Considering the crystal clear sky today ended up with a decent enough little spread of migrants even if it was a struggle to get beyond the entirely routine.
Wheatears and
Willow Warblers dominated, with the former numbering perhaps 100 across the island as a whole and the latter totalling 100 at the Bill alone; there were few if any surprises amongst the supporting cast, with 2
Reed Warblers, 2
Redstarts and a
Ring Ouzel at the Bill and a
Grasshopper Warbler at France Quarry about as good as it got for less regulars. Overhead passage was again a little disappointing, with in particular far fewer
Swallows on the move than might have been hoped. In an offshore breeze little was expected from the sea and in the event much of what was logged at the Bill was again moving west which was certainly unexpected; 250
Sandwich Terns would have been a very respectable total in any conditions, with 300
Kittiwakes and 2
Arctic Skuas also heading in the 'wrong' direction.
Light westerly wind and clear at dawn PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social overcast 0800 clearing then sunny day with NW wind. Flurry in nets first then slow all day, 59 birds of 8 species ringed. 37 WW, 10 CC, 2 Reed W, 1 Whitethroat ,1 Stonechat and 2 Redstart. Nice to have Culverwell ringing again.
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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) April 18, 2026 at 8:36 PM
It's the annual "Wheatear in the Sea Pink at Ferrybridge" photo
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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) April 18, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Our 1st Garden Warbler of the spring feeding on apples which have been "returned" to the tree, also a Blackcap and Willow Warbler about
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— Debra Saunders (@debbyseamist.bsky.social) April 18, 2026 at 5:24 PM
