8th August

Migration action's ebbed away a little as this week's gone on and today's migrant tally from the Bill that included Wheatear and Willow Warbler on 25 apiece, 20 Sand Martins, 5 Whitethroats, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls and 2 each of Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit was nothing to get excited about. The sea fared little better, with 11 Balearic Shearwaters and 3 Arctic Skuas off the Bill hardly compensated for some all too long profoundly dead spells. It will get better again.

Visitors to the blog might recall that a little while ago (25th-28th July) we were fortunate enough to trap some Bedstraw Hawkmoths - two at the Obs and another in John Lucas' garden at Southwell. At least one of them looked as though it was a female so we kept them confined for a while and eggs were duly laid before the moths were released:

The eggs begun hatching after about a week, with the first instar caterpillars being c3mm long:

After five more days the first caterpillars have now moulted and have grown to c7mm. We'll keep you posted as their development proceeds © Martin Cade:

Still only slowly ticking over for migrant moths - last night's Obs totals typical of the week as the whole although a Convolvulus Hawk was an on cue first for the year

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 8, 2025 at 11:23 AM