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:

The wheeling, noisy flocks of Jackdaws were also quite a spectacle again today © 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.

Pigeon-filled skies over the Bill this morning © Martin Cade:



Great Spotted Woodpecker and Blackcaps emerging in the shelter at Sweethill © Pete Saunders:



One of the Chesil Cove Grey Phalaropes putting on a great show © Pete Saunders:



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

27th October

A mini wreck of Grey Phalaropes was the latest result from the relentless wind, with up 8 settled at Chesil Cove and another single through off the Bill; Little Gulls also featured again, although today with no more than just 2 off the Bill and a single at the Cove, but the sea was otherwise very quiet. Clear skies at dawn saw some overhead passage develop, with 500 Goldfinches and 470 Stock Doves making up the bulk of the numbers at the Bill. At least 1 Snow Bunting remained at the Bill where there wasn't a great deal of evidence of new arrivals on the ground save for singles of Ringed Plover, Whimbrel and Redwing.

Grey Phalarope and Little Gull past the Bill this morning...



...and one of the Grey Phalaropes at Chesil Cove © Pete Saunders:


There were some peculiar migration goings-on today, with almost all of the day's expected pigeon movement made up of single species flocks of Stock Doves that continued to trickle through until sunset © Jodie Henderson and Martin Cade:


26th October

The lousy weather might have continued but today was more rewarding, with the sea worth prolonged looks. A passing Little Auk was the highlight at the Bill, where 14 Little Gulls, 6 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua along with c100 Kittiwakes and c500 Gannets made up the numbers. Chesil Cove also got plenty of attention, with at least 2 Grey Phalaropes settled and at least 6 Little Gulls through. It remained hard work on the land but the Snow Bunting and Cetti's Warbler were still at the Bill where a Redwing was new.

Arctic Skua, some of the Little Gulls, juvenile Gannet © Martin Cade and Grey Seal © Jodie Henderson from the day's Bill seawatching:






Apart from the Little Auk the only other worthwhile sighting so far off the Bill has been a single Little Gull; ta to Ben Hawyard who's young enough to be far nimbler of mind and reaction than this crusty correspondent and managed a snatched record shot of the Little Auk

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 26, 2026 at 12:57 PM

25th October

At least it didn't rain today although in most other respects the day was a dud with the wind still firmly in the west and still far too strong for enjoyable or meaningful coverage. The East Cliffs Snow Bunting remained on station and Little Gulls were at Chesil Cove (2) and Ferrybridge, with a dead Grey Phalarope also discovered at the latter. Other than that, there was some limited overhead passage of routine finches and a Snipe passed by off the Bill.

24th October

The wildest of weather, including virtually day-long rain, put paid to most meaningful birding today. Intrepid searches amongst some shelter found 2 Firecrests at Pennsylvania Castle/Perryfields, whilst 710 Brent Geese and 41 Turnstones at Ferrybridge, and 2 Great Northern Divers off Hamm Beach were found from relative shelter further north. Extremely little seemed to be moving at sea, with singles of Great Northern Diver, Manx Shearwater, Fulmar, Great Skua and Arctic Skua the best of it off the Bill.

Monochrome birds and monochrome vistas from around Ferrybridge and Portland Harbour this morning © Pete Saunders:




23rd October

The aftermath of Storm Austen was a day of blasting northwesterlies - no good to man nor bird. The Snow Bunting and 2 Black Redstarts remained on East Cliffs at the Bill and 3 Snipe were oddities amongst a limited passage of routine finches and the like overhead, but the only sightings of note on the sea were 2 Manx Shearwaters through off the Bill. Elsewhere, 3 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Ferrybridge.

22nd October

In the context of this week today passed off very satisfactorily, with far more about than was expected. Despite the continuing stiff westerly it was soon apparent after dawn that under a clearer sky migrants were on the move in decent quantity, with good passages of departing Wood Pigeons and a variety of finches along with a few tardy Swallows, 2 more Woodlarks and the like. On the ground, a Water Pipit was the highlight at the Bill, Snow Buntings at the Bill and at Reap Lane were additional to the lingerer still on East Cliffs, whilst 2 each of Black Redstart, Dartford Warbler and Firecrest, and a lone Yellow-legged Gull were also at the Bill. At Ferrybridge, the Brent Goose tally increased to 345, with 8 Bar-tailed Godwits amongst the waders there. With plenty about on the land the sea didn't get long coverage but 3 Red-throated and 2 Great Northern Divers passed through off the Bill.

Water Pipit is a really infrequent visitor to Portland with barely double figures of records ever, so today's bird on East Cliffs at the Bill was a notable highlight © Joe Stockwell:


The new Snow Bunting at the Bill was showing really well...


...which couldn't be said of the day's Firecrests © Joe Stockwell:


Snow Bunting has long been an inexplicable absentee from the Portland ringing tally - over the years plenty of attempts have been made to catch them but none has ever been successful until this afternoon when we nipped down and netted the bird on East Cliffs just before the onset of the rain marking the arrival of Storm Austen. Not wanting to handle the bird any longer than necessary we banged off a few photos of the salient features before quickly releasing it and it was only when going through these that we took on board just how complicated ageing, sexing and even sorting the subspecific identification can be; we think that we can work that this bird is a first year female nivalis (the much more widespread subspecies as opposed to the more local insulae that's confined as a breeder to Iceland and Scotland) but happy to take advice from anyone who knows Snow Buntings better than we do © Martin Cade:





Portland Day 10 - Ending on a high with a banger of a find in Water Pipit, a true Portland rare! 10 days of scrutinising pipits kind of paid off, a fly through Snow Bunting was found a short while after hopping around the bill like people didn't exist. A Woodlark and 2 Black Reds made for a nice day

— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 22, 2026 at 5:36 PM

As ever my thanks must go to Martin and Jodie for their hospitality at the obs while I embark on this mad bird finding mission each October, Grahame Walbridge for the encouragement to keep going and Glen, Chris, Martin others for a few beers along the way, even if some were a bit early in the day!

— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 22, 2026 at 5:36 PM

I didn't think I'd have much time after becoming a dad but with careful planning and plenty of "I'll look after her" when I got home it all worked out pretty well! 'Till next year...

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 22, 2026 at 5:36 PM

21st October

 A howling westerly filled nobody with enthusiasm at dawn but after some very late starts the discovery of a Snow Bunting on East Cliffs at least saved the day. Not that very much else got on the day-sheet, with a Black Redstart in the same spot, a Caspian Gull grounded at Culverwell and a Merlin knocking about the day's only other worthwhile sightings.


The Snow Bunting on East Cliffs © Martin Cade...


...and the Culverwell Caspian Gull that looks very like the individual that's been kicking around for over a month - even if it's only actually been seen on a handful of dates during that period © Jodie Henderson:



Portland Day 9 - Hours of toil in the lee of the Island around the East Weares, it's always a last resort normally but today the only option, although very enjoyable rock hopping, very little to see. A Snow Bunting below the obs and a Caspian Gull below Culverwell made up for the last few days!

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 21, 2026 at 9:20 PM

20th October

The fact that the keenest of today's fieldworkers sacked off the afternoon in favour of baking a Christmas cake spoke volumes for how the day unfolded. Heavy rain that set in during the small hours lasted well on into the morning and although there was evidence of a few new thrushes and Chiffchaffs in particular before the rain petered out precious little lingered and the later discovery of the likes of 3 Dartford Warblers, a Merlin and a Firecrest fell well short of salvaging respectability. Auks remained abundant offshore with well in excess of 5000 off the Bill, but a lone Great Skua was the only other worthwhile sighting from the sea.

One of today's few highlights - Dartford Warbler from the Crown Estate Field mist-nets © Martin Cade:


Portland Day 9 - at least the Christmas cakes are in the oven 😆

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 20, 2026 at 3:33 PM

19th October

Despite a lot of hard work in often trying circumstances today really didn't go to plan, with overnight rain delivering neither quantities of common migrants nor hoped-for scarcities. The trying circumstances came by virtue of the overnight rain lingering on well past dawn when it fell in the form of torrential downpours that were drenching enough to dampen for the rest of the day the spirits of even the most committed fieldworkers.  After the weekend's events, the prevailing conditions were expected to drop thrushes and others by the bucketload but it was oddly quiet everywhere, with no more than a light passage of thrushes; 1350 Wood Pigeons south over Thumb Lane and 500 Starlings north at the Bill accounted to the bulk of the overhead numbers. The scatter of arrivals on the ground included the first Woodcock of the season at the Verne, a Siberian Chiffchaff at Thumb Lane and at least 4 Firecrests; 3 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Black Redstarts and 2 Dartford Warblers were all likely or certain lingerers. The sea continued to provide some interest, with 37 Common Scoter, 10 Brent Geese, 7 Teal, 5 Tufted Ducks, 3 Arctic Skuas and 2 Great Northern Divers through off the Bill.

The Woodcock grounded in a garden at Weare Close this morning © Barbara Sergison:



Portland Day 8 - The less said about that the better...

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 19, 2026 at 6:29 PM

Disappointment aside, during the rain there was actually some really cool migration, 500 Starling arrived in 30 minutes, W'pigeons appeared from the clouds. A'noon session and there were multiple Firecrests, Dartfords, Chiffs, 2 Black Reds, 2 Merlins. 21k steps and multiple loops still no biggie!

— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 19, 2026 at 6:42 PM

Ferrybridge - This afternoon on The Fleet: Bar-tailed Godwit 4, Sanderling, Turnstone, Ringed Plover 63, Dunlin 41, Brent Goose 85 @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

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— Dorset Bird Tours (@dorsetbirdtours.bsky.social) October 19, 2026 at 7:10 PM

18th October

There's some really fun birding afoot at the moment, with today offering a hatful more overhead passage and some surprisingly good waterfowl movement on the sea; grounded arrivals weren't a huge feature but the first multiple arrival of Firecrests of the season was nice. In the continuing brisk and chilly northeasterly thrushes arrived in quantity for the first time this autumn, with 300 Redwings, 100 Song Thrushes, 50 Blackbirds, 10 Fieldfares, 3 Ring Ouzels and 2 Mistle Thrushes through at the Bill, where 4950 Wood Pigeons, 430 Jackdaws, 150 Chaffinches and lower totals of many of the other typical seasonable movers were logged; singles of Hobby and Lapland Bunting were the best of the oddities there, with a Red Kite over Verne Common and Crossbill over Church Ope also both firsts for the autumn. Ten Firecrests at Pennsylvania Castle and another 2 at the Bill were the pick of the day's grounded arrivals, with a scatter of 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 4 Dartford Warblers continuing their recent good runs. The sea was the day's surprise package, with 18 Dark-bellied and 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 15 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 9 Pintail, 7 Teal, a Red-breasted Merganser and a Long-tailed Duck through off the Bill.

Portland Day 7 - Another bumper day of migration with a Lapland Bunting the highlight, 3 Dartfords, loads of Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird, 7 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush and a Ring Ouzel, birds arriving all day up to the time I headed home, brilliant stuff! The big one still awaits...

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 18, 2026 at 7:44 PM

Just one of the 10+ firecrest seen today whilst out with paul rendell, best supporting was a male crossbill diving into the penn

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— dunccrip.bsky.social (@dunccrip.bsky.social) October 18, 2026 at 10:19 PM

17th October

Quite a ripper of a day with the migration tap well and truly opening as birds streamed through into a brisk and - for the first time this autumn - really chilly headwind; not that any of this made for particularly easy birding, with a lot of overhead passage taking place at considerable height and a lot of the groundings being brief at best, with several of the day's more consequential reports still requiring scrutiny of photographs or sound recordings and remaining to be fully resolved. Rather few of the day's migrants actually dropped in in a traditional 'fall' manner, with most moving through very rapidly; conservative totals from the Bill included 10860 Wood Pigeons, 800 Jackdaws, 200 each of Blackcap and Chiffchaff, 190 Chaffinches, 180 Meadow Pipits and 100 alba wagtails, with 23 Redwings, 20 Siskins, 17 Bramblings, 10 Woodlarks, 5 Lapwings, 4 Golden Plovers and 2 Greylag Geese amongst the very varied list of tag-alongs, whilst odds and ends including 47 Redwings, 7 Fieldfares and singles of Cattle Egret and Corn Bunting popped up elsewhere. Amongst the grounded arrivals oddities included 5 Dartford Warblers, yet another Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Black Redstart and a late Reed Warbler at the Bill, another Black Redstart at Southwell and a Ring Ouzel at Thumb Lane. The offshore wind was no help for the seawatchers but singles of Pochard and Little Gull were of note off the Bill.

There was so much going on today and nowhere near enough time to stop and photograph it all © Joe Stockwell and Martin Cade:







Portland Day 6 - A ripping day of migration saw birds arriving pre-sunrise and didn't really let up until the mid afternoon. More Woodlarks, constant Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Meadow Pipits and Pigeons. Redwings trickling in, with some oddities like Dartford Warbler and some forgettable Geese!

