15th August

In altogether quieter and more pleasant conditions there were hints of passage picking up a little. A Marsh Harrier over Blacknor constituted the day's only untoward sighting; among the commoner migrants, the Bill area returned totals that included 35 Wheatears, 30 Willow Warblers, 20 Whitethroats, 10 Robins, 10 Sedge Warblers, 5 Tree Pipits, 2 Ringed Plover and singles of Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher, together with a trickle of Sand Martins and Swallows overhead, whilst 209 Ringed Plover, 200 Common Terns, 95 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling and singles of Redshank, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Arctic Tern and Little Tern were at Ferrybridge. In an offshore breeze sea interest dwindled, with no more than 7 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Common Scoter, 3 Sandwich Terns and singles of Arctic Skua, Great Skua and Yellow-legged Gull through off the Bill and a lone Common Scoter settled in Chesil Cove.

Overnight moth-trapping was not at all busy, although Portland's fifth Jersey Mocha was a nice highlight at Sweethill.



Arctic Tern - Ferrybridge, 15th August 2014  © Pete Saunders