2nd September

A day of the poorest quality, with an abject showing on the migrant front and an unforecast spell of persistent rain through the middle of the day dampening any enthusiasm for the legwork necessary to salvage something of interest. An Ortolan Bunting - presumably a mobile/elusive lingerer - popped up once at the Bill, where Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail on 32 and 15 apiece were the only routine migrants getting beyond low single figure totals; despite seemingly favourable conditions a lone Common Scoter was the only seabird of note there.

Mothing was as dreadful as the birding, with 6 Silver Y, 4 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 Rush Veneer and a Dark Sword Grass the only immigrants caught overnight at the Obs.

A very autumnal scene of the island swathed in low cloud and drizzle © Mike Trew:

The long-staying Knot and a Yellow Wagtail at Ferrybridge © Mike Trew:

Also thanks to Pete and Debby Saunders for news of a nice colour-ring sighting from Ferrybridge on 31st August. This Sandwich Tern © Pete Saunders was ringed on Inish island, Lady's Island Lake, Co. Wexford, on 17th June; it was first noted on site as a fledged juvenile on 7th July but this is the first re-sighting since then. Evidently there have been plenty of sightings of birds from this project on the Irish Sea coasts of the UK but this is the first in Dorset (details per Tony Murray):