Satin Beauty - Portland Bill, June 28th 2005 © Martin Cade
A distinct change in the weather - stiff westerlies and frequent rain showers - kept most birders indoors today and the only reports were of a Turtle Dove, a Sand Martin and a Chiffchaff at the Bill and 12 Black-headed Gulls and 11 Dunlin at Ferrybridge.
A Satin Beauty was a new species for the island in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning but the only other immigrants/wanderers were 4 Plutella xylostella, 2 Zeiraphera isertana, 1 Silver Y and 1 Dioryctria abietella.
Puffin - Portland Bill, June 29th 2005 © Martin Cade
A damp, foggy morning gave way eventually to a clearer but still mainly overcast afternoon. A Cuckoo in song at Avalanche Road may have been the same individual as singles reported from several sites around the island in recent days. The pick of a small flurry of new arrivals at the Bill were 4 Reed Warblers, a Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff; 2 Sand Martins also passed overhead there but 8 commic terns were the only sightings of note once the fog cleared enough to seawatch. Also at the Bill 3-4 Puffins have been showing a little more often than usual from either end of the Lower Admiralty compound.
The foggy conditions overnight seemed to severely restrict moth activity and the catch in the Obs garden moth-traps was much poorer than in recent nights; immigrants/wanderers included 4 Silver Y, 3 Zeiraphera isertana, 1 Plutella xylostella, 1 Nomophila noctuella, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth, 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Small Mottled Willow.
Conobathra tumidana - Portland Bill, June 28th 2005 © Martin Cade
Further thunderstorms passed through during the early hours and again late in the afternoon but the day was otherwise largely fair albeit rather windy. A Little Gull amongst the returning Black-headed Gulls at Ferrybridge was the pick of the few new arrivals today. A few Swifts were still on the move overhead but single Dunlin and Sand Martin passing over at the Bill were the only other sightings of note from the land. Seawatching at the Bill produced 6 Common Scoter, 6 Black-headed Gulls, a Manx Shearwater and a Little Egret.
The strengthening wind spoilt what was otherwise a quite warm night and the catch in the Obs garden moth-traps was rather reduced; immigrants/wanderers there included 9 Plutella xylostella, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Silver Y, 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 Conobathra tumidana and 1 Galleria mellonella.
Late news for recent days: a Cuckoo flew south at Nicodemus Knob yesterday and a Hobby flew over Southwell on 26th.
In pleasantly warm and sunny conditions Swifts were again on the move overhead, with more than 250 passing through at the Bill (all moving north-east into a brisk headwind). Five Black-headed Gulls, a Little Egret, a Sand Martin and a Grey Wagtail also passed overhead at the Bill where a Reed Warbler and a Chiffchaff were new arrivals on the ground; elsewhere there was a Black Redstart at the Grove. Seawatching at the Bill produced 35 Common Scoter, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 2 commic terns and a Sandwich Tern.
Immigrants/wanderers in the Obs garden moth-traps included 4 Plutella xylostella, 1 Silver Y, 1 Udea ferrugalis and 1 European Corn-borer. Some lepidoptera news for yesterday: Lulworth Skippers were on the wing in quantity at East Weare and a Scarlet Tiger in the car park of Portland Heights Hotel was well away from the only known breeding site on the island at Culverwell.
What little coverage there was today came up with nothing more than another new Reed Warbler in the Obs garden, 35 Common Scoter, 2 Curlews and 2 Sandwich Terns passing through on the sea at the Bill and 13 Black-headed Gulls and 6 Dunlin at Ferrybridge.
Moth-trapping at the Obs was less productive than in recent nights, with immigrants/wanderers totalling 8 Plutella xylostella, 3 Silver Y, 2 Udea ferrugalis, 1 Dioryctria abietella, 1 Figure of 80, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Small Mottled Willow and 1 Pearly Underwing.
Elegia similella and White Spot - Southwell and Portland Bill, June 23rd 2005 © Martin Cade
Odds and sods logged today included a Cuckoo and a Reed Warbler at the Bill, further single Reed Warblers at Southwell and Barleycrates Lane and 10 Manx Shearwaters passing through off the Bill.
In muggy, overcast conditions overnight moths were attracted to moth-traps at Southwell and the Obs in great quantity. A specimen of Elegia similella was a first island record at Southwell whilst a White Spot at the Obs was the eighth record (and the first for 12 years); other immigrants/wanderers at the Obs included 36 Plutella xylostella, 9 Zeiraphera isertana, 3 Figure of 80, 3 Silver Y, 2 Udea ferrugalis, 1 Nomophila noctuella, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Barred Red and a Red Admiral butterfly.
Electric storm off the Bill - June 23rd 2005 © Martin Cade
The weather finally broke in spectacular fashion with violent electric storms and heavy rainfall overnight and again after dawn. Coverage was rather limited today and the only reports were of a steady northward movement of Swifts overhead, a Hobby and a Reed Warbler at the Bill, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Sandwich Terns and a Black-headed Gull passing through on the sea at the Bill and 9 Black-headed Gulls at Ferrybridge.
Despite the seemingly suitable conditions overnight there was precious little evidence of an arrival of immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps (although the traps were extremely busy with resident species); the tally of immigrants/wanderers was 45 Plutella xylostella, 1 Dioryctria abietella, 1 Udea ferrugalis, 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Cream-bordered Green Pea, whilst 2 Four-spotted were the first caught at the Obs so far this year.
Cream-bordered Green Pea - Portland Bill, June 23rd 2005 © Martin Cade
Still, warm and sunny again although a gathering veil of hazy cloud and increasing humidity as the day went on hinted at a change on the way. Nothing new of note grounded today; a Grey Heron and a Grey Wagtail passed overhead at the Bill, a Hobby passed over at Fortuneswell and 47 Common Scoter, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Manx Shearwaters, a Curlew and a commic tern passed through on the sea at the Bill.
Moth-trapping at the Obs overnight produced 4 Silver Y, a Plutella xylostella and a Cream-bordered Green Pea, whilst local specialities including Cynaeda dentalis, Portland Ribbon Wave and Four-spotted were all caught overnight in a garden at Southwell.
Porter's Rustic - Portland Bill, June 22nd 2005 © Martin Cade
Another very warm and sunny day with only the lightest of breezes. A Grey Heron and a Reed Warbler were new arrivals at the Bill where 6 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Common Scoter, 2 commic terns and 2 Sandwich Terns passed through on the sea.
In view of the distinct lack of other longer-distance immigrants - 2 Silver Y and 1 Plutella xylostella being the sum total - a single pristine Porter's Rustic was a very unexpected capture in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight (this species was successfully reared in captivity from eggs obtained from a female caught at the Obs last autumn; the last adult obtained from the larvae/pupa that had been kept indoors throughout the winter emerged over a month ago so it is tempting to speculate whether the female might have laid eggs in the Obs garden before her capture).
Peregrines - Southwell, June 21st 2005 © Martin Cade
The handful of late/early migrants at the Bill today included singles of Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Willow Warbler; odd ones and twos of Chiffchaff continue to be seen there but some or all of these seem to be making belated attempts to breed. The only seawatching reports from the Bill were of 4 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Common Scoter and 2 Sandwich Terns passing by. Away from the Bill there was another single Reed Warbler at Reap Lane and juvenile Peregrines are now on the wing at at least one of their island breeding sites.
The Obs garden moth-traps produced a much poorer selection of interesting captures than yesterday: a single Plutella xylostella was the only immigrant, whilst 3 Straw Dot, a Brown China-mark and a Swallow Prominent were the only noteworthy wanderers.
European Corn-borer and Storm Petrel - Portland Bill, June 20th 2005 © Martin Cade
In the early hours of the morning a single Storm Petrel was trapped and ringed during a tape-luring session at the Bill; another individual was seen but eluded capture. The day itself was still pleasantly clear and sunny albeit a little fresher than over the weekend. Swifts were trickling in off the sea in some numbers but the only new arrivals of note on the land were a Reed Warbler and a Willow Warbler at the Bill; 7 Common Scoter and a Manx Shearwater passed through on the sea there. Elsewhere the ever-expanding island population of Long-tailed Tits has been boosted by the discovery of a brood of recently fledged young at East Weare (some distance from the other known breeding sites at Verne Common and Fortuneswell); adults of this species also continue to be reported at Southwell so breeding may be occurring there as well.
The Obs garden moth-traps produced signs of more wandering/dispersal including 12 Green Oak Tortrix, 4 Zeiraphera isertana, 3 Straw Dot, 2 Bactra furfurana, 1 Endothenia quadrimaculana and 1 Double-lobed, whilst longer-distance immigrants included 1 Plutella xylostella, 1 European Corn-borer, 1 Udea ferrugalis, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 Silver Y; moth-trapping overnight in a garden at Southwell produced further singles of Green Oak Tortrix and Zeiraphera isertana.
As usual at this time of year a rather seamless transition from late spring arrivals to early autumn passage seems to be occurring; today's new arrivals certainly had a distinctly autumnal flavour. The Bill area produced a Lapwing, a Curlew, a Black-headed Gull and a Song Thrush, as well as 260 Manx Shearwaters, 22 Common Scoter, 17 Sandwich Terns and 2 Great Crested Grebes passing through offshore. Elsewhere there 4 Black-headed Gulls, a Dunlin and a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge and 2 Common Scoter and the summering Eider in Portland Harbour.
Favourable conditions overnight resulted in very busy Obs garden moth-traps, although once again the only immigrants logged were a paltry 2 Silver Y and 2 Udea ferrugalis; the only noteworthy wanderers were 3 Green Oak Tortrix.
Bee-eater - Portland Bill, June 18th 2005 © Martin Cade
Yesterday's Bee-eater made a surprise reappearance at the Bill early in the morning when it flew in from the north and settled on phone wires outside the Coastguard Cottages for 20 minutes; as the low cloud overhead begun to clear it took flight and headed south out to sea. The only other reports were of a few Swifts, a Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, 7 Sandwich Terns and a Manx Shearwater passing through on the sea there and a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge.
The young Roe Deer that has been wandering around the island for several weeks turned up at the Bill for the first time early in the morning when it was seen briefly just outside the Obs. In muggy conditions overnight there was a good haul of moths in the Obs garden moth-traps but the only immigrants noted were 5 Silver Y, 3 Udea ferrugalis and a Dark Sword Grass; a single Maiden's Blush was the only other wanderer of note.
Sad news received today is of the death of local birder Ian Pembroke; Ian had been ill for some while and died in hospital yesterday morning. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Ian's wife and family at this time of their sad loss.
Bee-eater - Portland Bill and Weston Street, June 17th 2005 © Martin Cade
A muggy, heavily overcast day that for the most part was extremely quiet. A Reed Warbler and a Willow Warbler at the Bill had been the only entries on the day-sheet until mid-afternoon when a Bee-eater appeared over the Obs garden. It settled for 20 minutes on wires near the Obs Quarry and on fences in the Strips before lifting off and heading north; minutes later it was found again settled on wires at Southwell but soon headed off to the north from there as well. It finally settled down and showed well for nearly two hours at Weston Street before eventually leaving purposefully toward the north-east early in the evening.
Curlew Sandpiper - Ferrybridge, June 16th 2005 © Martin Cade
A dreary day of low cloud, reduced visibility and occasional drizzly showers. A Curlew Sandpiper was a new arrival at Ferrybridge in the evening, where there were also 20 Dunlin, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, a Little Egret and a Sanderling. Elsewhere there was a Yellow Wagtail, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler at the Bill; 6 Manx Shearwaters and a Sandwich Tern also passed through on the sea there.
Once again the only immigrant in the Obs garden moth-traps was a lone Silver Y.
Razorbill - Portland Bill, June 15th 2005 © Martin Cade
Wind and rain had swept in overnight and although it brightened up again as the morning went on there was no evidence of any new arrivals having dropped in on the land. Seawatching at the Bill produced just 75 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Common Scoter and a single Sandwich Tern, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 24 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling.
The very waterlogged Obs garden moth-traps came up with no other immigrants than a lone Silver Y.
Very few reports today: 3 Chiffchaffs, a Reed Warbler and a Willow Warbler were at the Bill, 2 Sandwich Terns passed through on the sea there and 50 Dunlin, 5 Sandwich Terns and a Sanderling were at Ferrybridge.
A single Bordered Straw was an unexpected capture overnight in the Obs garden moth-traps where the only other immigrants were 2 Silver Y.
A persistent north-westerly breeze continued and gave a fresh feel to what was otherwise another day of clear skies and unbroken sunshine. Most of the news came from the Bill where singles of Black Redstart, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher were rather late new arrivals on the land, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 3 commic terns and 2 Turnstones passed by on the sea and the first female Pheasant for several months appeared near the Obs (3 unpaired males have been present at the Bill throughout the spring). Ferrybridge produced 26 Dunlin, 8 Sanderling, a Grey Plover and a Mediterranean Gull.
Four Silver Y were the only immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning.
A Quail heard singing at Barleycrates Lane early in the morning may or may not have been the bird previously last heard there more than a week ago; the only other new arrivals on the land were a couple of Chiffchaffs at the Bill. The only other reports were of seawatching at the Bill that produced 14 Common Scoter, 3 Mallards, 2 Sanderling, a Manx Shearwater and a Sandwich Tern and an evening visit to Ferrybridge that produced 25 Dunlin and 9 Sanderling.
Another good haul of moths in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning included just a handful of immigrants: 3 Silver Y and 1 Udea ferrugalis.
Honey Buzzard - Weston, June 11th 2005 © Martin Cade
With the stalwarts having elevated Trumpeter Finch from the status of 'maybe one day' to 'almost certainly today' expectations remained very high. As it was a mid-morning Honey Buzzard that arrived in off the sea at Southwell and continued northwards over Weston and Fortuneswell was the day's highlight. Fifty Swifts, 2 Grey Herons and a Turnstone also arrived from the south at the Bill but the only new arrivals on the ground there were a Reed Warbler and a Chiffchaff; another Reed Warbler was at Barleycrates Lane. Seawatching at the Bill produced 106 Manx Shearwaters, 7 commic terns, a Common Scoter, an Arctic Skua and a Great Skua, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 11 Sanderling and 7 Dunlin.
The Obs garden moth-traps were again productive, including plenty of first records for the year for a variety of resident species, but the only immigrants noted were 2 Silver Y, 1 Udea ferrugalis and 1 Dark Sword Grass.
Small Grass Emerald - Portland Bill, June 10th 2005 © Martin Cade
Despite auspicious portents - this date has a rarity-filled track record at Portland including, for example, an Egyptian Nightjar in 1984 - no amount of field work could come up with the goods today. More than 100 Swifts trickled in off the sea at the Bill but the only new migrant on the ground there was a single Chiffchaff; 20 Common Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Sandwich Terns passed through on the sea. The only other news was of 11 Sanderling and 9 Dunlin at Ferrybridge and a Great Crested Grebe and an Eider in Portland Harbour.
A heavy cloud cover overnight kept the temperature appreciably higher than has been the case recently and the Obs garden moth-traps were quite busy for the first time this year; 2 Silver Y were the only long-distance immigrants caught, but much more noteworthy was a single faded specimen of Small Grass Emerald - the first record for the island.
Black Redstart - Portland Bill, June 9th 2005 © Martin Cade
Clear skies and warm sunshine again today with the keen easterly breeze of the last couple of days having dropped right away. A brief Serin at the Obs was the highlight although almost as unexpected was an unseasonable Black Redstart in the Bill Quarry. The only other reports were of a handful of Swifts still passing overhead, 3 Chiffchaffs at the Bill, 15 Manx Shearwaters, 11 commic terns, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua passing though off the Bill, 8 Dunlin and 8 Sanderling at Ferrybridge and a Shelduck in Portland Harbour.
A single Silver Y was the first immigrant caught in the Obs garden moth-traps for several days; several Hummingbird Hawk-moths were on the wing at Southwell and the Bill.
Late news for the last couple of days: a Turtle Dove was at Suckthumb Quarry on 8th and a Wheatear was at the Bill on 7th.
Grey Heron - Portland Bill, June 8th 2005 © Martin Cade
Much poorer coverage of the island today and the few birders that were in the field had precious little to show for their trouble. The only news was from the Bill where there were 3 Chiffchaffs, a Grey Heron and a Reed Warbler on the land and 38 Common Scoter, 20 commic terns and 4 Manx Shearwaters passed through on the sea.
The lure of the June rarity saw to it that there was plenty of effort made today but, despite the fresh easterly breeze and - for the first time this month - clear skies, the quest proved fruitless. Grounded new arrivals at the Bill consisted of little more than a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap, although some northward movement overhead there included 54 Swifts, 20 Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull and a Sand Martin. Seawatching at the Bill produced 75 Manx Shearwaters, 64 Common Scoter, 3 Turnstones and a Sandwich Tern.
Thus far flaming June has struggled to produce much more than a couple of hours of watery sunshine and that total certainly wasn't boosted in the damp and dreary conditions prevailing today. The only news was of a couple of singing Chiffchaffs at the Bill and 35 Manx Shearwaters, 13 commic terns, a Great Skua and an Arctic Skua passing through on the sea there.
The combination of yet more dreadful weather and the necessity for another twitch to Christchurch Harbour - the Dorset rarity venue of this spring - meant that coverage of the island was very poor today. The only reports received were of 7 Common Scoter, 6 Manx Shearwaters and a Great Skua passing through off the Bill and a single Tree Pipit seen at the High Angle Battery.
There was a clear-out of all the recent better quality birds and in their place the only migrants reported were 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Reed Warbler at the Bill. In brisk westerlies with occasional showers the sea seemed a better bet than the land but in the event didn't come up with anything more than 17 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Common Scoter, 2 Great Skuas, an Arctic Skua and a Sandwich Tern passing through off the Bill. Elsewhere there were 6 Sanderling at Ferrybridge.
Beach hut ablaze - Portland Bill, June 3rd 2005 © Martin Cade
The Woodchat Shrike and Quail remained at Barleycrates Lane but the best new arrivals of the day proved to be very difficult to get to grips with: a mobile and elusive Red-backed Shrike was seen on a handful of occasions over an hour during the mid-morning at Southwell whilst a Wryneck seen early in the afternoon beside the road between Southwell and Easton afforded little more than a glimpse to just one birder. The only other news (apart from a fire in one of the beach huts at the Bill!) was of 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, a Hobby, a Turtle Dove and a Reed Warbler at the Bill, an Arctic Skua passing through on the sea there in the morning, 2 more Arctic Skuas passing over Ferrybridge in the evening and 30 Dunlin and 8 Sanderling at Ferrybridge.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight: 2 Plutella xylostella and 1 Evergestis extimalis. Several Red Admiral butterflies were new arrivals in the Bill area today.
Precious little change in the weather - thick fog persisted for much of the morning - or the birding. The Woodchat Shrike and Quail remained at Barleycrates Lane and the only commoner migrants on view were a Turtle Dove at Barleycrates Lane and 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers and a Reed Warbler at the Bill; 3 Manx Shearwaters passed through on the sea at the Bill. Waders at Ferrybridge in the evening included 26 Dunlin and 11 Sanderling.
Mediterranean Gull - Ferrybridge, June 1st 2005 © Martin Cade
Any hope that the overcast skies of dawn might have dropped the hoped-for rarity quickly evaporated as unbirdable dense fog and persistent drizzly rain set in early in the morning and lasted well into the afternoon. The only news was of the Woodchat Shrike still at Barleycrates Lane, 2 Willow Warblers, a Reed Warbler and a Garden Warbler at the Bill and 50 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling and a Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight: 2 Silver Y and 1 Turnip.