22nd July

Portland Bill Swift 100, Sand Martin 50, Willow Warbler 3, Lesser Whitethroat 2.

Portland Bill seawatch Mediterranean Gull 20, Common Scoter 11, Balearic Shearwater 1, Little Egret 1.

Ferrybridge Dunlin 45, Curlew 4, Redshank1.

PBO nocturnal passage Redshank 1 flock + 1 single, Ringed Plover 1 flock, Dunlin 1 flock, Little Ringed Plover 1, Oystercatcher 1.

Moths PBO Striped Bent-wing Lyonetia prunifoliella 1 (new for Portland), Silver Y 36, Diamond-back Moth 19, Four-spotted Footman 6, Marbled Piercer 2, Rusty-dot Pearl 2, Fen Wainscot 2, Bird-cherry Ermine 1, Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1, Dark Spectacle 1; also Wall 1, Gatekeeper 1, Green-veined White 1. Weston Pebble Hook-tip 1. Grove Crescent 1.

Striped Bent-wing wasn't really a surprise addition to the island moth list because we'd been vaguely on the look out for it following multiple reports in south-east England - what we hadn't appreciated until today was that it had in fact already been found quite widely elsewhere in Dorset © Martin Cade: 


This morning's mass departure eastwards of 85 Little Terns (including several juveniles) from the breeding colony at Ferrybridge took the observers by surprise; whether they were upping and going for good remains to be seen, although there is past evidence from colour-ring sightings that indicates that some do indeed move eastwards to the Solent shore immediately after the breeding season per Steve Hales © Pete Saunders: 


An early hours Little Ringed Plover over the Obs was the highlight of last night's nocturnal recording session: