25th May: stiff easterly breeze prompted some tern passage with 108 commics, 5 Blacks and a Little thru off the Bill; singles of Arctic and Great Skuas also thru offshore; passerine arrivals at the Bill limited to yet another 3 CCs + 2 Spot Flys; Ferrybridge waders: 27 RP, 18 Sanderling & 10 Dunlin
— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 25, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Chief prize from overnight mothing was a Little Thorn - the first at the Obs and only the second for Portland after we were gripped by @birdbeard.bsky.social finding one last year on East Weare when he wasn't even seriously mothing! 471 Diamond-backs & 114 Small Mottled Willows amongst the Obs catch
— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 25, 2026 at 11:31 AM
[image or embed]
More migrant moth news: the second Many-lined in as many nights - this one from last night from John Lucas' garden at Southwell
— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 25, 2026 at 8:56 PM
[image or embed]
Overnight trapping @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social gave this lovely Ni Moth (out of the fridge, courtesy of MC), with best of the self-trapped at Freshwater Bay including Puss Moth (2, inc. egg laying female), migrants inc. a single Small Marbled and 25 Small Mottled Willows:
— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) May 25, 2026 at 9:01 PM
[image or embed]
most butterflies wings shut today in the breeze like this adonis blue. a fair few lulworth skipper out on the E side where they always seem to show up first, probably been on the wing a while i would imagine. first yellow belle and mother of shipton for me on the moff front.
— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) May 25, 2026 at 9:14 PM
[image or embed]
male and female black tailed skimmer, broad bodied chaser, emperor, also saw a demoiselle that was flying away from me at the back, probably beautiful i guess. blanked on red veined darter after oli's single yesterday and martin's two the day before.
— andylportland.bsky.social (@andylportland.bsky.social) May 25, 2026 at 9:24 PM
[image or embed]
Some Ferrybridge Sanderling action © John Dadds:
