16th October

With trench foot becoming an increasingly likely affliction for fieldworkers to contend with, another overnight bucketload of rain wasn't welcome; however, on this occasion it did at least drop a little flurry of seasonable fare in the form of Redwings and Goldcrests - totals of 60 and 15 respectively were logged at the Bill with plenty more of each around the centre of the island. For once, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps weren't anywhere near as well represented as their season of plenty begins to fizzle out, but new Blackbirds, Wrens and Robins were relatively numerous everywhere and further interest at the Bill included 2 Ring Ouzels, 2 Black Redstarts and singles of Mistle Thrush and Fieldfare (both firsts for the autumn), Merlin, Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail and Yellow-browed Warbler (a lingerer); further Yellow-browed Warblers were at the Mermaid and the Borstal Park. It was rather too murky for a strong overhead passage to develop but 125 Chaffinches was a worthwhile total over the Bill, where 130 Kittiwakes, 3 Arctic Skuas and a Balearic Shearwater passed by on the sea. Ferrybridge seems to have escaped close attention just lately, so counts of 295 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, a Pale-bellied Brent and a Black-tailed Godwit along with the regular waders were useful.

This year's in-field Yellow-browed Warblers don't seem to have been especially photogenic - perhaps for the simple reason that in the sheltered hinterland the sycamores are still fantastically leafy © Joe Stockwell: 


At the already much more leafless Obs there was a real sight for sore eyes in the form of Goldcrests aplenty flittering about in the sycamores; in truth there was only a pretty rubbish total of them - maybe only just into double figures - but such has been their paucity in recent years that it seemed like a memorable fall! © Martin Cade:


This ought to be the peak period for autumn Ring Ouzels but they've been infrequent and sparsely spread so far - this nice specimen was on view today in the Strips at the Bill © Jodie Henderson


The winter's first Pale-bellied Brent amongst the burgeoning flock of Dark-bellied Brents at Ferrybridge © Ralph Todd:


And one we forgot to post a day or two back - the Thumb Lane Black Redstart © Ralph Todd:

Still not really getting the feel for migrant moths having come too far: another good catch last night at the Obs but all quite routine incl 65 vitrealis, 30 Scarce Bordered Straw, 3 Gem, 1 Vestal.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 16, 2024 at 1:22 PM