6th October

It was another busy autumnal day with a plentiful spread of new arrivals that included several on-cue firsts for the season, with 1 or more Dartford Warblers at the Bill along with singles of Redwing and Ring Ouzel in the middle of the island. Whilst Blackcap numbers appear to have waned in the recent settled weather, the same could not be said for Chiffchaffs, with 400 recorded from the Bill alone and reports of many more from the denser vegetated patches further up island. A varied list of less frequents were also on offer, with 2 Pied Flycatchers, a lingering Cetti's Warbler plus singles of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Garden Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Whinchat and Common Sandpiper present as well as 3 Woodlarks, 2 Golden Plovers and a Hobby overhead. The sea was comparatively poor, with just 15 Dark Bellied Brent Geese of note.

One of two Pied Flycatchers present around the island today © Nick Hopper:


Cloud cover at dawn PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social with 179 birds of 15 species ringed. Primarily CC 132, 18 Blacap, 7 Stonechat, 2 Song Th, 1 of GardenW, GrasshopperW, Whinchat,Goldcrest & Blackbird of note +Rtrp CettisW. Pond creation at PBO haven for bathing & preening migrants,Spring& Autumn.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) October 6, 2026 at 7:59 PM

Portland - First Redwing of the Autumn near The Hump. Wheatear 3, Linnet 160, Goldfinch 75 Top Fields. Chiffchaff 100+, Grasshopper Warbler Culverwell ringing station. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

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— Dorset Bird Tours (@dorsetbirdtours.bsky.social) October 6, 2026 at 9:10 PM

Obs moth-traps quietened a little last night but still a pretty decent catch of migrants with a Toadflax Pearl catalaunalis the best of the new arrivals

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 6, 2026 at 11:43 PM

5th October

A pretty ripping morning saw a good cloud cover and no more than a waft of a breeze drop a succession of scarce migrants that included 4 Yellow-browed Warblers, a Little Bunting, a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler at the Bill and another Yellow-browed Warbler at Southwell; the long-staying Barred Warbler was also still at the Bill, whilst a further miscellany of irregulars around the island that included the likes of multiple Great Spotted Woodpeckers and singles of Hobby, Woodlark and Firecrest all added to the excitement. These goodies arrived in tandem with a hatful more Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps - including 300 and 150 respectively at the Bill alone - and lots of other grounded routine migrant variety, along with a steady if numbers-wise less impressive flow of visible migrants overhead; the tardy or interesting in other ways list from around and about included 4 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Redshanks, 2 Purple Sandpipers and singles of Golden Plover, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, White Wagtail and Whinchat. There were rather too many distractions for full attention to be paid to the sea but off the Bill a resurgence in departing Lesser Black-backed Gulls was noted along with the recently customary 2000 or more auks and singles of Sandwich Tern and Arctic Skua.

This morning's Little Bunting - small but very perfectly formed! © Martin Cade:




Full cloud cover and light W wind at dawn PBO. #Portlandbirdobservatory A fall resulted in 212 birds of 14 species+ 1 ssp ringed. CC 115+ SibCC, Blackcap 65,Other Sibs included Yellow browed warblers 3 and 1 Little Bunting. 7 Stonechat broke the year ringing record with 113 this year.(107 in 2025).

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) October 5, 2026 at 7:46 PM

A third Yellow-browed Warbler of the day - this one for @slashercutts.bsky.social at Culverwell - all these are being colour-ringed as part of a national project to track their subsequent movements

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 5, 2026 at 12:40 PM

Sadly the Sorcerers weren't on the wing for us last night but in all other respects it was an excellent night for migrant moths at the Obs, with a bumper catch of routine fare together with our second ever Southern Brindled Green + another Porter's Rustic

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 5, 2026 at 2:25 PM

...just realised we forgot to post the night's full totals

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 5, 2026 at 6:11 PM

4th October

The loveliest of days to be out birding in unbroken sunshine and summer warmth - conditions that wouldn't usually be viewed as favourable for a good drop of migrants but in the event there were birds in quantity everywhere. The trio of Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff and Blackcap accounted for a good proportion of the groundings - reaching totals of 1000, 300 and 200 respectively at the Bill alone - but there were strong showings of good range of other arrivals amongst which shorter-range migrants such as Dunnock, Robin and Stonechat were particularly prominent; thrushes have barely figured at all so far this autumn so the first Song Thrush of the season was hopefully the vanguard of plenty more to come. Overhead passage wasn't quite so prominent with hirundines rather oddly almost completely absent, but totals of 800 Meadow Pipits, 280 alba wagtails, 200 Linnets, 65 Skylarks and 35 Chaffinches were all worthwhile at the Bill, with singles of Great White Egret and Woodlark there and 2 Bramblings and a Ring-necked Parakeet over Coombefield adding some spice. Sea interest perked up a little, with 3000 auks, 40 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 18 Wigeon of note off the Bill.

Another Great White Egret was amongst today's overhead movers at the Bill © Jodie Henderson:


Lesser Emperors continue to be seen at the Bill - this was another posed after it had been successfully extracted from a mist-net in the Crown Estate Field © Martin Cade:

Light N wind and clear dawn saw migrant influx at PBO. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social 245 birds of 17 species ringed. Warblers, CC 98, Blckap 76 plus 1 of Sedge, Grasshopr, Lesser W, Whitethroat,2 WW. Dunnock 8, Robin 6, Stonechat & Great T 4. Pied, Grey Wagtail plus first Song Thrush of the Autumn.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) October 4, 2026 at 7:48 PM

A selection of moths today from @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social - the rare Maize Wainscot, 1 of 2 Ni Moths seen and a fine purple Purple Marbled, all of which were trapped at the observatory:

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) October 4, 2026 at 10:43 PM

Highlights from trapping overnight 3-4/10/26 at Freshwater Bay, @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social included a pristine Brindled Ochre (now very scarce in Dorset), 4 Golden Twinspot and a worn Silver-spotted Veneer (Euchromius ocellea); also here 15+ Palpita vitrealis, 1 Bordered Straw, 3 Vestal

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) October 4, 2026 at 10:51 PM

3rd October

A veil of light cloud overhead that marked the dreg end of a weak weather front departing very slowly southeast did us a favour today and dropped a steady arrival of a varied selection of mid-autumn migrants. Amongst the routine fare there were a couple of best-forgotten frustrations in the form of a likely non-British Yellow Wagtail flying straight through and a maybe Olive-backed Pipit heard and watched dropping into Culverwell but subsequently vanishing; scarcities that got a better grilling were limited to a presumed Siberian Lesser Whitethroat trapped at Culverwell and an Osprey departing to the south off the Bill, whilst less frequent migrants included 10 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Firecrest at the Bill and 2 Pied Flycatchers and a Woodlark around the centre of the island. Although the likes of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs weren't especially well represented there were a lot of other seasonable migrants to get amongst, including good groundings of alba wagtails and Meadow Pipits together with burgeoning flocks of off-passage Linnets and big increases in Robins and Dunnocks in particular. Overhead passage at the Bill included 700 Meadow Pipits, 220 Linnets, 130 alba wagtails, 24 Skylarks, 23 Chaffinches and 7 Greenfinches, whilst the sea remained quiet there with little more than 130 Mediterranean Gulls, a Red-throated Diver and an Arctic Skua to show.

Although there were one or two scarcer migrants on offer included the departing Osprey © Martin Cade and a couple of Pied Flycatchers © Joe Stockwell...



...today was mainly about getting amongst routine early October fare © Joe Stockwell:



Something of a really frustrating "one that got away" this morning. This Yellow Wagtail appeared to be tagging a flock of Skylark, giving quite an odd, buzzy type call, followed by more descending flava'ish calls. Immediate thought was thunbergi but sadly without better views it wasn't clinched.

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 3, 2026 at 4:13 PM

Light SSW with some overcast at PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social did the trick today with 190 birds of 19 species ringed. MeadowPip 81, Bcap 30 & CC 26 predominant. 10 LTTit unusual.Good variety with Skylark, Whinchat& Firecrest. Lesser White (sib?) ReedBunt,Dunnock & Greywag completes Autumn fare.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) October 3, 2026 at 8:20 PM

Couldn't manage three nights running for Maize Wainscot but overall improved migrant numbers/variety at the Obs last night. Porter's Rustic the highlight + 2 Convolvulus Hawks, Ni Moth & Golden Twin-spot.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 3, 2026 at 1:23 PM

2nd October

No great change in our fortunes today, with overhead passage a little more conspicuous but grounded arrivals notably inconspicuous. Visible passage over the Bill included 600 Meadow Pipits, 310 Linnets and 130 alba wagtails, with 2 Merlins and a Hobby amongst the tag alongs; elsewhere, the autumn's first Redpoll was over Coombefield. The decidedly thin spread of arrivals on the ground included another autumn first in the form of a Short-eared Owl at the Bill, a Firecrest at Coombefield/Thumb Lane and a late Whimbrel at Ferrybridge but only very low totals of more routine fare; a brief Barred Warbler at the Bill was likely to be the lurking lingerer although it couldn't be established if it was a ringed bird or not. Auks and Kittiwakes totalling 1500 and 580 respectively made up most of the numbers off the Bill, with 3 Balearic Shearwaters the only particularly worthwhile sightings amongst them.

Stiffiish SW going more S overnight, with ..again a warm, sunny day did little for new birds at PBO. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social . A tardy total of 13 birds from CEF, with 5 from the garden! in 9 hrs! Robin4, MeadpIp 6, Blakcp2, CC 3, & Swallows 3. Retrap Robins order of the day and Grey Wagtail.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) October 2, 2026 at 8:44 PM

The second Maize Wainscot in two nights from the Obs moth-traps this morning.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 2, 2026 at 9:41 AM

1st October

Sharing a first for Dorset moth (see below) was an exciting start to the day but unfortunately the bird interest wasn't at that level at all, with grounded migrants still only relatively thinly spread. There were probably a good 50 Blackcaps at the Bill where the evidence from the mist-nets suggested there was also a decent arrival of Robins, but beyond these and the now ubiquitous spread of Chiffchaffs in small numbers it was hard going, with island-wide highlights of just another Great Spotted Woodpecker and the lingering Cetti's Warbler at the Bill, singles of Hobby, Lesser Whitethroat and Pied Flycatcher around the north of the island and 11 Wigeon and a Caspian Gull at Ferrybridge. Meadow Pipits and alba wagtails dominated the overhead tally and even they weren't particularly numerous, with hirundines in particular strangely absent from the inviting-looking clear sky. Sea interest has dwindled right away as the week's gone on, with a single Arctic Skua the best of it off the Bill.

This morning's Great Spotted Woodpecker doing its Portland thing and looking completely lost on an electric pole © Martin Cade:


This morning's flock of Wigeon heading through at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders:


When we checked out the identification of this second-winter Caspian Gull with Thomas Miller he suggested it might just be the similarly-aged bird he found at the Bill on 20th September - that may be case but unfortunately it only dropped in at Ferrybridge for a minute or two before dusk and we didn't actually see the same side of it that was on show at the Bill so couldn't check out the minutiae of plumage detail © Martin Cade:

Strong West winds continued througout the night and day at PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social although overnight rain abated to give hot sunny 20 degrees. Slow ringing due to weather but still 51 birds of 8 species. Blacp 25, Robin 10, CC 9,Stonechat & Dunnock 2 and first Reed Bunting of the autumn.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) October 1, 2026 at 8:50 PM

Very happy with this: just minutes after being gripped off by news of @paulupwey.bsky.social's Maize Wainscot we find there's one in our moth-traps as well!

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 1, 2026 at 10:51 AM

Maize Wainscot records this past week. Truly amaizing! Bonchurch, Isle Wight on 23/9 (6th British record) Lewes, Sussex on 29/9 Weymouth, Dorset on 30/9 Portland Bird Obs, Dorset on 30/9 Bracklesham, W. Sussex on 30/9 Photo J. Halsey #teammoth

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— Migrant Lepidoptera (GB & Ireland) (@migrantmothuk.bsky.social) October 1, 2026 at 5:23 PM

30th September

Another day that promised considerably more than it produced, with the a night of southeasterlies and rain dropping no more than the thinnest of scatter of grounded migrants, whilst the airflow that originated far to south failed to act as a conveyor for insect vagrants of any quality. A couple of Firecrests around the centre of the island and a Lesser Whitethroat at the Bill were the only noteworthy arrivals on the ground and even overhead passage was surprisingly lacking once the skies cleared after dawn. In the still fresh breeze the sea was more rewarding, with 425 Kittiwakes, 17 Balearic Shearwaters, 13 Arctic Skuas, 3 Little Gulls and a Sooty Shearwater through off the Bill.

After a blustery S wind with only a heavy shower at PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social dawn was clearing but with little recompense in migrants 17 birds of 7 species 6 CC, 4 Blackap,1 LesserWT, Luckily enough plus Robin,& Blue tit for Martin to enthuse a visiting group about ringing and our work.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) September 30, 2026 at 8:40 PM

29th September

Portland was far from the best positioned UK bird observatory today and we felt no influence from the propitious weather conditions benefitting points northward. In a stiff easterly, migration slowed to a snail's pace with grounded arrivals consisting of a scatter of Blackcaps and barely more than ones and twos of other routine fare; a Pied Flycatcher at Avalanche Road was easily the pick of the discoveries. Overhead, the first push of Linnets included 490 through over the Bill where 350 Meadow Pipits and 200 Swallows made up the bulk of the rest of the movers; also overhead, 3 Glossy Ibis west over Portland Harbour were the day's highlight on all fronts. Expectations that the strength of the wind might bring the seawatchers more reward proved well wide of the mark with almost nothing worth mentioning moving off the Bill.

Strong easterly winds limited the number of mistnets opened at PBO. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social Only 11 birds were ringed, despite seven hours on duty in the garden!! Blackcap 7, Chiffchaff 2, 1 Goldfinch and 1 Robin. In a sultry 20 degrees a day for watching Gannets & Tuna fishing offshore.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) September 29, 2026 at 8:19 PM

Tuna hunting Garfish at Portland Bill today

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— Phil Cheeseman@bsky.social (@philcheeseman.bsky.social) September 28, 2026 at 4:46 PM

28th September

It was very much a classic mid-autumn day at the Bill with the lightest of northeasterly breezes and some substantial cloud cover resulting in a nice fall of grounded migrants that aside from another wodge of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps also included 50 Stonechats, 10 Sedge Warblers, 10 Willow Warblers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, singles of Redstart, Grasshopper Warbler and Goldcrest as well as the lingering Barred Warbler; elsewhere singles of Pied Flycatcher and Garden Warbler at Thumb Lane plus multiple Firecrests at Suckthumb and Wakeham helped round off a varied list. Overhead migration remained unusually poor, with 300 Meadow Pipits the only passage of note, whilst out to sea a total of 54 Balearic Shearwaters, 7 Arctic Skuas, a Little Gull and a Great Skua were also logged. Finally, at Hamm Beach, the first 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese of the autumn joined the lingering 2 Pale-bellied Brents. 

Today was all about Chiffchaffs - again; after last autumn's excesses it seems like they're continuing their quest to inherit the Earth once the present dominant species finishes making a pig's ear of its tenure and is out of the equation © Martin Cade:


Overcast morning with light variable breeze contributed to 158 birds of 16 species ringed today at PBO. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social . CC 72 & Blacp 56 with Sedge, Grasshopr, WWarbers, Whitethrt & Redstart other migrants leaving 1st Goldcrest of autumn with 6 Stonechat & 2 GSW added to variety.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) September 28, 2026 at 8:31 PM

Long-tailed Tit are a uncommon visitor to this end of the island. #culverwell #portlandbill @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

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— Mark Cutts (@slashercutts.bsky.social) September 28, 2026 at 12:01 PM

A few of the more interesting moths from last night’s trap

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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) September 28, 2026 at 10:58 AM



Also from today, a gluttonous Wheatear at Ferrybridge and one of a few Wall Brown butterflies that are still on the wing © Ralph Todd:



And finally, back to yesterday for some extra photos. You'd think that in this era of lightning fast connectivity it would be possible to transmit and receive an email between Southwell and the Obs in an instant but it seems not - who knew it'd actually be quicker to send homing pigeons carrying individual pixels between the two sites. Well, Pete Saunders' photos did eventually get through to us today after being sent yesterday afternoon and they included the adult Curlew Sandpiper at Ferrybridge...



...and a few things from the morning seawatch at the Bill - two of the Teal, an Arctic Skua and a Balearic Shearwater © Pete Saunders:





27th September

The beginning of a more unsettled period of weather began today with a brisk southeasterly airflow seeing attentions largely focused out to sea, with a productive morning from the various watchpoints around the Bill recording a combined total of 3,500 auks, 45 Arctic Skuas, 30 Common Scoters, 17 Ringed Plovers, 14 Balearic Shearwaters, 14 Common Terns, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Teal, 2 Arctic Tern and singles of Puffin, Sooty Shearwater, Great Skua, Red-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe and Pochard. If any grounded passerine migrants were present, they went largely undetected hidden away in the windswept bushes, with a trickle of departing Swallows the only visible signs of migration overhead; additionally, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls were grounded on East Cliffs. Away from the Bill, another Arctic Skua was logged over the harbour, with 4 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Curlew Sandpiper present at Ferrybridge. 

The chief prize from our visit to the Bill was this drake Pochard high over the top of Pulpit Rock- a hardly even annual sight out here...


...whilst amongst the more routine fare there was a nice mix of juvenile and adult Arctic Skuas...



...a trickle of Balearic Shearwaters and Common Scoters...



...and plenty of Gannets demanding attention now there's such a miscellany of boobies and tropicbirds that could be tagging along with them:


The day's multitude of auks looked to be predominantly Razorbills:


Finally, a couple of variations of first-winter Yellow-legged Gull grounded in the Culverwell gull flock this afternoon © Martin Cade:


26th September

Despite being yet another warm and sunny day, the birding was very much in contrast to yesterday, with grounded migrants providing the bulk of the day's quality and quantity whilst the skies remained strangely bereft of new arrivals. Whilst the chief excitement concerned a Barred Warbler trapped in the Obs garden, a nice showing of other migrants at the Bill included up to 250 Chiffchaffs, 150 Blackcaps, 2 Long-tailed Tits and singles of Snipe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Spotted Flycatcher, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and a putative Siberian Lesser Whitethroat also logged; in many ways the day's rarest sighting involved a Serin briefly heard over Helen's Fields that pitched up in the Obs garden shortly afterwards - despite being frequent here in several other months September records are almost unknown. Reports from elsewhere included 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Hamm Beach and 2 Woodlarks at Coombefield. The sea ticked over with the currently customary quantities of Mediterranean Gulls and Kittiwakes but 4 Arctic Skuas were the only migrants of note.

Barred Warbler trapped at the Obs

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 26, 2026 at 8:35 AM

Adult and juvenile Pale-bellied Brent Geese Portland Harbour this morning

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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) September 26, 2026 at 5:13 PM

Bath time in the garden pond this morning

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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) September 26, 2026 at 5:10 PM

Having been caught out before by the genetic analysis of autumn Lesser Whitethroats telling a different story to what the plumage features had suggested we'll refrain from proffering an opinion as to the subspecific identity of today's bird - there should be enough here for the well-informed to make their own minds up © Martin Cade:

 

25th September

Another quiet start in the continuing warm sunshine kicked into gear mid-morning with a fly-over Red-throated Pipit proving to be the exciting prelude to a busy period of overhead passage that saw in excess of 2000 House Martins, together with lesser totals of Swallows and Sand Martins, descend across the Bill before continuing their journey southbound. Sadly, the Red-throated Pipit was - very typically for Portland records of this most tricky to catch up with species - a blink and you miss it event, with only a lucky few within earshot as it flew westwards over the Obs. Not that there was much time to dwell on what we missed as the almost simultaneous arrival of the House Martins saw all ringers called to action for a busy couple of hours that saw 341 new birds ringed - the highest day-total since the heady days of 1985-86 when a huge catching effort saw annual totals in excess of 1500 achieved. All of this activity helped disguise the fact that it was otherwise a quiet day for migration, with a meagre tally of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps and a Common Snipe the only other grounded migrant of note. The sea fared somewhat better, with another 2,000 auks plus 19 Balearic Shearwaters, 6 Arctic Skua and a Great Crested Grebe also logged.


Rather like the proverbial biblical plague, the swarm of House Martins descended in an instant and left just as quickly © Jodie Henderson:


Clouded Yellows continue to be a constant sight throughout the island - this helice female was showing nicely on the Slopes today © Nick Hopper:


Following on from yesterday's blogpost regarding all of the recent Lesser Emperor activity, another exciting event over the last few weeks has been the discovery of multiple Large Conehead bush-crickets holding territory around the Bill. After the first island record of a single in a moth-trap back in the middle of August, there had been no further sightings by day; however, some nocturnal wanderings during the recent calm weather uncovered three singing males in the Crown Estate Field and a further individual at Culverwell. Whilst there has been no confirmation of breeding, it seems highly likely that we will see more records in the coming years as they spread outwards with a warming climate. This is the first individual from a moth-trap back on 15th August...


...with further individuals located by song at night including a more unusual brown morph individual:



Eminent dipterist, Steven Falk, joining Jodie in a nocturnal search for the coneheads © Thomas Miller and Jodie Henderson:

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