11th August

A nice selection of migrants on offer again today although numbers were a little down on yesterday and activities were somewhat curtailed when heavy cloud rolled in during the afternoon that led eventually to a showery and even at times thundery evening. The likes of 5 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Tree Pipits and singles of Greenshank, Grasshopper Warbler and Reed Warbler were the best of the grounded/overflying selection at the Bill, where 80 Swallows and 50 Sand Martins provided the two highest totals on offer. Despite seemingly suitable conditions for an arrival, wader numbers remained stubbornly static at Ferrybridge. At the Bill, an impromptu Storm Petrel luring session after midnight - 4 were trapped and plenty more seen - revealed their continuing presence offshore but by day the sea the quiet, with 40 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua the best of the migrants; a random Black Swan also floated past close inshore off East Cliffs.

We're hoping that the dearth of wader passage is further evidence of a good breeding season but for the time being those that are about at Ferrybridge like these Sanderlings are well settled and showing nicely in the current balmy conditions © Pete Saunders:


watched this tree pipit feeding to the sides of the track down to the RN cemetery. very little in the way of birds there or the common, just a single migrant willow warbler

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— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) August 11, 2025 at 3:48 PM

looks like autumn ladies tresses have been out for a few days already at verne common, reasonable numbers but not great specimens on the parched field

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— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) August 11, 2025 at 3:50 PM