5th September

After a few days with interest steadily building, today was something of a disappointment with no significant new arrivals. The trio of the Pulpit Bushes Wryneck, Obs Quarry Nightingale and Culverwell Barred Warbler were all still in residence to entertain weekend visitors, but the best of day's newcomers - singles of Turtle Dove and Firecrest at the Bill - were a division of two below these in quality. Most of the expected commoner migrants put in appearances but numbers were generally lower than yesterday, with the pick at the Bill being 55 Yellow Wagtails, 26 Siskins, 11 Grey Wagtails, 9 Tree Pipits, 4 Swifts and singles of Golden Plover and Greenshank overhead, 8 Whinchats, 3 Reed Warblers and singles of Whimbrel, Lesser Whitethroat and Pied Flycatcher on the ground and 2 Balearic Shearwaters through on the sea; elsewhere the Great Spotted Woodpecker was still at Southwell and 7 Knot, a Redshank and a Yellow-legged Gull were at Ferrybridge.

A Death's-head Hawk-moth found during the morning on a window beside the Obs patio was easily the moth highlight; routine immigrants in the traps at the Obs included 76 Dark Sword Grass, 38 Silver Y and 25 Rush Veneer, whilst scarcer species included 3 each of White-speck and Scarce Bordered Straw and a single Vestal there and singles of Olive-tree Pearl, Vestal, Convolvulus Hawk-moth, White-speck and Scarce Bordered Straw at Sweethill.






Death's-head Hawk-moth, Adonis Blue, Redshank, Sparrowhawk and Great Spotted Woodpecker - Portland Bill, Ferrybridge and Southwell, 5th September 2015 © Martin Cade (Death's-head Hawk), Keith Simpson (Adonis Blue) and Peter Saunders (Redshank, Sparrowhawk and Great Spotted Woodpecker)