31st May

 

31st May: birds played second fiddle to moths today, with very full moth-traps to inspect and a succession of fridge twitchers coming to inspect the rewards of recent nights to entertain; the Turtle Dove remained at the Obs, with c1000 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Balearics & a Greenshank passing on the sea

— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 11:25 PM

Last night's migrant moth highlights at the Obs included 2 Silver-spotted Veneer and singles of Eastern Bordered Straw, Ni Moth, Vestal, Bordered Straw, Small Marbled, Purple Marbled, Gem and Little Thorn, with 385 Diamond-backs and 167 Small Mottled Willows amongst the routines totals

— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 11:37 PM

I chanced my arm at some migrant action during my 1st ever overnight trapping session on Portland y'day, with my lone MV in the Sheat Quarry area on the East Cliffs... And it was amazing! Many thanks to Martin @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social for his helpful input - I'll definitely be back #TeamMoth

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— Phil Saunders (@beardybirder.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 4:55 PM

I (finally!) caught my own Eastern Bordered Straw, in the Sheat Quarry area on Portland last night, with one netted alongside a tiny Ni Moth on Red Valerian. 3 Small Marbled were also recorded, a sublime Striped Hawkmoth (that blundered out of the trap), Gem, Vestal, 10 SM Willow, & 10 Diamondback

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— Phil Saunders (@beardybirder.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 5:17 PM

Despite searching for dayfliers in the field at Portland on many occasions previously, I've somehow never managed to find a Four-spotted, so this individual (kindly potted for me by Martin @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) was much appreciated this morning #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

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— Phil Saunders (@beardybirder.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 7:43 PM

An Oblique Carpet, courtesy of @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social trap this morning - a new species for me & presumably a wanderer from the continent (not a Many-lined sadly, as previously reported by this rueful & sleep-deprived moth-er) #ManyLinesButNotManyLined

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— Phil Saunders (@beardybirder.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 7:38 PM

Overnight trapping on Portland (2 MVs, 1 Lepi-LED) on Friday night was my most successful migrant moth haul to date, with a Striped Hawk-moth, a stunning Mediterranean Brocade (first for @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social, 14th for Britain), an Eastern Bordered Straw and 4 Bordered Straw:

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— alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social (@alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 10:21 PM

I was like a kid in a candy shop exploring the @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social Fridge of Wonder, which hosted Alan Lewis's sublime Mediterranean Brocade, Purple Marbled, & multiple EB Straw & Striped Hawkmoth, with Martin also supplying a Ni Moth & 2 Euchromius ocellea from today's traps #TeamMoth

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— Phil Saunders (@beardybirder.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 6:27 PM

Yeolands Quarry 31 May in fairly cool conditions. Red Veined Darter 2m 1 f-type on slopes. I think this is Brooklime at the pond. If ID is ok it's not in the BSBI atlas for the island so may be new for Portland. An ichneumon making photography something of a challenge. @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social

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— Steve M (@steveweynature.bsky.social) May 31, 2026 at 5:49 PM

And back to a couple of days ago for some more photos of that day's scarcities: