3rd May

A huge improvement today with heavily overcast skies and millpond calmness dropping a succession of migrants that included the year's first Turtle Doves (singles at the Bill and Sweethill) and Cuckoo (one at France Quarry). Migrant totals from the Bill area included 60 Whitethroats, 40 Willow Warblers, 20 each of Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff, and 15 Wheatears with most of the other early May species represented in lower numbers; wader arrivals included 9 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Sanderling, 6 Whimbrel and a Grey Plover at Ferrybridge. Returns from the sea included 3 Red-throated Divers, 3 Pomarine Skuas and 2 Arctic Skuas through off the Bill.

The first of today's two Turtle Doves © Nick Hopper (top) and Peter Saunders (bottom):



And a fine specimen of a Pomarine Skua through off the Bill © Pete Saunders:


Bit of a sea change on the ringing front at the Bill today - about time too! 79 new birds with the total of 19 species the highest so far this year. Whitethroats strongly to the fore on 22, Willow Warbler next best on 14.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 3, 2026 at 6:39 PM

A Brindled Beauty from the Grove the pick of last night's moth catch - still fewer the 10 records for the island. Migrant totals at the Obs: 55 Diamond-backs, 18 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 Silver Y, 2Turnip, 1 Small Mottled Willow. Despite cloudy skies Painted Ladies everywhere about the island by day.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) May 3, 2026 at 10:31 PM

And a little bit of nocmig action from last night: we actually happened to step outside to see if there was anything audible just as this flock of Ringed Plovers and Dunlins were circling around over the Obs - it had fogged up at the time (the Bill lighthouse fog signal is sounding every 20 seconds during this recording) and the bright lights of the Obs garden moth-traps were illuminating the fog enough that it seemed like the waders were temporarily disorientated and whirring around just overhead: