Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre

3rd November

With a northeasterly airflow firmly established and the news services dropping juicy morsels by the minute, being a rarity-seeking birder on the island today had something of the feel of being a particle physicist searching for dark matter - you knew it was there but you just couldn't detect it. Sadly, whatever it was remained undetected all day, with a trapped Mealy Redpoll, an overflying party of 9 Barnacle Geese, a passing Hen Harrier and the lingering Snow Bunting as good as it got on the scarcity front. At a local level, passing waterfowl were entertaining with 15 Brent Geese, 11 Pintail, 5 Teal, 2 Wigeon, a Mallard and a Red-breasted Merganser all relatively high-value birds amongst the 300 Mediterranean Gulls, 100 Common Gulls, 30 Common Scoter and 19 Cormorants also logged on the sea. Overhead passage didn't reach the levels of some recent days, with 9700 Wood Pigeons, 585 Stock Doves, 410 Jackdaws, 270 Chaffinches, 17 Redwings, 14 Fieldfares, 14 Greenfinches, 7 Siskins, 3 Lapwings and a single Golden Plover the bulk of the tally over the Bill. Grounded arrivals remained thinly spread, with 2 Short-eared Owls (and the remains of another recently predated individual) and singles of Wheatear, Dartford Warbler and Firecrest the best of it amongst the few Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests at the Bill.

For us, the Mealy Redpoll was a very exciting bird: we had a redpoll lure deployed beside one of the mist-nets in the Crown Estate Field and on doing a round of the nets we flushed the bird at point blank range from some weeds near the net and as it fluttered away it looked arrestingly frosty, with gleaming white wing-bars and rump - an absolutely nailed-on Mealy just with the naked eye! Still at extremely close range it then posed rather beautifully for some photos before proving to be the easiest of birds to walk straight into a net - if only everything behaved like that © Martin Cade...

...and © John Martin:

Proper wild Barnacle Geese in full migratory flight high over the Bill - none of this goose dross that circulates around Dorset for most of the rest of the year © Nick Hopper:

We're sure there must be the odd other 'ordinary' Wheatear left in Britain but you get the feel from the rarity news that we must have been very unlucky that today's bird wasn't either a Desert or an Isabelline © John Martin:

The Bill Snow Bunting and one of quite a few Clouded Yellows still about there © John Martin:

The Red-headed Chestnut tally advances to 7 in the last four nights with another single last night at the Obs; otherwise, migrant moth numbers continue to drop as the nights get progressively windier and chillier

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) November 3, 2026 at 10:47 AM

Annie Irving

@sconzani.bsky.social

There was some discussion amongst birders about the Wheatear that popped up at the end of my little Snow bunting video. I've only ever seen Northern wheatear so can't be sure but she looks like a Northern female to me. (And if only that second shot had been sharp!) #PortlandBirding

Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social

· 7h

The Snow bunting at Portland Bill earlier, in a brisk very chilly wind. Do watch to the end when a little avian surprise pops up! #Portland #DorsetBirding

2nd November

A day that didn't really hit the mark with, save for another good pigeon passage, the stiff northeasterly not coming up with the goods in terms of overhead movement, grounded arrivals or scarcities. The pigeons were again quite a spectacle, with towards 33000 Wood Pigeons and 900 Stock Doves logged over the Bill and many more reported from other viewpoints that may or may not have been included in the Bill totals; the early promise of numbers of other species that were moving under a heavy cloud cover at dawn quickly fizzled out as the sky cleared, with final totals from the Bill that included no more than 210 Chaffinches, 160 Meadow Pipits, 79 Redwings, 17 Song Thrushes, 15 Fieldfares, 4 Swallows, 4 Bramblings and a Lapwing. Grounded arrivals weren't at all plentiful, with the majority of the few Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests and the like at the Bill being lingerers from the weekend; the Snow Bunting was still about but little else of note was uncovered. Sea interest included 72 Common Scoter, 60 Black-headed Gulls, 7 Teal and 4 Wigeon through off the Bill.

It's impossible to be certain of the relative proportions of Wood Pigeons vs Stock Doves in the majority of pigeon flocks that are migrating many hundreds of metres over the Bill...

...but amongst the flocks at lower height this autumn has seen a particularly strong passage of Stock Doves, including many single-species flocks of them © Martin Cade:

In a blasting, chilly northeasterly migrant moths numbers dropped overnight but still plenty on the wing at the Obs including 13 White-speck, 2 Cosmopolitan and another Red-headed Chestnut. Also last night another Red-headed Chestnut for John Lucas at Southwell.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) November 2, 2026 at 11:46 AM

1st November

Today was a day that had a lot going for it and the fact that nothing particularly rare and interesting turned up was neither here nor there since there was always the feeling that such an event was just around the corner as routine migrants kept dropped in throughout the day. Dawn itself was clear, bright and not too promising but once murky and persistent low cloud rolled in the birds started arriving and didn't ever stop even if, pigeons aside, the overall numbers weren't actually particularly high. Whether Wood Pigeons were moving above the low cloud wasn't established but from time to time large flocks eventually totalling 5600 appeared beneath the cloud, as did a succession of thrushes that included 2 Ring Ouzels; a wide-selection of other seasonable fare were logged around and about, amongst which 17 Golden Plovers, 2 Snipe, 2 Firecrests and singles of Great White Egret, Lapwing, Short-eared Owl and Great Spotted Woodpecker were of note, with the long-staying Cetti's Warbler and Snow Bunting also still on offer.

Hardly representative of either today that saw just two singles logged or the autumn as a whole that's seen just one isolated day with a double figure total, this Firecrest was nonetheless a nice sight at France Quarry © Martin Cade:

On the ringing front, both Ring Ouzel and Lesser Redpoll were new species for the year at the Bill © Jodie Henderson:

Slightly bizarre: just as it's getting dark a Great White Egret has appeared and looks to be attempting to roost in the Obs garden!

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) November 1, 2026 at 4:56 PM

On the moth front, despite decidedly unpromising chilly conditions, really good numbers of migrants again at the Obs. There's obviously something going on with Red-headed Chestnuts as there were 2 more additional to yesterday's single; 11 White-speck & 2 Cosmopolitan amongst the rest of the catch.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) November 1, 2026 at 12:04 PM

A fourth Red-headed Chestnut for the weekend - this one for John Lucas from his garden at Southwell

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) November 1, 2026 at 4:59 PM

A total of 3 Red-headed Chestnuts seen today @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social with thanks to MC and JH; dark and light forms pictured along with Grey Shoulder-knot - an amazing number of moths in the obs traps today given the low overnight temperatures. I think the moths were warmer in the fridge!

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) November 1, 2026 at 10:45 PM

A few birds seen in the hand this morning @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social - Ring Ouzel and (Lesser) Redpoll before a hasty return to Hampshire to look for Pacific Golden Plover (not seen!):

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) November 1, 2026 at 10:59 PM

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31st October

Quality replaced quantity today as persistent, dreary low cloud reduced overhead passage to a trickle and looked to have put the block on overnight groundings of many nocturnal migrants. A Pallas's Warbler discovered at Weston Street by seekers of yesterday's now departed Siberian Stonechat was much appreciated, whilst a back-up cast of the likes of 7 Black Redstarts, 2 fly-by Grey Phalaropes, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Cetti's Warblers and singles of Water Rail, Short-eared Owl, Ring Ouzel, Firecrest and the long-staying Snow Bunting ensured there was plenty to entertain the weekend visitors. There was still overhead passage taking place, with 5000 Wood Pigeons, 24 Redwings, 10 Bramblings, 5 Fieldfares and a Redpoll the best of it over the Bill, with Goldcrests and Robins making up the bulk of the new arrivals on the ground including reaching totals of 40 apiece at the Bill; a lone late Wheatear at Reap Lane was also of note amongst the grounded arrivals.

Always a pleasure to see - the first Pallas's Warbler of the autumn obliged by remaining in the same isolated tree beside Weston Street for the best part of the day © Jodie Henderson...

...and © Nick Hopper...

...and a little bit of one-third speed video - it was just too super-active at normal speed to either keep up with or to really appreciate all the features! © Martin Cade:

22:45 Cigarette break on the Obs front step from writing the blog and a Bittern has just flown south right overhead calling really loudly - fantastic!

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 31, 2026 at 10:58 PM

Today's Pallas's Warbler Weston Road, following this bird was challenging, a fast moving tiny ball of energy in a large shrubby Sycamore

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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) October 31, 2026 at 6:52 PM

Really big influx of common migrant moths at the Obs last night incl 129 Rush Veneer, 93 Rusty-dot Pearl and 78 SY (+another 19 at the ORI lure); a Red-headed Chestnut best of the rares.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 31, 2026 at 11:46 AM

30th October

Lots more movement today, with another heavy passage of Wood Pigeons and others overhead but also - and not before time - a strong arrival of Goldcrests on the ground; however, the show was ultimately stolen by a Siberian Stonechat discovered during the afternoon a little off the beaten track beside Weston Street. Another big movement of departing Wood Pigeons saw 36000 more logged at the Bill, where other vismig totals included 800 Jackdaws, 465 Stock Doves, 330 Goldfinches, 310 Chaffinches, 260 Meadow Pipits, 200 Starlings, 200 Linnets, 80 Skylarks, 55 Pied Wagtails, 9 Siskins, 4 Redpolls and 3 Swallows. On the ground, the first good arrival of Goldcrests of the season dominated proceedings, with perhaps as many as 200 scattered around the southern half of the island; other newcomers were surprisingly sparsely spread, with barely into double figures of each of the likes of the thrushes, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, and just 3 Firecrests. The Snow Bunting also lingered on at the Bill as did the Whimbrel at Smallmouth, whilst 3 Ring Ouzels and 2 Black Redstarts were dotted around the north of the island.

With no more than the odd single Goldcrest having been logged all autumn, it was great to suddenly see the trees alive with them today © Jodie Henderson:

The Siberian Stonechat looked to be a first-winter male (it's obviously a male just from the amount of black around the face and the blackness of the underwing coverts, whilst the contrast between, for example, the densely black alula and adjacent feathers vs the more greyish-black primary coverts would certainly suggest it's a youngster). However, beyond that it was a bit of a chameleon with its appearance changing quite dramatically in different lights (...or with different camera settings). Our perception in life was of a quite cold-coloured bird with a startlingly pale rump and we had little doubt when watching it in the field that it conformed much more closely to Siberian maurus than it did to Amur stejnegeri; that said, this isn't entirely borne out by this series of photos that show a lot of warmth/saturation in some lights, even if the rump does always look extensively very pale and largely lacking the rich apricot colour that we'd associate with a good stejnegeri. Although its field appearance can be argued over, it'd be useful to catch this bird so that its subspecific identity can be established for certain. A smart bird and still a really good rarity at Portland with only just into double figures of records ever and none for a very long time © Martin Cade:

We're really not set up to be videographers or whatever the on-trend term for the various oddballs who're touting their wares about the ornithological web these days call themselves - within 15 seconds of turning our kiddie video camera on the battery died and the spare battery had no charge. Doh!

Portland - Ring Ouzel (The Verne), Black Redstart 2 (Chesil Cove) Whimbrel (Smallmouth Cove), Bar-tailed Godwit 6 (Ferrybridge), Purple Sandpiper (East Cliffs) @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

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— Dorset Bird Tours (@dorsetbirdtours.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 9:42 PM

It's been a long time since we've had Goldcrests in the garden; 4 today, Chiffchaff and Blackcap as well

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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 8:56 PM

The Portland Siberian Stonechat this evening in fading light

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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 8:53 PM

29th October

Whilst far from busy on the ground, today's amelioration in the weather brought forth a huge improvement over the meagre offerings of the last fortnight that, coupled with plenty more passage overhead and a few happenings on the sea, resulted in an enjoyable migration day. All the numbers were overhead, with 32700 Wood Pigeons, 580 Jackdaws, 550 Stock Doves, 480 Starlings, 360 Goldfinches, 230 Linnets, 200 Chaffinches, 140 Meadow Pipits, 80 Skylarks, 70 Pied Wagtails, 20 Greenfinches, 13 Redwings, 10 Reed Buntings, 8 Bramblings, 3 Swallows and few other ones and twos through at the Bill. The flurry on the ground included 40 Stonechats, 25 each of Blackcap and Chiffchaff, and singles of Siberian Chiffchaff, Yellow-browed Warbler and Bullfinch at the Bill, where 2 Dartford Warblers and singles of Water Rail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Cetti's Warbler and Snow Bunting were all still in residence; the Ring Ouzel was also still about at the Verne Moat and a Black Redstart was at Blacknor. Two settled Grey Phalaropes off East Cliffs were the best from the sea at the Bill, where 28 Common Scoter, 20 Teal and a Great Northern Diver also passed by.

Pigeons are much maligned but such are their numbers at this time of year that they provide one of the few migration spectacles that impinges on the consciousness of the general public - some folk put two and two together and work out what they must be but each year we field a host of enquiries from curious bystanders who seem genuinely awed by the event and are keen to learn what's afoot © Martin Cade:

In conditions that were distinctly more inviting than those on offer in recent days at Chesil Cove, the two Grey Phalaropes close in off East Cliffs at the Bill drew a steady trickle of admirers © Martin King:

The blink-and-you-missed-it Siberian Chiffchaff in the Crown Estate Field was the most active of migrants - it was as much as we could do to keep up with it on foot as it skipped from one bit of cover to the next and was soon lost disappearing up the valley towards Wallsend © Martin Cade:

This morning's ?putative Yellow-browed Warbler was one of those curiosities that you struggle for a minute to get your head around. We'd deployed the recorder on the Obs patio before we went out to open the CEF mist-nets and much later in the morning when reviewing the recording to check on another mystery call that had been heard came across what sounded like a pretty perfect single call from a close Yellow-browed Warbler recorded shortly after sunrise. It hadn't been heard by anyone who was about at the time, in fact nobody was even certain that anyone would have even been on the patio at that moment - perhaps folk were just indoors making a coffee. Could it have been a freakishly spot-on rendition of a Yellow-browed Warbler call by the Robin that's clearly audible in the vicinity? To us it sounds too good not to have been a Yellow-browed Warbler that presumably then left soon afterwards without ever being seen - and we're pretty certain that if, say, a single call like this had been heard in dense cover by a competent observer without the bird ever been seen it'd be logged as a Yellow-browed Warbler every time.

28th October

Slowly but surely a change is on the way and today's still less than inspiring conditions saw a lot of overhead passage get going even if it remained disappointingly quiet on the ground. Although a Ring Ouzel was a welcome discovery above the Verne Moat and a Short-eared Owl showed up at the Bill the almost complete absence of new thrushes, warblers and the like on the ground suggested it had still remained far too windy for much nocturnal migration. However, as dawn broke there was a veritable avalanche of movement overhead, including totals from the Bill of 50000 Wood Pigeons, 1550 Goldfinches, 600 Linnets, 520 Stock Doves (with no doubt many more tucked away amongst the distant pigeon flocks), 360 Starlings, 300 Jackdaws, 300 Chaffinches, 240 Meadow Pipits, 70 Skylarks and 21 Greenfinches, with 2 more Woodlarks amongst the miscellaneous tag-alongs. Lingerers dotted about on the land included the Snow Bunting and Cetti's Warbler at the Bill, Great Spotted Woodpeckers here and there, 2 Firecrests at Pennsylvania Castle and 2 Black Redstarts at Chiswell. Two Grey Phalaropes remained at Chesil Cove, with 56 Common Scoter through off the Bill their highest total for a while; elsewhere, the Brent Goose total at Ferrybridge reached four figures for the first time this season and one or more Great Northern Divers were in Portland Harbour.

the photos of the ring ouzel were pretty grim before it disappeared into the gloom, no doubt will be more in the moat soon with the wind dropping.

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— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) October 28, 2026 at 3:46 PM

black redstarts in the little ship garden

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— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) October 28, 2026 at 3:50 PM