9th August

With busy days having been at a premium so far this autumn today's little flurry of routine departing  migrants was both welcome and enjoyable; if more than just its one fortunate observer had managed to get to grips with the White Stork that maybe only rather tenuously entered Portland airspace over Portland Harbour then the day would have been capped off in even finer fashion. Willow Warblers and Sedge Warblers dominated on the ground, with 150 and 30 respectively at the Bill, where 250 Swallows, 100 Sand Martins, 5 Ringed Plover and a Dunlin headed through overhead and 10 Whitethroats, 6 Wheatears, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and singles of Grasshopper Warbler and Garden Warbler added to the mix on the ground. The morning's Manx Shearwater total on the sea there got to around 200, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 56 Dunlin, 48 Ringed Plover and 8 Sanderling.

On a clear and chilly night immigrant moth interest was minimal, with a small increase in Silver Ys - including 13 at the Obs - the only event worth a mention.



Sedge Warbler and mixed waders - Portland Bill and Ferrybridge, 9th August 2016 © Martin Cade (SedgeW) and Pete Saunders (waders)

And thanks to Ken Dolbear for a photo we'd forgotten to post yesterday of a Clouded Yellow at Bottomcombe: