28th June: Apart from the continuing Serin(s), today's only real interest concerned 48 Balearic Shearwaters thru off the Bill during the morning; Manx numbers have plummeted with their total barely matching the Balearics today.
— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 28, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Although the Serins do settle from time to time, the majority of encounters - as they often are at Portland - are of the birds flying over calling; here's a snippet of one over the Obs this morning, with it sounding like there's a second bird in the background (this recording was being made with the recorder unattended so we probably weren't close by at that moment to see what was going on):
Mothing slowing up after last week's excesses: last night at the Obs saw migrant interest dwindle, with eg Small Mottled Willow down to 60; a Silver-spotted Veneer ocellea was the first for a few weeks but the best catch was the second Dock Streak Monochroa palustrella in the last three nights
— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 28, 2026 at 11:19 PM
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News from yesterday of two serendipitous migrant moth finds by Glen Maddison, Katie Chapman & a Bath Nat Hist Soc group during the day at the Bill: a Bright Wave on East Cliffs & a nectaring Ni Moth; Bright Wave in particular a real Portland rare with just a couple of previous light-trap records.
— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) June 28, 2026 at 11:02 PM
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Portland 28 June: An early Grayling at Tout Quarry Elsewhere on the island the white form of Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis var. albiflora. I've seen tens of thousands of the pink form but can't recall seeing this form so erring on the side of caution wrt location. @ukorchids.bsky.social
— Steve M (@steveweynature.bsky.social) June 28, 2026 at 10:18 PM
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