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 17, 2026 at 5:48 PM

16th October

Quite an oddity of a day, with the complexion being set early when the first two warblers out of the mist-nets at the Bill were both Yellow-browed Warblers; however, the less said about what followed on the ground the better, since it was pitifully quiet for new arrivals everywhere with only the long-staying Red-backed Shrike salvaging the day for most visitors. Fortunately, overhead passage was far stronger and included a record total of 13 Woodlarks over the Bill. Further interest was provided by bugs, with the Monarch butterfly watched seemingly arriving in off the sea at the Bill tip a fine highlight and a Vagrant Emperor dragonfly also showing up during the hunt for the Monarch. Whether a Yellow-browed Warbler heard later in the day at Southwell was one of the Bill birds moving on wasn't established, but further interest around and about included 2 each of Great Spotted Woodpecker and Dartford Warbler, along with singles of Water Rail, Merlin, Black Redstart, Cetti's Warbler and Siberian Chiffchaff - the latter two both lingerers rather than new arrivals. The day's numbers were all overhead, with Bill totals form the morning of 4500 Wood Pigeons, 550 Meadow Pipits, 400 Linnets, 390 alba wagtails, 82 Skylarks, 70 Stock Doves, 70 Chaffinches, 25 Greenfinches, 15 Siskins and plenty of randoms including a lone Marsh Harrier. 

Two Yellow-browed Warblers from the first looks at the Obs and CEF nets this mrng

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 8:36 AM

Portland Day 5 - much promise did almost deliver. A personal best of 13 Woodlark over, Yellow-browed Warbler dropping out of the sky onto a fence (earlier ringed at the obs) great vismig of Pigeons, Stock Doves etc. Black Red in the bill quarry, we continue!! First post birding pub visit, superb!!

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 8:53 PM

Last night's Obs garden mothing didn't really hit the mark - plenty of routine migrants on the wing but a Toadflax Pearl the only notable oddity

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 11:31 AM

Portland bill when tuna watching: an ”is that a bat ???” round the obelisk turned out to be a Monarch which moved north low over the roped off area & lost as I faffed with the camera c15:00 @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social Still plenty of clouded yellows inc helice

— Steve M (@steveweynature.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 9:27 PM

Freshwater Bay @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social overnight 14/15 Oct. with 2 MV, 1 actinic and 1 Lepi-LED -highlights were a very worn Gem, 1 Tebenna micalis and 1 Small Marbled (first for a few weeks); also 3 Vestal, 3 SBS, 1 Clancy's Rustic. 4 P. vitrealis @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 7:20 PM

Freshwater Bay @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social overnight 15/16 Oct. with 2 MV, 1 Lepi-LED, 1 ORI lure - highlights were 2 Slender Burnished Brass (to ORI) and my second E. ocellea in two weeks; also 4 Vestal, 4 SBS, 1 White-speck, 2 Pearly Underwing, 3 P. vitrealis @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 7:28 PM

As always, @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social delivered some good scarcities during 14-16/10 with a remarkably well marked Porter's Rustic, the gangly Toadflax Pearl (A. catalaunalis) and Slender Burnished Brass (to ORI, two days prior) - my fifth of this stunner in a week! @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) October 16, 2026 at 7:45 PM

15th October

After early signs that didn't look at all promising in a brisk and dreary southwesterly today actually ended up passing off quite successfully, with single Yellow-browed Warblers at Avalanche Road and the Grove and singles of Siberian Chiffchaff, Caspian Gull, Dartford Warbler and the lingering Red-backed Shrike and Cetti's Warbler at the Bill, with further lustre provided by a spread of less regulars that included 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Firecrests and singles of Sooty Shearwater, Merlin and Black Redstart. Apart from the odd patch with Chiffchaffs still in plenty commoner migrants weren't much of a feature although 7 Redwings represented their highest total so far this month.

The Bill Siberian Chiffchaff © Martin Cade and Grove Yellow-browed Warbler © Joe Stockwell:



Portland Day 4 - A late start today as I had my little girl for a while in the morning. Managed to get out for a few hours after and pretty soon jammed in to my first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn, a good session in the Grove area also revealed a Firecrest, lots of Chiffs, Blackcaps etc.

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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 15, 2026 at 5:35 PM

Fair numbers of migrants from the Obs moth-traps again last night with singles of Beautiful Twitcher T micalis and Porter's Rustic the best of the new arrivals; Autumnal Rustic nice for us as it was the first for 8 years and only the 13th ever

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 15, 2026 at 10:09 PM

With the nights drawing in and some noticeably cooler weather on the horizon, it's hard not to find your mind wandering back to the balmy nights of summer and what was another successful season of Storm Petrel ringing at the Bill. Across 11 sessions (and one or two duds early and late in the season when we tried but didn't actually catch anything!), a total of 52 new birds were ringed, marking the third highest annual total after 121 in 1994 and 66 in 2025. The high encounter rate of Storm Petrels after ringing always produces fascinating movement data and this year was no exception, with 12 birds captured already sporting rings from elsewhere - 5 from Alderney, 4 from Skokholm, 2 from France and 1 from the Isles of Scilly; in addition, 14 Portland ringed birds were recaptured away from the island, with 12 from Alderney, 1 from the Isles of Scilly and 1 from St Abbs Head.  



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