Beginnings of a weather change saw Manx nos pick up to 300/hr off the Bill; 83 Med Gulls also a big increase there. New grounded migrants: 2 Sedge Ws, singles Reed W, LWT, Spot Fly + trickle of hirundines still arriving. Ringing totals: singles Sedge W, Reed W, LWT, Spot Fly, H Sparrow, Goldfinch
— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 23, 2025 at 10:32 PM
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With relatively little migrant bird action of late there's been plenty of time to scrutinize other groups and an interesting discovery has been quite a few Andrena niveata - a small bee apparently colloquially known as Long-fringed Mini-minor. This bee is rare in Britain with recent records only in Kent, Surrey and Sussex. It was last recorded in Dorset from Portland Bill in June 1950 but Steven Falk refound it here near the Coastwatch lookout on 1st May and this week Bryan Edwards found several more in the Crown Estate Field. It forages from mustard and cabbage flowers and at the Bill has been found on Black Mustard © Bryan Edwards:
Migrant moth numbers have dropped right away but there are still a few Painted Ladys about - this one was at the Bill today © Nick Hopper:
was surprised to see several male adonis up the strips toward higher light
— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) May 23, 2025 at 7:18 PM
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