9th August

There's nowt so strange as how migration often unfolds at 'out on a limb' places like Portland and today provided yet another example when the second Melodious Warbler of the week pitched up at the Obs on a day that was one of the poorest for commoner migrant so far this early autumn. What limited arrivals there were there included 12 Wheatears, 9 Willow Warblers, 2 Yellow Wagtails, a Ringed Plover and a Tree Pipit, with 5 grounded Yellow-legged Gulls of which at least some were clearly lingerers. The sea wasn't a lot better: 150 Kittiwakes made up the bulk of the numbers, with 13 Balearic Shearwaters and 4 Arctic Skuas the best of the quality.

Another Melodious Warbler just trapped at the Obs. Only the second migrant trapped all morning - quite happy if the scarce ratio remains at this level all autumn.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 9, 2025 at 9:53 AM

5 juv Yellow-legged Gulls at Portland Bill below Culverwell this afternoon. Pics of 2 individuals.

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— luvaducksbutt.bsky.social (@luvaducksbutt.bsky.social) August 9, 2025 at 9:24 PM

First presumed home-bred Small Marbled the pick of a modest selection of migrants in the Obs moth-traps - many of the others migrants also fresh and dark so likely not to be coming from very far away

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) August 9, 2025 at 10:18 AM