17th August

The current new moon period has seen its fair share of reasonable little falls of migrants but the sky was perhaps just too clear to have expected much at dawn today. A fair spread of Willow Warblers was still evident, with upwards of 75 again at the Bill, but 4 Pied Flycatchers between the Bill and Blacknor were otherwise the best of a thin scatter of other grounded arrivals. Swallows were gathering in some numbers at the Bill, where other overhead passage included 17 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Tree Pipits, 4 Grey Herons and singles of Greenshank and Redshank. Balearic Shearwaters were again lingering offshore at the Bill, with the total of 9 logged likely including some duplication.

Painted Ladys and Hummingbird Hawk-moths were conspicuous in many areas, with more than 30 of the former scattered along East Cliffs at the Bill.

Overnight mothing was quite busy without there being any noticeable increase in immigrant numbers, with singles of Convolvulus Hawk-moth at Sweethill and Marbled Yellow Pearl at West Grove Terrace providing the best of the quality.





Common Tern, Sanderling and Swallows - Ferrybridge and Portland Bill, 16th August 2015 © Pete Saunders (Common Tern and Sanderling) and Martin Cade (Swallows)

...and thanks to Joe Mitchell for a nice Obs sunset to end today's post: