16th June

Very little to report that would be of even the slightest interest to anyone from off-island: 44 Common Scoter passed through off the Bill, a Turnstone was new on the land there and 2 Dunlin, a Black-headed Gull and a Mediterranean Gull were at Ferrybridge.

Since it's looking like the spring passage of all but the tardiest individual common migrants has fizzled out we thought it'd be timely to have a quick review of how the season's panned out for some of our most numerous migrants; as before, this is perhaps easiest to gauge by having a peek at the Obs ringing totals. From what we've heard from elsewhere we get the impression that the numbers of both migrants on the coast and breeders inland are considered to be well down this year, but this wasn't entirely reflected at Portland. Willow Warbler and Whitethroat were perhaps the most conspicuous losers - as much because they're usually so numerous here - but maybe a little more under the radar were the notably poor totals of Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat. Chiffchaff, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher were right on par with recent years, whilst Blackcap has been doing so well lately that the slight drop in their numbers was, arguably, only what might have been expected in an indifferent season. Garden Warbler looks have bounced right back from a series of poor years and Spotted Flycatcher was the biggest winner of all among the long distance migrants, with not far off record numbers ringed this spring. Finally, bearing in mind the severity of the late winter it was a welcome surprise that both 'crests looked to have survived really well.