A reminder that there's an In Focus field event at the Obs between 10am and 4pm this Saturday, 23rd July.
Passerine passage picked up today with 29 Swift, 30 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Rooks and singles of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and a Reed Bunting. The latter being the first ever July record for the Bill. On the sea were 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, 18 Mediterranean Gulls, 5 Black-headed Gulls, 20 Common Scoter,14 Manx Shearwater and singles of Whimbrel and Dunlin.
After yesterday's heat much had been expected of overnight moth-trapping, even if the strength of the wind remained an issue. In the event conventional immigrants remained poorly represented but a good variety of infrequently recorded species of likely Continental origin put in appearances at all the trap sites; these included 15 Marbled Piercer Cydia splendana, 5 Cream-bordered Green Pea, 3 Slender Brindle and singles of Vagrant Piercer Cydia amplana, Dark Pine Knot-horn Dioryctria abietella, Maiden's Blush, Dark Spinach, Buff Footman, Oak Nycteoline and a Green-veined White butterfly at the Obs, a Fen Wainscot at Sweethill, a Dingy Shell at Reap Lane and singles of Common Groundling Teleiodes vulgella, Warted Knot-horn Conobathra repandana and White Satin at the Grove. Sample immigrant totals included 36 Diamond-back Moth, 4 Silver Y, 3 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 European Corn-borer and a Rush Veneer at the Obs.
Warted Knot-horn, Dark Spinach and Dingy Shell - The Grove, Portland Bill and Reap Lane, 20th July 2016 © Martin Cade