It's oft-repeated that the Met Office use some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world to forecast our weather so when we eventually went to bed in the early hours of this morning it was safe in the knowledge that this esteemed organisation had assured us we'd wake to heavy rain that would last well into the afternoon - a much-needed lie in was guaranteed; in the event, seaweed or pine cones might have proved more reliable for dawn was dry and the day remained so until mid-afternoon. A lie in would also have been a grave mistake for the rush of common migrants from the mist-nets at the Bill was on a scale that tested even six experienced ringers to keep up for the first hour or so: rolling waves of
Meadow Pipits swept through over land and sea and the bushes were leaping with
Blackcaps and
Chiffchaffs; sample counts of the pipits from several vantage points suggested c5000 stormed through during this period, whilst reports of the two warblers in abundance everywhere that was visited hinted at all-island totals approaching four figures for both. As for variety there was almost a feeling of not being able to see the wood for the trees: late-ish flurries of
Tree Pipits and
Whitethroats were evident,
Skylarks,
Stonechats and
Linnets continued to become more prominent on the ground and overhead, 2
Short-eared Owls and the
Marsh Harrier were still about and singles of
Grasshopper Warbler and
Firecrest from the nets were nice but surely there should have been more about by way of scarcities? In a freshening breeze there were hopes for the sea but the totals of 82
Balearic Shearwaters and 3
Arctic Skuas from the Bill were disappointing.
The Crown Estate Field and Culverwell provided the majority of the 227 birds of 15 species ringed at PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social today. 68 Meadow Pipits, with 69 Blackcap&69 Chiffchaffs plus 8 Whitethroat. A Grey Wagtail took autumn record total to 72 with colour ringing Rock Pipits also done.
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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) September 25, 2024 at 6:36 PM
Whopping catch of mainly routine migrant moths at the Obs last night: another Marbled Fern nitidalis the best (second for Portland after the first three nights ago); other good totals incl 99 Rusty-dot Pearl, 31 vitrealis, 28 Delicate, 10 Small Mottled Willow, 6 Scarce Bordered Straw, 3 Convolvulus
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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) September 25, 2024 at 1:49 PM
