Despite the first substantial rainfall in several months and heavily overcast skies for the best part of the day it seems that all vectors of passerine migration remain headed well away from Portland and it was left to waders and gulls to give some degree of respectability to the day's proceedings, with huge increases in Ringed Plover and Black-headed Gull of particular note. Overnight moth-trapping was also crushingly duff in conditions that had looked perfect for both immigration and trapping.
Portland Bill
Grounded migrants Wheatear 15, Willow Warbler 10, Sedge Warbler 5, Turnstone 2, Garden Warbler 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Whinchat 1, Pied Flycatcher 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1.
Visible passage Grey Plover 8, Ringed Plover 2, Common Sandpiper 2, Dunlin 1, Whimbrel 1, Turnstone 1.
Sea passage Black-headed Gull 378e, Mediterranean Gull 60, Balearic Shearwater 54, commic tern 14w, Common Scoter 9w 1e, Sandwich Tern 7w, Arctic Skua 2w; also Bluefin Tuna 2.
Ferrybridge
Ringed Plover 306, Dunlin 112, Sanderling 6, Grey Plover 1, Knot 1, Redshank 1, Wood Sandpiper 1, Arctic Tern 1.
Portland Harbour
Little Gull 1.
Moths
Selected immigrants Obs: Rush Veneer 63, Diamond-back 43, Rusty-dot Pearl 33, Dark Sword Grass 8, Silver Y 6, Glasswort Case-bearer 3, Spindle Knot-horn 2, Bordered Straw 2, Brown Knot-horn Matilella fusca 1, also Migrant Hawker dragonfly 1.
Always a tricky bird to catch up with at Portland, this morning's Wood Sandpiper even obliged by settling at Ferrybridge...
...where a nicely-plumaged Grey Plover was another decent wader downed by the rain © Pete Saunders:
Late in the day a Little Gull was an unexpected bonus amongst the ubiquitous Mediterranean Gulls at Portland Harbour © Martin Cade:
