Despite a lot of hard work in often trying circumstances today really didn't go to plan, with overnight rain delivering neither quantities of common migrants nor hoped-for scarcities. The trying circumstances came by virtue of the overnight rain lingering on well past dawn when it fell in the form of torrential downpours that were drenching enough to dampen for the rest of the day the spirits of even the most committed fieldworkers. After the weekend's events, the prevailing conditions were expected to drop thrushes and others by the bucketload but it was oddly quiet everywhere, with no more than a light passage of thrushes; 1350
Wood Pigeons south over Thumb Lane and 500
Starlings north at the Bill accounted to the bulk of the overhead numbers. The scatter of arrivals on the ground included the first
Woodcock of the season at the Verne, a
Siberian Chiffchaff at Thumb Lane and at least 4
Firecrests; 3
Cetti's Warblers, 2
Black Redstarts and 2
Dartford Warblers were all likely or certain lingerers. The sea continued to provide some interest, with 37
Common Scoter, 10
Brent Geese, 7
Teal, 5
Tufted Ducks, 3
Arctic Skuas and 2
Great Northern Divers through off the Bill.
The Woodcock grounded in a garden at Weare Close this morning © Barbara Sergison:
Portland Day 8 - The less said about that the better...
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— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 19, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Disappointment aside, during the rain there was actually some really cool migration, 500 Starling arrived in 30 minutes, W'pigeons appeared from the clouds. A'noon session and there were multiple Firecrests, Dartfords, Chiffs, 2 Black Reds, 2 Merlins. 21k steps and multiple loops still no biggie!
— Joe Stockwell (@joestockwell.bsky.social) October 19, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Ferrybridge - This afternoon on The Fleet: Bar-tailed Godwit 4, Sanderling, Turnstone, Ringed Plover 63, Dunlin 41, Brent Goose 85 @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
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— Dorset Bird Tours (@dorsetbirdtours.bsky.social) October 19, 2026 at 7:10 PM
