26th October

Today was a win, win day: at this time of year it was a pleasure just to be out birding in such blazingly sunny, calm and positively hot weather regardless of the outcome, but for there to be a good spread of quality migrants of offer as well was a massive bonus. The excitement started early with a new Pallas's Warbler trapped at the Obs, but this was quickly followed by a Cirl Bunting trapped in the Crown Estate Field - with one or two more discovered later elsewhere at the Bill - and at least 4 Yellow-browed Warblers scattered about between the Obs and Old Hill. Visible passage was again a very conspicuous feature, with 33500 Wood Pigeons, 1750 Jackdaws, 540 Starlings, 160 Chaffinches, 140 Goldfinches, 40 Skylarks, 20 Greenfinches, 14 Siskins, 12 Reed Buntings, 9 Bramblings, 3 Sparrowhawks, 2 Redpolls and a Snipe amongst others through over the Bill. Good - and surprisingly late - arrivals on the ground at the Bill included 50 each of Stonechat and Robin, and 16 Goldcrests; 5 Black Redstarts, 5 Firecrests, a Merlin, a late Reed Warbler and a Bullfinch were of further note there, with several more of each elsewhere and the Red-necked Grebe attracting attention in Portland Harbour.

This year's Pallas's Warblers have thus far proved really tricky to get to grips with in the field so the in-hand views have been much appreciated © Martin Cade (the bird) and Jodie Henderson (the crowd):

The in-hand male Cirl Bunting was also much appreciated © Martin Cade...

...however, the one or two females proved less obliging - this one dropped in briefly near the Higher Lighthouse, with the same or another seen later in Helen's Fields © Jodie Henderson:

Overhead, Wood Pigeons might have been numerically dominant but for their histrionics and racket it was the Jackdaws that stole the show © Martin Cade:

This morning's Bullfinch trapped at the Obs - always a good bird at the Bill and, seemingly, an increasingly high value bird anywhere on Portland now that proof of breeding has become a less than annual event in the Verne Common/East Weare area © Martin Cade:

A few more pics of the Portland grebe in different light / poses. All heavily cropped from originals.

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— Phil Bentley (@bikingbirder.bsky.social) October 26, 2024 at 8:35 PM