for the effort.. The only other reports were of 13 Bar-tailed Godwits and 9 Sanderling at Ferrybridge.
Overnight moth-trapping in a garden at Southwell produced a single Dark Sword Grass along with the first White Ermine of the year. Yesterday's mothing was sufficiently uninspiring to have been forgotten at the time of writing the website update: the only interest in the Obs garden traps was the first Flame Shoulder of the year.