17th September

Wind and rain were the order of the day at dawn but it didn't take long for the clearance to materialise and introduce sunny skies and pleasant warmth for the rest of the day. A Grey Phalarope lingering in Chesil Cove wasn't a huge surprise and proved to be by far the sea highlight; 12 Arctic Skuas through off the Bill was a respectable tally but the back-up totals there of 260 Kittiwakes, 11 Balearic Shearwaters, 11 Common Scoter, 8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 7 Manx Shearwaters, a Sooty Shearwater and an Arctic Tern were pretty paltry. On the land, a Wryneck showed up at King Barrow Quarry and once the sun came out hirundines - mostly Swallows - trickled over at a fair rate but it was otherwise quiet bar 16 new Bar-tailed Godwits at Ferrybridge, a Great Spotted Woodpecker at the Verne, 2 lingering Knot at the Bill and an exceptionally early Black Redstart there.

About as guaranteed as you can get after a bit of a blow at this time of year - Grey Phalarope close inshore at Chesil Cove © Pete Saunders:

We don't know how many times we've looked across to the Obs Quarry this autumn and remarked that if all the trainspotters standing around waiting for hours for an already known about and perfectly well documented Wryneck to come into view actually went out and looked there'd be plenty more of them to find elsewhere on the island. Sure enough, as soon as a proper fieldworker got amongst some suitable bushes at King Barrow Quarry - when was the last time anyone looked for anything there? - up pops a Wryneck © Andy Collins:

And finally, who needs a boring, buzzy little drone when you can get paid to fly a Merlin helicopter over the Bill. We're super envious of serving RN officer, Lt Megan Hanson, being in the position to take this quick photo of the Obs whilst she was at work this week; Megan's a keen birder and knows the area well as she's a frequent visitor with RNBWS groups that stay with us © Megan Hanson:

grey phalarope riding the waves

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— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 4:24 PM

was surprised how many ALT were still going at verne common, clearly through late after long hot dry summer but made it in the end!

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— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) September 17, 2026 at 3:39 PM

16th September

Today got off to a productive start with migration firing on all fronts including the first big push of visible migration of the autumn along with a nice selection of oddities/less frequents to keep interest high. Meadow Pipits were the most conspicuous mover overhead with 1,500 passing through, as well as 500 Swallows, 150 House Martins, 26 Chaffinches, 15 Yellow Wagtails, 9 Grey Wagtails, 3 Tree Pipits and the first 2 Spoonbills of the year also logged. Grounded migrants were less of a feature especially as the afternoon sunshine wore on but did include another 50 Wheatears and 3 Whinchats plus singles of Spotted Flycatcher, Greenfinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. At sea another pulse of Kittiwakes saw 450 heading down channel, along with 245 Auks, 10 Common Scoters, 4 Balearic Shearwaters, an Arctic Skua and the highlight in the form of a flock of 5 Avocets arriving from the south; 2 each of Knot and Turnstone were also along the shoreline.

Today's Spoonbills heading south high over the Obs © Jodie Henderson:

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15th September

Certainly a day of two halves weather-wise, with a dreary and briefly damp morning giving way to a beautifully sunny and warm afternoon; sadly it was always a tad too breezy to get the most out of either of the halves. At the Bill, the cloud and damp delivered a small arrival of grounded migrants, with 2 Whinchats and a Pied Flycatcher the pick amongst the more routines that included 20 each of Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Quite surprisingly given the conditions overhead passage developed strongly, with the first four figure totals of the season of both Swallow and Meadow Pipit making up the bulk of the numbers and 13 Grey Wagtails the best of the rest. The sea struggled to make any sort of impression on the day's loggings, with 110 Kittiwakes, 39 Common Scoter, 10 Sandwich Terns, 3 Balearic Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua the best of a bad job at the Bill. Ferrybridge remained stubbornly Baird's Sandpiper-free, with a now customary 4 Sanderling, 2 Knot and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit amongst the regulars.

14th September

Still no more than ticking over at the lowest of levels on all fronts today, with mist and/or low cloud adding to the air of melancholy. There was a scatter of common migrants about including 30 Blackcaps, 20 each of Wheatear and Chiffchaff, and 10 Willow Warblers at the Bill but nothing unexpected turned up in their midst and it was left to a brief Caspian Gull to provide any real interest on the ground there. Overhead passage and movement on the sea was almost non-existent.

It seemed unlikely that the Large Cone-head found in a moth-trap back in August would prove to be a one-off and sure enough this evening at least two stridulating specimens were discovered in the Crown Estate Field, with one being fairly easily seen by torch light. The number of orthopteran colonists of the island in recent years really has been quite astounding! © Martin Cade:

Out on a Coastal Vibes jolly this evening, firstly around Portland Harbour then along the Breakwater. Pic of Portland covered in low cloud. Fascinating to see the roosting GBBGulls up close, I counted ~500. Also a smart 1st w YLHGull flew close past the boat on the way back in.

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— Paul Harris (@paulupwey.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 9:24 PM

13th September

A blustery, dreary and very quiet morning gave way to much improved conditions during the afternoon that at least brought forth a few sightings of note. The Wryneck lingered on at the Obs Quarry but in the absence of anything more than the thinnest of scatterings of common migrants on the ground most attention during the morning was given to the sea, with little reward there beyond 7 Balearic Shearwaters and 5 Teal. Later, a Merlin was over Hamm Beach and singles of Caspian and Yellow-legged Gull dropped into the East Cliffs gull flock.

A flurry of Lesser Emperor dragonflies during the afternoon included 10 or more at sites in the Broadcroft/Yeolands area and a single in the Obs Quarry.

Nice to pick out this presumed 1cy Caspian Gull from among the regular flock of loafing gulls at Culverwell, Portland earlier today. As befits the time of year, it appears - to these eyes at least - to be in something of a transitional plumage state on the way to 'classic' 1st winter. #DorsetBirds

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— Phil Bentley (@bikingbirder.bsky.social) September 13, 2026 at 5:19 PM

12th September

A day largely saved by the continuing presence of a Wryneck around the Obs Quarry. In the increasingly blustery conditions it was hard work getting amongst what commoner migrants were about and they certainly didn't seem to be very numerous, with 23 Grey Herons in two flocks over the Bill easily the highlight; departing Meadow Pipits also reached 300 overhead but there was little else of note either aloft or on the ground. The sea was quieter than yesterday, with 8 Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Arctic Skuas and an Eider the best on offer off the Bill.

This mornings Wryneck at Portland at least it was on top of the bush rather than underneath.

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— rog78.bsky.social (@rog78.bsky.social) September 12, 2026 at 5:04 PM

Moth trapping slightly stagnated in recent nights but still a fair spread of presumably mostly local-bred migrants about. Best catch at the Obs last night a little Aethes that looks to be a strong candidate for Samphire Straw A bilbaensis

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 12, 2026 at 11:58 AM

The only interesting moths in last night's trap were the tiniest, Beautiful Twitcher and Carrot Ridge-back #MothsMatter

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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) September 12, 2026 at 6:11 PM

11th September

Whilst today's blue skies and warm sunshine made it feel like we had been transported back to midsummer, the birding remained very much of the autumn variety, albeit at reduced numbers than those seen earlier in the week. The second Wryneck of the autumn trapped in the Crown Estate field was a pleasant surprise on a day when, 75 Wheatears aside, grounded migrants were so few; Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff barely reached double figures and only singles of Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher provided further interest. Whilst overhead passage ticked along with 100 Meadow Pipits, 100 Swallows, 25 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Grey Wagtails and 3 Tree Pipits logged, it was the sea which provided the bulk of the day's numbers, with an impressive post-dawn down-Channel outpouring of Kittiwakes that totaled 3,150 in 90 minutes. Variety on the sea failed to provide the same spectacle, with 20 Common Scoters, 8 Balearic Shearwaters and 4 Arctic Skua the day's only highlights. Lastly, 2 Purple Sandpipers and a Knot were present on the foreshore at the Bill.

Wader-wise, Purple Sandpipers are the shoreline staple at the Bill so an addition like this afternoon's Knot is always worthy of attention © Jodie Henderson:

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Spectacular passage of Kittiwakes ongoing off the Bill - constant blizzard of them heading west already totaling well past 2500 in the hour since dawn.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 11, 2026 at 7:22 AM

In contrast to the sea, the only spectacle on the land this mrng is how empty the mist-nets have been; however, it only takes one and a new Wryneck from the CEF has just saved the day

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 11, 2026 at 8:54 AM

It was such a nice evening that we popped up to St George's Church expecting the Rose-coloured Starling to appear amongst the pre-roost gathering of Starlings; sadly it was a no-show so here's a little compilation of it from last weekend when we didn't have the right camera with us merged with some scene-setting from this evening © Martin Cade:

Also, we heard back this week regarding the ringing details of the colour-ringed Caspian Gull that was briefly amongst the East Cliffs gull flock on the evening of 29th August. It turns out this bird was ringed as a nestling on 30th May at a site in central Poland; evidently the Caspian Gull colony at the site also contains some Herring Gulls and hybrids so some dubious parentage is a possibility - although we only saw the bird in flight and ever so briefly settled we couldn't see any glaring reason to suppose it wasn't a pure Caspian Gull but who knows! Two of our previous Caspian Gulls were ringed as nestlings in The Netherlands but this one is the first from Poland © Martin Cade:

10th September

Today played out in a similar vein to yesterday, with another spread of common migrants logged throughout the morning until the wind backed into the southwest bringing fresher and more challenging conditions. Blackcaps were once again the most numerous of the day's grounded migrants topping at the Bill, where 20 Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaff, a White Wagtail and the autumn's first Firecrest were also present. The lingering Rosy Starling remained among the Starling flock at Weston, whilst subliminal views of a Wryneck in the Obs Quarry were unable to determine whether this was a new individual or the ringed bird that has managed to evade attention since the weekend. Overhead passage included the first Snipe of the autumn over Ferrybridge; over the Bill movement peaked in the first hour or two after dawn, with 120 Meadow Pipits, 100 Yellow Wagtails, 20 Grey Wagtails, 6 Tree Pipits, a Kestrel and a Dunlin heading out whilst the sea ticked over with 480 Gannets, 125 Kittiwakes, 31 Common Scoter, 27 Sandwich Terns, 9 Arctic Skua, 3 Garganey and 2 Balearic Shearwaters passing and 50 Manx Shearwaters remaining frustratingly distant amongst some interesting-looking feeding aggregations/tuna boils way out on the horizon.

Beauty and the Beast - Firecrest and Sparrowhawk both trapped for the first time this autumn from the early rounds of the mist-nets

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 10, 2026 at 7:57 AM

9th September

Today's light northwesterlies saw a scattering of new arrivals around the Bill - in light of recent events, beggars certainly can't be choosers and the combined totals of 55 Wheatears, 50 Blackcaps, 30 Willow Warblers, 25 Chiffchaff, 10 Sedge Warbler and singles of Reed Warbler, White Wagtail and Spotted Flycatcher were certainly welcome signs of improvement. The Rose-coloured Starling lingered on at Weston but the chief scarcity surprise of the day was the reappearance of the Nightingale first trapped way back on the 26th August - whilst Portland Nightingales have a track record for lingering during the autumn it was a tad alarming to think that if this bird can go undetected for a fortnight what else might we be missing. Thick cloud cover seemed to slow momentum overhead, with just 45 Yellow Wagtails, 20 Grey Wagtails, 10 Tree Pipits, a Merlin, Little Egret and a Grey Heron over the Bill. Whilst an uptick in Kittiwakes saw 193 logged past the Bill, the rest of the day's seawatch was uneventful with just 55 Manx Shearwaters and 3 Arctic Skuas of note.  

Insects provided some of the day's most exciting migration happenings, with the year's first Death's-head Hawkmoth trapped overnight at the Obs, followed during the afternoon by the first Bill record of a Lesser Emperor dragonfly - like several other recent records of rare dragonflies at the Bill, it was found trapped in one of the Crown Estate Field mist-nets! © Jodie Henderson:

8th September

Considering how today unfolded - heavy rain that set in during the night lasted right through until midday - it was fortunate that there were any observations to report, let alone something as interesting as the year's first Glossy Ibis that passed overhead at Ferrybridge during the afternoon; the Rose-coloured Starling was also still about, whilst less frequent migrants at the Bill included a Hobby overhead, a grounded White Wagtail and a Great Skua through on the sea. Commoner migrants grounded by the rain included 20 Wheatears although there wasn't a great deal else in evidence, whilst additions from the sea included 25 Manx Shearwaters.

7th September

There was no improvement at all in the parlous common migrant situation today although there was some compensation in the form of a Common Rosefinch trapped in the Crown Estate Field; the Rose-coloured Starling also continued to roam around the Weston housing estates, whilst a Curlew Sandpiper was new amongst the Ferrybridge waders. Although hirundines - nearly all Swallows today - were again trundling through overhead in fair quantity the only other double figure totals migrant-wise were 59 Lesser Black-backed Gulls departing south, 20 Yellow Wagtails and 10 apiece of Grey Wagtail, Wheatear and Blackcap. Six Balearic Shearwaters, 5 Arctic Skuas, a Great Crested Grebe and a Yellow-legged Gull were amongst the trickle of routine movers offshore.

The Common Rosefinch was quite a surprise, not only for it coming out of the blue on an otherwise very quiet morning but also for it being so early - the earliest ever occurrence concerns the very first record for Portland and Dorset of one on 25th-27th August 1967 but there are only a handful of subsequent records during the first fortnight of September © Jodie Henderson:

Our post-tea check of the waders at Ferrybridge is beginning to get impacted by the speed with which the evenings are drawing in - under today's heavy cloud cover it was as much as we could do to get identifiable photos of the Curlew Sandpiper in the semi-twilight at 7 o'clock! © Martin Cade:

Renewed moth migration didn't seem to reach Portland over the weekend: two pretty ordinary nights in the Obs garden traps and an Old World Webworm from our garden trap at the Grove the only better quality scarcity.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 7, 2026 at 2:05 PM

6th September

A pretty crushingly duff day for common migrants with the light southeasterly delivering far less than might have been hoped and certainly would have been the case a few decades ago - OK everyone, you just carry on like normal and completely ignore the ecological breakdown that's blindingly obvious to anyone with half a brain. A small redeeming feature was a steady departure of 160 Yellow Wagtails and an equally steady although unquantified passage of hirundines (along with a single late Swift); grounded arrivals were pathetically few and far between and didn't include anything more of consequence than a Merlin and a White Wagtail at the Bill, a Pied Flycatcher at Avalanche Road and a couple of random single Yellow-legged Gulls; for the travelling listers, the Rose-coloured Starling meted out as much frustration as it did relief as it ranged around the Weston housing estates. In terms of variety if not quantity the sea was a constant purveyor of interest, with 30 Sandwich Terns, 28 Manx Shearwaters, 27 Balearic Shearwaters, 10 Dunlin, 8 Sanderling, 7 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Sooty Shearwater amongst others logged at the Bill.

The Rose-coloured Starling amongst a pre-roost gathering of Starlings atop St Georges Church at Weston © Martin Cade:

5th September

Whilst today's clear skies and light northwesterly breeze made for a pleasant day's birding, it was sadly rather disappointing on the migrant front, with improved coverage failing to turn up much beyond a fairly middling tally of expected fare. Despite the low numbers, variety was still on the up compared to recent days with totals of 30 Wheatears, 20 Sedge Warblers, 15 Blackcaps, 10 Willow Warblers, 2 Merlin and singles of Pied Flycatcher and Reed Warbler from around the Bill. Hirundines were conspicous movers with 500 Swallows, 250 Sand Martins and just 75 House Martins logged throughout the day, with a further 150 Yellow Wagtails, 50 Meadow Pipits, 25 Grey Wagtails, 4 Ringed Plover and a Kestrel departing overhead. Having gathered a fair bit of interest, both the lingering Wryneck and the Rose-coloured Starling proved once again hard to get to grips with, with the former mostly back to skulking deep within the cover of the Obs Quarry and the latter taking frequent sojourns between the Starling flocks at the Bill and the Weston housing estates. 

4th September

The lingering Wryneck at the Obs Quarry, the reappearance of the Rosy Starling at Weston and some hirundine vismig over/off the Bill just about saved today from another ignominious relegation to the best forgotten archive. The westerly had freshened still further overnight and limited new migrant interest on the ground to the first Purple Sandpiper of autumn at the Bill and 11 Black-tailed Godwits and 9 Sanderling at Ferrybridge. A brief post-dawn rain band precipitated in its wake a decent little passage of hirundines that included 480 Swallows and 154 Sand Martins leaving out to sea at the Bill, with 2 Merlins and a Little Egret also of interest overhead there. The sea didn't really deserve lots of attention but in the absence of anything else to get amongst it got it anyway, with 63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 18 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Skuas and a Caspian Gull eventually amounting to fair reward from the Bill.

For most of its long residence the Obs Quarry Wryneck has been a little s*d to see but today it finally deigned to exhibit itself quiet regularly © Mark Eggleton:

Think this makes number 4 rosy for this garden the bird relocated 100 metres up the road where these pictures were taken.hopefully will come back for some mealworm tomorrow

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— dunccrip.bsky.social (@dunccrip.bsky.social) September 4, 2026 at 3:49 PM

Wryneck on Portland playing hard to get for me today

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— Phil Cheeseman@bsky.social (@philcheeseman.bsky.social) September 4, 2026 at 6:15 PM

3rd September

In the face of unrelenting brisk westerlies migration's really ground to a halt on all fronts. The lingering Wryneck in the Obs Quarry continued to provide the occasional glimpse but Wheatear was the only common migrant managing a double figure total either on the ground or overhead at the Bill. Waders were more numerous at Ferrybridge but numbers and variety there have hardly changed all week. Three Arctic Skuas and 2 Balearic Shearwaters provided the only interest on the sea at the Bill.

2nd September

A day that would otherwise have been relegated to the annals as a weather-induced write-off ended up making the history books for all the right reasons when 2 Northern Bottlenose Whales - the first recorded at Portland - were discovered close in off the East Cliffs; the simultaneous discovery of a Rose-coloured Starling at the Bill made for an even more exciting day. In fact, the rest of the day's migration happenings were an almost complete non-event, with a Wryneck in the Obs Quarry likely to be the the lingering but extremely elusive individual from the weekend, along with only the lightest scattering of Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Wheatears by way of more routine arrivals. Overhead, a Merlin was the only notable sighting, with things faring only marginally better on the sea where a report of a Sabine's Gull via the news service was the undoubted highlight among totals of no more than 100 Kittiwakes, 10 Balearic Shearwaters and 7 Arctic Skuas also logged there.

We've subsequently learnt that the two Northern Bottlenose Whales were seen off Hastings, Sussex, a few days ago so perhaps there's slightly less concern for their welfare than might be the case with an occurrence of this usually deep-water animal so close inshore © Jodie Henderson (stills) and Martin Cade (video):

Sometimes a time and a place for a particular species gets embedded in the consciousness and for juvenile Rose-coloured Starling it has to be the Bill lighthouse cottage roof in September © Martin Cade (video) and Pete Saunders (still):

These must be the closest ever 'from shore' photographs of a Balearic Shearwater ever taken at the Bill although they came about in circumstances that sound a lot like they're not going to end well for the bird since it was attracting the close attention of a marauding Great Black-backed Gull and was likely in questionable health © Andy Swash:

Not a bad start to September with another new moth for the garden in the form of Old world webworm thanks to Martin cade in helping with I'd. Quickly followed by 2 Northern bottlenose whales and a juv rosy starling.

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— dunccrip.bsky.social (@dunccrip.bsky.social) September 2, 2026 at 4:53 PM

Oops! Forgot the moth

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— dunccrip.bsky.social (@dunccrip.bsky.social) September 2, 2026 at 4:54 PM

1st September

A nice start to September saw quieter conditions result in a good drop of grounded arrivals at the Bill where there was a noticeable shift in species composition as mid-season fare begins to come to the fore. Yellow Wagtail and Willow Warbler on 100 and 90 apiece did still take top spots numbers-wise, but 50 Robins and 20 Blackcaps were sure signs of things to come; other worthwhile totals there included 35 Wheatears, 23 Grey Wagtails, 20 each of Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat, 19 Tree Pipits, 2 Redstarts and singles of White Wagtail, Reed Warbler and Chiffchaff. Overhead, hirundines were a wee bit disappointing, with no more than 100 each of Sand Martin and Swallow. Coverage elsewhere showed up a Curlew Sandpiper amongst an otherwise samey selection of waders at Ferrybridge. It wasn't really a seawatch sort of day so 76 Balearic Shearwaters and 3 Arctic Skuas was a decent return from the Bill.

Curlew Sandpipers seem to have been turning up in some quantity elsewhere so it's been a bit of a surprise that it's taken this long for the first youngster of the autumn to show up at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders:

After a week when they were really numerous, large gulls have suddenly dropped right away in numbers with hardly any feeding offshore or loafing in quantity in the fields either yesterday or today. Their departure has included taking away nearly all the Yellow-legged Gulls that were a feature over the last fortnight; the only one that we saw today was this youngster that dropped in at Ferrybridge this evening - through moult and/or wear it's already looking quite different to how most were looking only a short time ago; just out of esoteric interest, through some sort of mishap this one's showing a couple of next generation tail feathers © Martin Cade:

After a turbulent bank holiday weekend nice to start September with far quieter conditions. Quite a little arrival of seasonable fare at the Bill with a freaky yellow-headed Willow Warbler amongst the catches in the mist-nets.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 1, 2026 at 7:57 AM

31st August

Tomorrow's another day which is fortunate since, apart from providing an opportunity to catch up with seriously overdue admin and Obs garden maintenance, on the bird front today was pretty hopeless. Migrant-wise, there was a light scatter of entirely expected arrivals on the ground and a few hirundines overhead, with the Ferrybridge waders slightly better and including 5 more Black-tailed Godwits in their midst. On the sea, a likely Cory's Shearwater was unexpected bounty for one fortunate observer at the Bill on a day when the blustery north of west wind offered little expectation and no other worthwhile reward beyond a couple of Balearic Shearwaters.

30th August

Not a great deal to excite today, with a few extra waders and the smallest of arrivals of new Willow Warblers on the ground and no more than a trickle at sea. There were peak counts of 24 Knot, 6 Sanderling and 5 Redshanks at Ferrybridge although there looked to be quite a turn over of individuals through the day. Passerines didn't put on much of show, with 20 Willow Warblers and a White Wagtail the best of the meagre selection on offer at the Bill. The sea ticked over all day without ever getting busy, with 45 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls and a Black Tern the best of it off the Bill.

Some of the day's Knots at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders:

Well that was a bit of jam: completely rubbish night for moths with very little in the Obs garden traps but amongst the handful of migrants is a Dotted Footman - new for Portland and seemingly fewer than ten records for Dorset as a whole.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 30, 2026 at 9:03 AM

29th August

The predicted downturn in the recent spell of settled weather arrived on cue this morning, with a wet couple of hours post-dawn compounded by increasingly blustery conditions from the southwest that saw regular gusts over 40mph. Naturally attentions were largely focused on the sea, where visitors struck seawatch gold in the form of 2 passing Cory's Shearwaters - along with 4 Little Gulls amongst others - before the rain fizzled out; subsequent events were rather more mundane with around 50 Balearic Shearwaters, 45 Common Terns, 8 Ringed Plover, 3 Whimbrel, 3 Arctic Skuas and singles of Great Skua, Dunlin and Black Tern the best on offer. On the land, a group of 8 soggy Cattle Egrets provided a rather sorry sight as they briefly sought refuge in the Crown Estate Field, with a further individual logged simultaneously further up the Bill Road. Nearly 80 grounded Lesser Black-backed Gulls (with unquantified numbers also on the move offshore) contained in the midst another Caspian Gull - this one a colour-ringed bird so more details on that once we receive them.

The flock of Cattle Egrets that dropped into the Crown Estate Field contained a really dark-billed presumed juvenile in their midst. A smaller group of Cattle Egrets seen passing the Bill yesterday were reported by observers at the Bill tip to contain a single Little Egret - could this be the same bird? © Martin Cade:

Black Terns used to be a regular sight on late August/early September seawatches but they've become extremely infrequent these days © Martin Cade:

With no joy for us on the large shearwater front we had to make do with a few Balearics © Martin Cade:

With the garden mist-nests well and truly closed for the foreseeable, visiting ringers Tony Galsworthy and Roger Booth provided sterling service by refurbishing our stock of birdbags- we'll be well prepared if/when the next fall arrives © Jodie Henderson

28th August

Whether today proves to be the beginning of the end of the long, hot summer remains to be seen but by evening seeking shelter in the lee of the Pumping Station as squalls swept across the Bill made it feel a lot like the autumn's well and truly set in. A passing party of 7 Cattle Egrets and a last gasp Wryneck trapped in the Crown Estate Field just before the mist-nets were furled up for what sounds like a turbulent upcoming few days proved to be the day's highlights (whether the latter was the same as the bird seen yesterday and early doors again today in the Obs Quarry wasn't established), with routine passage dominated by three figure totals of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Swallows and Yellow Wagtails; other arrivals were sparsely spread and of no particular note, whilst lingerers included the Little Gull still at Ferrybridge. Stirrings on the sea as the wind freshened included 25 Balearic and a few Manx Shearwaters, and 2 Arctic Skuas through off the Bill. 

Lesser Black-backed Gulls have been one of the most conspicuous migrants all week © Martin Cade:

This year's crop of juvenile Kittiwakes have begun to come to prominence offshore © Martin Cade:

Wryneck just trapped in the Crown Estate Field

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 28, 2026 at 9:22 AM

A somewhat underwhelming trapping session at a breezy Eight Kings last night, with migrant/disperser interest ltd to a single Purple Marbled, 2 Pearly Underwing, & a variety of Portland-only scarcities (incl'g 2 Latticed Heath, Horse Chestnut, & Small Wainscot) #TeamMoth @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

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— Phil Saunders (@beardybirder.bsky.social) August 28, 2026 at 3:56 PM

The @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social Fridge of Delight again saved the day, with my 1st ever Passenger (a gorgeously geometric species that I've longed to see since my teens) & the decidedly funky Zelleria oleastrella (Olive Spinner) #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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— Phil Saunders (@beardybirder.bsky.social) August 28, 2026 at 4:10 PM

27th August

A right old stir up in the weather saw a storm and associated torrential rain move northward across the Channel overnight and clear through before dawn - a scenario that it was hoped would drop migrants in numbers. Sadly, what looked good in the imagination didn't come to pass in the real world and, a not unexpected but very elusive Wryneck in their customary haunt in the Obs Quarry aside, numbers were very disappointing. At the Bill, the first Merlin of the season was more or less on cue and a Black-tailed Godwit was a notable oddity, but 300 Swallows, 150 Sand Martins and 40 Willow Warblers were the only worthwhile common migrant totals; elsewhere, a Little Gull was new at Ferrybridge. Offshore, Balearic Shearwaters reached a minimum of 87 with some rafting in numbers by the afternoon, but the sea was otherwise also on the quiet side, with 3 Teal and 2 Arctic Skuas the only extras of particular interest.

