In the absence of yesterday's breeze, today was a bit of a scorcher which inevitably did very little to alter our birding fortunes. Overhead passage of hirundines continued, with 501 Swallows over in the morning, with flocks of approximately 100 apiece of both Sand Martins and House Martins gathering over the crops by early afternoon. Other skyward passage included 120 Yellow Wagtails, 34 Tree Pipits, 38 Siskin and a single Marsh Harrier. At Ferrybridge the wader mix included 178 Ringed Plovers as well as 33 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling, 2 Bar-Tailed Godwits and singles of Redshank and Curlew. At sea, 51 Balearic Shearwaters, 1 Arctic Skua and 5 Common Scoter passed the Bill in the morning.
In addition to overhead passage, today saw improved numbers of Yellow Wagtails settled in the fields, with over 40 recorded around the Bill © Jodie Henderson
Nice surge in migrant moth activity last night: Portland's first Lace Border caught by Graham & Zoe Green at the Higher Light; Obs totals incl a Striped Hawk, 4 Dewick's Plusia, a Porter's Rustic & a Beautiful Marbled pic.twitter.com/l85LQwj9cS
— Portland Bird Observatory (@PortlandBirdObs) September 6, 2023
Superb 2 days on Portland: Marsh Harrier, Little Stint, Barwit, 5 Knot, Little Owl, 30 Wheatear, 4 Whinchat, 20 Yellow Wagtail, 1000s Swallow, Yellow Belle, Adonis & Chalk Hill Blue, Pied Hoverfly, Asparagus, Burnet Rose, Maidenhair Fern, Autumn Lady's Tresses, Bastard Toadflax pic.twitter.com/lGu1ng5S66
— Tom Brereton (@tom_m_brereton) September 5, 2023
