Rain Alarm often at PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social today but no rain until1630 hrs, 3 sites ,Obs,Cef and Culverwell resulted in 101 birds of 13 species ringed. Blackcap 40 & 30 Chiffchaffs predominant species.
— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) September 23, 2024 at 9:48 PM
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23rd September
Grounded migrant numbers have picked up nicely over the last couple of days but variety and scarcity interest remain extremely limited. Today's heavily overcast sky and constant threat of rain (in the event, that held off until the very end of the afternoon) downed a good spread of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs throughout the island - both exceeded 100 at the Bill - but there was remarkably little else about, with the lingering singles of Marsh Harrier, Kingfisher and Pied Flycatcher as good as it got at the Bill and precious little beyond the entirely routine anywhere else. It was too overcast/threatening for visible passage to get going, with 300 Meadow Pipits and 180 Linnets providing pretty well all the numbers over the Bill. In a fresher than expected southwesterly 41 Balearic Shearwaters trickled through off the Bill but a single Arctic Skua was the only other seabird of note. Elsewhere, an Eider was in Portland Harbour.
