A stiff wind usually takes a knocking from passerine seekers but there's no denying that it often does the trick in dropping active migrants at the Bill. Today's brisk northerly downed a steady succession of presumably coasting migrants to a manageably visible and net-able height after they'd arrived in off the sea. Perhaps more of a surprise was another decent little movement of Balearic Shearwaters off the Bill.
Portland Bill
Migrants Meadow Pipit 1500n, House Martin 320n, Swallow 250n, Chiffchaff 150, Linnet 120n, Blackcap 100, Wheatear 15, Skylark 10n, Grey Wagtail 10, Goldcrest 10, Spotted Flycatcher 8, Yellow Wagtail 7, Tree Pipit 6, with lower totals including Redpoll 2, Merlin 1, Green Sandpiper 1, Turtle Dove 1, Wryneck 1, Firecrest 1, Pied Flycatcher 1.
Migrants Meadow Pipit 1500n, House Martin 320n, Swallow 250n, Chiffchaff 150, Linnet 120n, Blackcap 100, Wheatear 15, Skylark 10n, Grey Wagtail 10, Goldcrest 10, Spotted Flycatcher 8, Yellow Wagtail 7, Tree Pipit 6, with lower totals including Redpoll 2, Merlin 1, Green Sandpiper 1, Turtle Dove 1, Wryneck 1, Firecrest 1, Pied Flycatcher 1.
Sea passage Balearic Shearwater 70w 3e, Common Scoter 12e 5w, Brent Goose 3w, Teal 1w.
Mid-island
Plenty more of the same including singles of Merlin and Firecrest.
Plenty more of the same including singles of Merlin and Firecrest.
Moths
Selected immigrants Obs: Turnip 12, Rusty-dot Pearl 8, Rush Veneer 7, Delicate 2, Silver Y 2, Scarce Bordered Straw 1, Clifden Nonpareil 1.
Thus far this autumn rarities and scarcities haven't been giving themselves up very easily and today's Wryneck along East Cliffs at the Bill was no exception © Roger Hewitt:
One of the day's Yellow Wagtails © Roger Hewitt:
