30th September

Just a few hours of useable weather today before the arrival of the nastiest Atlantic storm of the autumn to date washed out/blew out proceedings during the afternoon. The sea provided the morning's numbers as a steady procession of mainly routine seabirds struck off up-Channel ahead of the weather; visible passage was also relatively strong but on the ground numbers were conspicuously lower than those logged yesterday.

Portland Bill

Migrants Meadow Pipit 1250s, Linnet 580s, alba wagtail 185s, Goldfinch 75s, Chiffchaff 60, Blackcap 20, Chaffinch 17s, with other totals including singles of Merlin and Turtle Dove.

Sea passage Gannet 900e, auk spp 500e, Kittiwake 166e, Arctic Skua 6e, Balearic Shearwater 5e, Wigeon 3e, Sooty Shearwater 2e, Pomarine Skua 1e.

Mid-island

Firecrest 1.

Ferrybridge

Dunlin 230, Ringed Plover 70, Grey Plover 1, Bar-tailed Godwit 1.

Moths

Selected immigrants Obs: Rusty-dot Pearl 21, Turnip 7, Rush Veneer 5, Delicate 5, Pearly Underwing 4, Sombre Brocade 1, Scarce Bordered Straw 1.

A few hours mostly between the Bill & Pulpit Rock this morning. A Common Gull on the rocks is almost unheard of. Kittiwakes moving east (no Sabs ;-( ). Also: C. Scoter 12e, Bh Gull 1 ad, Sand Tern 1e, Arctic Skua dark 1/2e, Balearic 2, Merlin 1, Wheatear 1, Pied Wag. c25, pic.twitter.com/EHwSZmdcFG

— Keith Pritchard (@portlandbirder) September 30, 2022

Great week @PortlandBirdObs with the group processing 725 birds of 31 species - highlights being wryneck and turtle dove in the hand, as well as a couple of big hirundine days which kept us busy well into the afternoon. Thanks to Martin, @JodiemHenderson and @PBOprof for hosting! pic.twitter.com/GVvLifUDIp

— Central Oxford Ringing Group (@OxfordRinging) September 30, 2022