10th June

 

10th June: Although the Serin appeared again - 3 times all briefly overhead at the Obs - and singles of Grey Heron and Reed W were new arrivals it was Manx Shearwaters that again stole the show with likely well in excess of 2500 thru off the Bill; also on the sea 20 Balearics & an Arctic Skua...

— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 10, 2026 at 10:42 PM

...waders still trickling thru incl 10 Sanderling, 6 RP, 3 Dunlin & a Turnstone at Ferrybridge. A Common Darter on the wing at Culverwell was the second earliest ever for Portland - beaten only by last year's exceptional single on 17th May

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 10, 2026 at 10:47 PM

9th June

9th June: A couple of surprises from the land today with a Serin over the Bill lighthouse and a late Hobby in/off. Steady flow of Manx offshore - 500 through the morning and plenty more later - along with at least 30 Balearics & an Arctic Skua; also a miscellany of tern rpts incl both Black & Little

— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 9, 2026 at 10:57 PM

Not sure what the current thoughts on the specific status of Langmaid's Yellow Underwing are but in the past things looking like them have always emerged earlier for us than Lesser Broad-borders. Singles yesterday and today were our earliest ever but the first (y'day) looked a lot like a LBBYU...

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 9, 2026 at 10:16 PM

...whilst today's specimen looked better-ish for a Langmaid's. Probably just a dodgy split and we're working too hard to try and consistently separate them by appearance.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 9, 2026 at 10:20 PM

8th June

 

8th June: A wet morning but bright, sunny afternoon with a few waders the best of the new arrivals incl 9 Sanderling, 6 Ringed Plovers, 4 Dunlin & a Golden Plover at Ferrybridge. Sea quieter today with 300 Manx, 25 Balearics & 2 Arctic Skuas the best off the Bill. youtu.be/D0fPdCtyq6c?...

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 8, 2026 at 11:42 PM

Popped over to RSPB Lodmoor for an evening check out of what looked to be a good call by @davidturner1967.bsky.social for a Purple Heron there earlier in the day and treated to bizarrely fabulous views when after an hour or more of looking it suddenly appeared almost directly overhead!

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 8, 2026 at 10:57 PM

Wakeham 51 moths of 18 species, with Heart & Darts peaking at 31 moths. A Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni) was a lifer for me. Plus some very worn moths!! homandway.blogspot.com/2026/06/back...

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— Port and Wey (@portandwey.bsky.social) June 8, 2026 at 2:52 PM

7th June

7th June: Final totals from the sea incl 500 Manx Shearwaters, 70 Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Arctic Skuas & a Storm Petrel. Flurry of late waders at the Bill incl 12 Sanderling, 7 Ringed Plovers and 2 Whimbrel but the only migrant of note on the land was a single Willow Warbler in song in Top Fields.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 7, 2026 at 10:42 PM

6th June

 

6th June: Very stormy conditions for the time of year saw the sea super busy with shearwaters - nos difficult with movement in all directions but conservatively c2000 Manx & c50 Balearics; variety incl a few terns, 10 Com Scoter, a Storm Petrel & an Arctic Skua. Just 1 Sanderling at Ferrybridge.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 6, 2026 at 10:35 PM

5th June

 

5th June: With the Bee-eaters seemingly having made their escape to Guernsey and the long-staying Turtle Dove at the Obs finally looking as though it had moved on, interest on the land was limited to a single new Chiffchaff at the Bill. Balearic Shearwaters continued to linger offshore all day.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 5, 2026 at 10:28 PM

Mob-handed arrival of Balearic Shearwaters off the Bill this morning: minimum of 60 in from the east with many now feeding distantly with the gull flock; c600 Manx thru/lingering + Sooty Shearwater & 2 Arctic Skuas thru

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 5, 2026 at 8:41 AM

4th June

 

4th June: Bee-eaters heard over Southwell were presumably the reappearing 5 from earlier in the week. Turtle Dove remained at the Obs. Seabirds tricky to count with lots lingering offshore incl c250 Manx, c15 Balearics, an Arctic Skua and at least 1 Storm Petrel; 4 more A Skuas & a Black Tern thru.

— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 4, 2026 at 10:45 PM

Terrible moth-trapping conditions but still a few decent migrants hanging on from last weeks excesses: this mrng at the Obs mostly very ragged singles of Olive-tree Pearl, Gem, Eastern Bordered Straw and Ni Moth the best.

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 4, 2026 at 10:26 AM

3rd June

3rd June: on a really windy day the uptick in Balearic Shearwaters continued with 14 through off the Bill along with c1000 Manx and a single Sooty; also an Arctic Skua through and a Sunfish briefly quite close off the Bill tip. Turtle Dove still in the Obs garden at least during the morning...

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 3, 2026 at 11:07 PM

...also still a few tardy waders at Ferrybridge incl 4 Sanderling and singles of Knot and Whimbrel

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 3, 2026 at 11:09 PM

2nd June

2nd June: the 5 Bee-eaters made another two passes over the Obs during the morning and the Turtle Dove remained there; single WW the only arrival on the ground at the Bill; c1000 Manx, 8 Balearics & a Little Tern thru on the sea; 7 Sanderlings & a Knot at Ferrybridge.

— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 2, 2026 at 10:52 PM

The Bee-eaters over the Obs © Martin Cade:




And a few calls as they were disappearing in the distance:

Autumn's started: Willow Warbler just trapped at the Obs that's presumably a failed breeder with a big brood patch - not sure where the nearest breeders are to here but likely a good long way away these days

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 2, 2026 at 8:39 AM

1st June

 

1st June: 5 Bee-eaters doing a lap of the island from the Bill to the Verne and back again provided the day's highlight; the Turtle Dove remained at the Obs, with a single Chiffchaff the only other new arrival at the Bill; trickle of Manx offshore + 45 Com Scoter, a Balearic & an Arctic Skua

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 1, 2026 at 10:30 PM

Obs moth-traps still quite busy last night despite the dip in temperature; 2 more Eastern Bordered Straw the best, with singles of Little Thorn (Portland's 4th ever and our 3rd in the last week) and Treble Brown-spot (fewer than 10 island records) good locally

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 1, 2026 at 12:58 PM

A few more migrant moths from our Grove garden traps today incl a Purple Marbled; a Four Spotted was also only the third ever for this site. Weirdest catch was an orangey-coloured Xestia - struggling to see beyond it being an oddly-marked and v early Dotted Clay (v rare here) but comments welcome

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 2, 2026 at 12:05 AM
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