On the back of another woefully inadequate tally of common migrants today actually managed to come good with a nice selection of local goodies: 3 Turtle Doves - singles at Sweethill, Tout Quarry and trapped at the Obs - was as large a day total of this increasingly rare migrant as has been recorded on the island for many years, a Honey Buzzard arriving in off at Freshwater Bay was the second earliest record ever for Portland and a Nightjar at dusk on Bill Hill was a nice sighting of a migrant that's only just about annual here; 2 Little Ringed Plovers arriving in off at the Bill also weren't to be sniffed at locally. Imaginative accounting might just about get Chiffchaff into double figures for the day at the Bill where the odd ones and twos of other usually routine arrivals included singles of Hobby, Yellow Wagtail and Reed Warbler; Ferrybridge chipped in with 16 Sanderlings amongst others. Despite continuing seemingly perfect conditions the sea remained hopeless, with 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 Great Northern Divers and a Red-throated Diver the best off the Bill; another Great Northern Diver remained in Portland Harbour.
The Honey Buzzard passing over Freshwater Bay © Jodie Henderson:
The lingering Turtle Dove at Sweethill...
...some of the Sanderlings at Ferrybridge...
...and some Mad May Hares on Chesil at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders:
The very long-staying Mandarin that's decidedly dodgy but occasionally mobile enough to stray as far as a garden pond at Sweethill © Nick Stantiford:
A beautifully pristine Adonis Blue at Tout Quarry this afternoon © Paul Pearson:
Adult Female Turtle Dove rung at @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social this afternoon. An absolutely stunning bird and my first for several years #UKBirding #DorsetBirds
— Tim Phillips (@southhamsbirder.bsky.social) May 9, 2026 at 1:52 PM
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