7th June

Portland has been blessed or blighted, depending on your outlook on such matters, with a series of almost subliminal rarity occurrences this spring; one or two at least left a digital trace by which we might remember them, but others scarcely impinged on the consciousness, let alone the pixels. Sadly, today's Pallid Swift that streaked over one fortunate observer at the Bill during the afternoon fell into the latter category, and was gone as quickly as it had been spotted. After a night of passing electric storms and occasional downpours it was no surprise that a handful of late migrants made landfall, with 2 each of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill and another Spotted Flycatcher at Southwell all new in; 2 each of Mallard and Black-headed Gull, and singles of Whimbrel and Sanderling also showed up at Ferrybridge. The sea has been well worth attention in recent days, and today chipped in with 72 Common Scoter, 12 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Great Skuas, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Sandwich Terns and singles of Curlew and Pomarine Skua through off the Bill.

Despite promising-looking conditions, moth immigration remained very subdued, with 13 Diamond-back Moths and singles of Rush Veneer, Cream-bordered Green Pea and Silver Y the only migrants/wanderers caught overnight at the Obs.

 
 
Kittiwake and Song Thrush - June 2014, Portland Bill and East Weare © Brett Spencer Brett's Goosey Ganderings (Kittiwake) and Keith Pritchard Birding Portland UK (Song Thrush)