10th September

Despite the lack of any useful cloud cover a reasonable little list was eventually garnered from today's efforts, amongst which the high points were an Ortolan Bunting that dropped in for a while on West Cliffs, a Coal Tit at Pennsylvania Castle and yet another Ruff at Ferrybridge. The majority of commoner migrants weren't particularly well represented, at least on the ground, with a total of 15 Whinchats one of the few worthwhile totals from the Bill area; 2 each of Short-eared Owl, Yellow-legged Gull and White Wagtail at the Bill, singles of Golden Plover and Greenshank at Ferrybridge and single Merlins at both these sites were of further note. Under sunny skies it was busier overhead, with hirundines passing through in quantity everywhere and both Yellow Wagtail and Siskin getting up to  the 50 mark at the Bill.

The immigrant moth total from the Obs traps fell below 10 for the first time in a long while, with several of that low total looking likely to be locally-reared progeny of earlier arrivals.







Ortolan Bunting, Ruff, Kestrel, Yellow-legged Gulls and Bordered Straw - Portland Bill and Ferrybridge, 10th September 2015 © Martin King (Ortolan and Kestrel), Pete Saunders (Ruff) and Martin Cade (Yellow-legged Gulls and Bordered Straw)