17th October

The continuing ferociously strong easterly wind scuppered any chance of meaningful coverage today and certainly left the feeling that as much would have been missed as was chanced upon. It didn't appear to be too busy on the ground, with a solitary Ring Ouzel the pick of what arrivals were apparent at the Bill; elsewhere, a Black Redstart was new at Blacknor. There was more passage overhead to be tapped into but the Wood Pigeons, Swallows, Starlings and various finches involved seemed to be moving in a variety of directions and weren't particularly easy to get amongst. Sea passage included 56 Common Scoter, 13 Brent Geese, 4 Wigeon, 3 Dunlin, 2 Red-throated Divers and an Arctic Skua through off the Bill.

Nice close views of a Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Ferrybridge today - we know next to nothing about geese so will have to read up on the interesting mix of new and ?old feathers on the mantle, scapulars and coverts of this adult/sub-adult © Roy Norris:

Moth migration resumes: our third Dark Mottled Willow in a little over a week from the Obs moth-traps last night; despite pretty dreadful trapping conditions a small uptick in common migrant numbers as well pic.twitter.com/651QoNlh6B

— Portland Bird Observatory (@PortlandBirdObs) October 17, 2023