Just at the moment perfectly reasonable conditions don't seem to be doing much for us, with today's veil of cloud and always unmaterialising threat of rain - what's not to like about those conditions in mid-October? - returning pretty dreadful numbers of migrants despite a lot of searching. A late afternoon
Wryneck at the Obs Quarry was a good deal later in the season than's usual for new arrivals at Portland, but otherwise the less frequent migrant tally consisted of just
Firecrests at the Bill, Easton (2) and Portland Castle, a
Dartford Warbler at Fancy's Farm and a lingering
Cetti's Warbler at the Bill. The likes of
Stonechats,
Blackcaps and
Chiffchaffs remained well spread in fair numbers here and there but for the most part it remained hard work to get much reward on the ground. Overhead passage was fitful and far from impressive, with 228
Linnets, 210
Meadow Pipits, 100
alba wagtails, 85
Goldfinches and 75
Swallows making up the bulk of the numbers at the Bill. Offshore,
Kittiwakes were again moving in quantity with 748 through off the Bill, but 3
Balearic Shearwaters and an
Arctic Skua provided the only other interest there.
Immigrant moth variety was still good, with 117 Rush Veneers, 46 Rusty-dot Pearl, 8 Turnip, 7 Vestal, 5 Diamond-back, 5 Delicate, 4 White-speck, 2 Olive-tree Pearl, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 Silver Y, a Dark Sword Grass and a Pearly Underwing at the Obs and singles of Vagrant Metal-mark Tebenna micalis and Autumnal Rustic at Southwell the pick of the oddities elsewhere.