Portland & Ferrybridge 30 Balearic Shearwater, Little Gull, 9 Yellow Wagtail, 9 Wheatear, 3 Willow Warbler, Whinchat, Knot, 4 Sanderling, Curlew (red ring), 150 Ringed Plover, 5 Adonis & 3 Chalk Hill Blue, 2 Wall, Autumn Lady's Tresses, Maidenhair Fern, Grey Seal @naturetrek.bsky.social

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— tombrereton.bsky.social (@tombrereton.bsky.social) August 27, 2026 at 7:05 PM

Overnight mothing at the Obs distinctly underwhelming with the violent electric storm and torrential rain that arrived from across the Channel seemingly delivering few new migrants. Our garden trap at the Grove rather better incl a Passenger and a heathland stray Beautiful Yellow Underwing.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 27, 2026 at 6:44 PM

Horse Chestnut the most interesting here, also Vestal and Scarce Bd. Straw

— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) August 27, 2026 at 6:48 PM

26th August

The return of very birdable conditions wasn't really accompanied by as many migrants as might have been hoped today. An early doors Nightingale from the mist-nets at Culverwell gave hope but it was already apparent elsewhere around the Bill that, 100 or so Yellow Wagtails aside, migrants were pretty thinly spread and included little else of note beyond 5 Tree Pipits, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls and singles of Whinchat, Reed Warbler and Pied Flycatcher. It was evidently considerable busier in places around the middle of the island, including 25 Blackcaps, 22 Whitethroats and 7 Lesser Whitethroats at Coombefield/Thumb Lane. It was also considerably busier overhead, with 200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls departing to the south and 500 Sand Martins making up the bulk of some good gatherings of hirundines and 3 late Swifts over the Bill; an Osprey passed south down the west side of the island before departing from the Bill and several Sparrowhawks were in evidence stirring up the hirundines. The light passage evident at sea in recent days continued, with 10 Balearic Shearwaters and 2 Arctic Skuas the best of it off the Bill.

Despite the return of beautifully benign conditions today's been underwhelming on the migrant front. A Nightingale for @slashercutts.bsky.social at Culverwell was only the second at the Bill this year but it's been pretty dreadful for other grounded arrivals; fair gathering of Sand Martin overhead.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 26, 2026 at 12:19 PM

Improved moth-trapping conditions overnight and better variety amongst the catch at the Obs. Main feature a precipitous decline in Rush Veneers from many hundreds a few nights ago to barely double figures last night. A Passenger pick of the migrants (apparently another taken at Durlston CP as well)

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 26, 2026 at 12:37 PM

25th August

Something of nothing today, with the brisk easterly hindering meaningful fieldwork but also seemingly not turning up much in the way of seasonable common migrants or scarcities. A Caspian Gull grounded at the Bill - where there were also as many as 10 Yellow-legged Gulls through the course of the day - was the day's migrant highlight, with a departing Osprey there also of note. However, routine fare was really quite poorly represented, with nothing in quantity or of other quality either on the ground or overhead. The sea provided a little compensation, with 400 Mediterranean Gulls, 69 commic terns, 49 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua amongst the conventional movers and 9 Grey Herons, 3 Wigeon, 2 Teal and a Grey Plover amongst the weather-related oddballs.

Another Caspian Gull - this one beginning to moult out of juvenile plumage so a little more advanced than last week's more or less full-blown juvenile - was the pick of the gulls amongst the Culverwell gull flock today (with thanks to Brett for his comments that continue to further our large gull education)...

...with the flock also again containing an interesting miscellany of Yellow-legged Gull plumages © Martin Cade