1st October

Sharing a first for Dorset moth (see below) was an exciting start to the day but unfortunately the bird interest wasn't at that level at all, with grounded migrants still only relatively thinly spread. There were probably a good 50 Blackcaps at the Bill where the evidence from the mist-nets suggested there was also a decent arrival of Robins, but beyond these and the now ubiquitous spread of Chiffchaffs in small numbers it was hard going, with island-wide highlights of just another Great Spotted Woodpecker and the lingering Cetti's Warbler at the Bill, singles of Hobby, Lesser Whitethroat and Pied Flycatcher around the north of the island and 11 Wigeon and a Caspian Gull at Ferrybridge. Meadow Pipits and alba wagtails dominated the overhead tally and even they weren't particularly numerous, with hirundines in particular strangely absent from the inviting-looking clear sky. Sea interest has dwindled right away as the week's gone on, with a single Arctic Skua the best of it off the Bill.

This morning's Great Spotted Woodpecker doing its Portland thing and looking completely lost on an electric pole © Martin Cade:

This morning's flock of Wigeon heading through at Ferrybridge © Pete Saunders:

When we checked out the identification of this second-winter Caspian Gull with Thomas Miller he suggested it might just be the similarly-aged bird he found at the Bill on 20th September - that may be case but unfortunately it only dropped in at Ferrybridge for a minute or two before dusk and we didn't actually see the same side of it that was on show at the Bill so couldn't check out the minutiae of plumage detail © Martin Cade:

Strong West winds continued througout the night and day at PBO @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social although overnight rain abated to give hot sunny 20 degrees. Slow ringing due to weather but still 51 birds of 8 species. Blacp 25, Robin 10, CC 9,Stonechat & Dunnock 2 and first Reed Bunting of the autumn.

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— Peter J Morgan (@pbo61.bsky.social) October 1, 2026 at 8:50 PM

Very happy with this: just minutes after being gripped off by news of @paulupwey.bsky.social's Maize Wainscot we find there's one in our moth-traps as well!

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— Portland Bird Observatory (@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) October 1, 2026 at 10:51 AM

Maize Wainscot records this past week. Truly amaizing! Bonchurch, Isle Wight on 23/9 (6th British record) Lewes, Sussex on 29/9 Weymouth, Dorset on 30/9 Portland Bird Obs, Dorset on 30/9 Bracklesham, W. Sussex on 30/9 Photo J. Halsey #teammoth

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— Migrant Lepidoptera (GB & Ireland) (@migrantmothuk.bsky.social) October 1, 2026 at 5:23 PM