Marbled Coronet - Southwell, June 30th 2006 © Martin Cade
A dead loss on the bird front this morning, with nothing more reported than 22 Common Scoter and 7 commic terns passing through off the Bill.
The pick of the night's moth catch was a Marbled Coronet (only the second confirmed record for the island) in a garden trap at Southwell; immigrants in the Obs garden traps included 140 Diamond-back Moth, 33 Silver Y, 3 Rush Veneer, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Rusty-dot Pearl, 1 Ancylosis oblitella, 1 Pearly Underwing and 1 Delicate.
Just a few more signs of expected early autumn movement today, with 3 Grey Herons, a Little Egret, a Curlew and a Bullfinch at the Bill, where 25 Common Scoter and 6 commic terns passed through on the sea.
In surprisingly cool conditions overnight the Obs garden traps were again fairly quiet, with 84 Diamond-back Moth, 28 Silver Y, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Rush Veneer, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth, 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Bordered Straw the only immigrants recorded.
One or two surprises on the bird list today, with a Serin briefly at the Obs and in Top Fields during the morning, along with 19 presumably migrant Cormorants flying south, a Grey Heron, a Curlew, a Tree Pipit and a Yellowhammer at the Bill. Seawatching there came up with 5 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Common Scoter, 4 commic terns and a Sandwich Tern passing by. One of the family parties of island-bred Ravens (5 young) were also at the Bill along with one of the Peregrine broods that are also now on the wing (3 young). The only other news was of 9 Dunlin, 6 Black-headed Gulls and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge.
There was fairly poor reward for the overnight moth-trapping effort, with the only immigrants in the Obs garden traps being 97 Diamond-back Moth, 21 Silver Y, 4 Pearly Underwing, 3 Rusty-dot Pearl, 3 Rush Veneer, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Small Mottled Willow and 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth.
Volucella pellucens another common Portland hoverfly - Portland Bill, June 27th 2006 © Martin Cade
Precious little change on the bird front; the only reports were of a Ringed Plover and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, 12 Common Scoter and a Manx Shearwater passing through off the Bill and 5 Black-headed Gulls at Ferrybridge.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth traps overnight included 118 Diamond-back Moth, 74 Silver Y, 3 Rusty-dot Pearl, 3 Rush Veneer, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 3 Pearly Underwing, 3 Straw Dot, 1 Nephopterix angustella, 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 European Corn-borer, 1 Narrow-winged Pug, 1 Small Mottled Willow and 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth; another Narrow-winged Pug and a single Bordered Straw were caught in a garden moth-trap at Southwell.
Xanthogramma pedissequum a relatively common Portland hoverfly - Southwell, June 24th 2006 © Bob Ford Nature Portfolio Image Library
A dreary morning with odd showers of light rain put off most prospective birders and the only reports were from the Bill where there were singles of Ringed Plover, Curlew and Black-headed Gull along with the surprise reappearance of a Pheasant (the first seen anywhere on the island since quite early in the spring).
Muggy, showery conditions overnight saw good numbers of moths on the wing and there was a decent catch of new immigrants in the Obs garden traps: 570 Diamond-back Moth, 138 Silver Y, 17 Rusty-dot Pearl, 6 Dark Sword Grass, 4 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Pearly Underwing, 2 Straw Dot, 2 Nephopterix angustella, 2 Ancylosis oblitella, 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 Rush Veneer, 1 European Corn-borer, 1 Dioryctria abietella, 1 Grey Pine Carpet, 1 Bordered Straw and 1 Dark Spectacle.
Late news for 24th June: Lulworth Skippers were on the wing for the first time this year at Southwell.
More signs of the beginnings of early autumn passage today, with 40 Common Scoter, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 4 commic terns, a Balearic Shearwater, a Storm Petrel, a Whimbrel, a Curlew, an Arctic Skua and a Black-headed Gull passing through on the sea at the Bill. Just about the only report from the land was of 3 Grey Herons passing overhead at the Bill.
It was relatively quiet in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight, with 16 Diamond-back Moth, 5 Silver Y, 1 Rusty-dot Pearl and 1 Bordered Straw the only immigrants recorded.
Many-lined - Portland Bill, June 24th 2006 © Martin Cade
Most of the interest today was on the sea, with 52 Common Scoter, 15 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua passing through off the Bill. Three Sand Martins were also at the Bill and 7 Dunlin and a Mediterranean Gull were at Ferrybridge.
In calm and overcast conditions overnight the Obs garden moth-traps were fairly busy although there was little evidence of renewed immigration (almost without exception the immigrants still on the wing are very worn and seem likely to be lingering on from last week); another Many-lined (the fifth record for the island) was the pick of the catch, whilst other immigrants/wanderers included 49 Diamond-back Moth, 16 Silver Y, 4 Rusty-dot Pearl, 3 Rush Veneer, 2 Bordered Straw, 1 Delicate, 1 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Cream-bordered Green Pea and 1 Ni Moth.
Red-backed Shrike - Portland Bill, June 23rd 2006 © Martin Cade
However quiet it might seem the mid-summer period can never be written off and as if to prove the point a Red-backed Shrike showed up during the afternoon in Top Fields at the Bill. A fly-over Serin at Southwell might have been the individual last reported a week ago but a Reed Warbler at the Bill and a Willow Warbler at Weston were certainly new arrivals. The only other news was of 50 Manx Shearwaters passing through off the Bill.
After several windy nights there were better numbers of moths on the wing in calmer conditions overnight, with the Obs garden traps producing immigrant totals of 14 Diamond-back Moth, 2 Rush Veneer, 2 Bordered Straw, 2 Silver Y and 1 Pearly Underwing.
A day hardly worth reporting on; the only news was of 50 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Sandwich Terns passing through off the Bill.
The only news was from the Bill where there was a Blackcap at Culverwell and 20 Manx Shearwaters and a Sandwich Tern passed through on the sea.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight consisted of nothing more than ones and twos of the commonest species.
A Curlew and a Sand Martin were typical early autumn arrivals at the Bill, where the only other news was of 24 Manx Shearwaters and a Sandwich Tern passing through on the sea. The only other sightings came from Ferrybridge where there were 13 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling and 2 Black-headed Gulls.
It was another poor night in the Obs garden moth-traps; the only immigrants recorded were 52 Diamond-back Moth, 3 Silver Y, 3 Rush Veneer and 1 Rusty-dot Pearl.
Bird news is at a premium: the only reports from the Bill this morning were of 28 Manx Shearwaters and 7 Common Scoter passing through on the sea.
In breezier and fresher conditions overnight the Obs garden moth-traps were relatively quiet, with immigrant totals of 89 Diamond-back Moth, 8 Silver Y, 3 Bordered Straw, 2 Rush Veneer, 2 Pearly Underwing, 1 Rusty-dot Pearl and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw.
Ni Moths - Portland Bill, June 18th 2006 © Martin Cade
Another fly-over Serin today - this time over the Obs garden in the morning - but otherwise the only reports of note were of 3 Chaffinches, 2 Bullfinches, a Redshank, a Curlew and a Black-headed Gull at the Bill, where 2 Manx Shearwaters passed through on the sea, 11 Dunlin at Ferrybridge and a slightly unseasonable Great Crested Grebe still in Portland Harbour.
Immigrants/wanderers in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight included 51 Diamond-back Moth, 41 Silver Y, 12 Rusty-dot Pearl, 8 Bordered Straw, 7 Rush Veneer, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Pearly Underwing, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 2 Delicate, 2 Ni Moth, 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Striped Hawk-moth and 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth.
leucistic Collared Dove and Scorched Wing - Portland Bill, June 17th 2006 © Martin Cade
We seem to have reached the summer doldrums: by midday the only sightings worth noting had been of 3 Eider settled off the Bill and 5 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron at Ferrybridge.
Immigrants/wanderers in the Obs garden moth-traps overnight included 115 Diamond-back Moth, 21 Rusty-dot Pearl, 12 Rush Veneer, 10 Silver Y, 5 Bordered Straw, 4 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Green Oak Tortrix, 2 Pearly Underwing, 2 Delicate, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Evergestis extimalis, 1 Figure of Eighty, 1 Scorched Wing (the second of the year but only the third or fourth record for Portland),1 Straw Dot and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw.
Marsh Harrier - Portland Bill, June 16th 2006 © Martin Cade
A Serin put in a brief early morning appearance at Weston and there were otherwise a rather peculiar selection of new arrivals at the Bill that included nearly 100 Wood Pigeons on the move overhead, 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Bullfinches, a Mallard, a Marsh Harrier, a Sand Martin, a Black Redstart and a Chiffchaff.
In quite clear and cool conditions overnight the Obs garden moth-traps attracted a good deal fewer immigrants than in recent nights: 21 Diamond-back Moth, 17 Rusty-dot Pearl, 14 Silver Y, 8 Rush Veneer, 4 Pearly Underwing, 4 Bordered Straw, 2 Straw Dot, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth, 1 Dark Sword Grass and 1 Delicate, .
Hardly a bird worth mentioning today, with nothing much more logged at the Bill than 40 Swifts, 3 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Chaffinches and a Ringed Plover; the only news from elsewhere was of 14 Dunlin and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge.
The Obs garden moth-traps produced another good haul of immigrants including 294 Diamond-back Moth, 18 Rush Veneer, 18 Silver Y, 17 Rusty-dot Pearl, 10 Small Mottled Willow, 8 Green Oak Tortrix, 6 Bordered Straw, 4 Dark Sword Grass, 3 Pearly Underwing, 2 Delicate, 1 Striped Hawk-moth, 2 Straw Dot 1 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Gem and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw; of further interest on the moth front, the unidentified mocha caught at the Obs a couple of nights ago has now been confirmed as a Blair's Mocha (the fifth record for the island).
Hummingbird Hawk-moth - Portland Bill, June 14th 2006 © Martin Cade
The majority of reports came from the Bill area where more than 200 Swifts, a Grey Heron, a Hobby and a Curlew passed overhead, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Spotted Flycatcher were logged on the land and 50 Manx Shearwaters and a single Balearic Shearwater passed through on the sea. Elsewhere there were 5 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling at Ferrybridge, where 75 Swifts also passed overhead.
The Obs garden moth-traps were a good deal quieter than yesterday although there were still respectable numbers of immigrants that included 327 Diamond-back Moth, 37 Silver Y, 18 Green Oak Tortrix, 12 Rusty-dot Pearl, 7 Small Mottled Willow, 6 Rush Veneer, 6 Bordered Straw, 4 Pearly Underwing, 1 Striped Hawk-moth, 1 Pine Hawk-moth, 1 Straw Dot and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw.
Late news for yesterday: 5 Snow Geese flew west over the Bill during the evening.
Many-lined, Small Marbled, Nemophora degeerella and an as yet unidentified mocha sp - Portland Bill, June 13th 2006 © Martin Cade
A Serin was seen over Top Fields and later at Underhedge Gardens, Southwell, during the morning but the only other reports on the bird front were of 86 'new' Wood Pigeons, a Grey Heron and a Spotted Flycatcher at the Bill, a Blackcap at Southwell and 3 Sandwich Terns, 2 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Common Scoter passing through on the sea at the Bill.
Much more interesting than the few birds around were the prodigious numbers of immigrant moths that arrived overnight. The Obs garden traps attracted highlights in the form of the first island record of Nemophora degeerella, the third record of Striped Wainscot, the fourth record of Many-lined and a single Small Marbled, although perhaps just as extraordinary were the unprecedented numbers of Green Oak Tortrix: the Obs traps attracted 475, whilst another 30 were in a garden trap at Fortuneswell. More routine fare included 1078 Diamond-back Moth, 33 Rusty-dot Pearl, 16 Small Mottled Willow, 13 Rush Veneer, 9 Straw Dot, 7 Silver Y, 3 Pearly Underwing, 1 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Evergestis extimalis, 1 Gem, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth, 1 Bordered Straw and 1 Cream-bordered Green Pea at the Obs and a Bordered Straw and a Ni Moth at Fortuneswell.
Late news for yesterday: at dusk 2 Bordered Straws were visiting valerian flowers in a garden at Southwell and a Striped Hawk-moth was again in a garden at Reforne.
Red-breasted Flycatcher, Serin and White Spot - Portland Bill, June 12th 2006 © Martin Cade
Some thundery showers that trundled past the island soon after dawn delivered the bird of the day in the form of a Red-breasted Flycatcher (only the third spring record for Portland) that was trapped and ringed in the Obs garden. The only other newcomer of note was a Serin that showed up a couple of times in or over the Obs garden during the afternoon; 75 Swifts passed overhead at the Bill but the land otherwise came up with nothing more than a solitary Reed Warbler at the Bill. Manx Shearwaters were very conspicuous off the Bill where more than 800 flew east in the first few hours of the day and several hundred then remained offshore or flew back west as the day went on; 39 Common Scoter also passed through on the sea.
Painted Ladies, Red Admirals and Hummingbird Hawk-moths have become numerous over the last few days and remained so today, whilst at least 3 Clouded Yellows on the wing at the Bill were the first seen there for some while.
Immigrant/dispersing moths in the Obs garden traps this morning included 191 Diamond-back Moth, 15 Rusty-dot Pearl, 9 Silver Y, 4 Pearly Underwing, 3 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Green Oak Tortrix, 1 Rush Veneer, 1 Gem, 1 Striped Hawk-moth, 1 White Spot and 1 Scarce Bordered Straw; among the local specialities the first Four-spotted of the summer was also trapped. The only report from elsewhere was of a single Scarce Bordered Straw attracted to a garden moth-trap at Fortuneswell.
Late news for yesterday: a Little Egret flew over Weston during the morning and a Striped Hawk-moth was on the wing in a garden at Reforne in the evening.
Very little to report, with the only news from the Bill being of 270 Gannets, 70 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Common Scoter and a Storm Petrel passing through on the sea.
In muggy, overcast conditions with a gentle south-westerly breeze it was easily the busiest night of the year so far in the Obs garden moth-traps. Immigrants included 172 Diamond-back Moth, 18 Silver Y, 15 Rusty-dot Pearl, 9 Small Mottled Willow, 7 Rush Veneer, 6 Bordered Straw and 5 Pearly Underwing, whilst wanderers included 3 Green Oak Tortrix.
The sea again provided nearly all the interest, with 180 Manx Shearwaters, 23 Common Scoter, 16 Black-headed Gulls, 3 commic terns, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Turnstone, an Arctic Skua and a Little Gull passing through off the Bill and 21 Common Scoter, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Whimbrel and 2 Sandwich Terns passing Chesil. The only other news was of a Whimbrel and a Redshank at Ferrybridge and a Reed Warbler at the Bill.
Another day of unbroken sunshine. Sadly the keen easterly wind failed to produce anything in the way of late common migrants let alone a rarity. What little movement there was occurred off the Bill where 24 commic terns, 4 Sandwich Terns, 3 Little Egrets and 2 Balearic Shearwaters passed by.
The stiff wind spoilt overnight moth-trapping at the Obs where a single Figure of Eighty was the only non-local moth recorded.
Late news for yesterday: a Hobby was at Reap Lane in the evening.
Knot and intellectually-challenged dog-walker - Ferrybridge, June 8th 2006 © Martin Cade
A few Swifts continued to arrive in off the sea but the only other new arrivals of note at the Bill were 3 Grey Herons, 3 Reed Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs and 2 Spotted Flycatchers. Seawatching there produced just 11 Manx Shearwaters, an Arctic Skua and a Sandwich Tern. The only other news was from Ferrybridge where there were 50 Dunlin, 14 Sanderling and a Knot.
On the butterfly front there was a large immigration of Large Whites; 'hundreds' were reported to be arriving in off the sea at the Bill around mid-morning, whilst a 20 minute walk through Top Fields at midday produced a total of 63 flying north.
There were signs of some moth dispersal taking place, with the Obs garden traps attracting 2 Spruce Carpets and a May Highflyer overnight; longer-distance immigrants consisted of just 2 Silver Y and 1 Diamond-back Moth.
Another warm and sunny day without too much in the way of late passage. Four Black Terns and a Balearic Shearwater passed through off the Bill but the best of the seabird sightings involved a flock of 13 Eider that took a shortcut across the centre of the island and were spotted flying low over the fields at Barleycrates Lane! Grounded migrants on the land included 3 Reed Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff at the Bill, a Reed Warbler, a Blackcap and a Spotted Flycatcher at Suckthumb Quarry, another Spotted Flycatcher at Barleycrates Lane and a Knot at Ferrybridge; additionally, small numbers of Swifts were still on the move overhead.
Slow-ish today in the continuing very fine weather. Odds and sods on the land at the Bill included 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Hobbies, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Yellow Wagtail, a Sedge Warbler and a Willow Warbler, whilst seawatching there produced 160 Gannets, 15 Manx Shearwaters and 3 Balearic Shearwaters feeding offshore, a Great Skua and an Arctic Skua attracted by the feeding flock and 30 commic terns and 2 Sandwich Terns passing by.
A single Bordered Straw was the only noteworthy capture overnight in the Obs garden moth-traps.
Little Tern - Ferrybridge, June 5th 2006 © Martin Cade
No sign of the Serins today but still quite a few late commoner migrants on the move. The Bill area provided totals of 120 Swifts, 28 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Sanderling, 6 Reed Warblers, 3 Common Buzzards, 3 Hobbies, 3 Turtle Doves, a Mediterranean Gull, a Cuckoo, a Wheatear, a Robin, a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler. Another 5 Spotted Flycatchers and a Turtle Dove passed through at Reap Lane. A fair-sized feeding flock of up to 150 Gannets were off the Bill but a flock of 20 passing Dunlin were the only birds actually on the move on the sea. The only other news was of 40 Dunlin and 19 Sanderling at Ferrybridge, from where staff at the Chesil Beach Centre also report that 24 pairs of Little Terns are currently making breeding attempts in the colony on Chesil Beach.
The Obs garden moth-traps have been quite busy during the last two nights without producing anything of great note; immigrant interest has largely petered out, although a very battered Small Mottled Willow was a first record for the year this morning. Among the local specialities, both Euzophera cinerosella and Cypress Carpet were caught for the first time this year yesterday.
Serins - Portland Bill, June 4th 2006 © Martin Cade
The only significant new arrival today was an additional Serin that joined the bird already present in the Obs/hut fields/East Cliffs area. Further reports from the Bill area included 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Reed Warblers, a Cuckoo, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler on the land and 23 Common Scoter, 19 commic terns, 11 Manx Shearwaters and a Sandwich Tern passing though offshore.
The lingering Serin again made a few visits to the Obs garden/hut fields area but both the other rarities reported made visits that were barely more than subliminal: a Common Rosefinch (a 'red' male and so not the individual seen two days ago) showed up in the Bill Quarry for a few minutes in the early afternoon, whilst earlier the pagers had reported the sighting of a fly-by Red-rumped Swallow at Ferrybridge. A few Swifts were on the move overhead but otherwise commoner migrants in the Bill area consisted of just 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Reed Warblers, 2 Wheatears, a Grey Heron, a Dunlin, a Cuckoo and a Blackcap. Eight Sanderling and 2 Sandwich Terns passed through on the sea at the Bill, whilst waders at Ferrybridge included 54 Dunlin and 23 Sanderling.
A single Dark Spectacle was the only moth of any particular note in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning.
Scorched Wing, Pine Hawk-moth and Red-backed Shrike - Portland Bill and High Angle Battery, June 2nd 2006 © Martin Cade
More goodies today although in the very fine weather some didn't linger long. A Bee-eater was heard calling but couldn't be seen at Southwell early in the morning and shortly afterwards a Hoopoe put in a fleeting appearance in Top Fields at the Bill. Fortunately the third quality newcomer of the day - a Red-backed Shrike that was discovered near the High Angle Battery late in the morning - did perform and was on view for much of the afternoon. The Serin was still around but had become more elusive and was seen more often in the Southwell area than it was at the Bill. Commoner migrants included 8 Reed Warblers, 8 Spotted Flycatchers, 7 Wheatears, 3 Sedge Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, a Hobby, a Cuckoo, a Whinchat and a Redpoll at the Bill, where 250 House Martins and 150 Swifts also arrived in off the sea. Fourteen more Spotted Flycatchers passed through early in the morning at Reap Lane/Barleycrates Lane and there were 14 Sanderling, 5 Mute Swans and a Bar-tailed Godwit at Ferrybridge. Not much attention was paid to the sea but 15 Canada Geese and 10 Black-headed Gulls were noticed passing through off the Bill.
Interest picked up noticeably in the Obs garden moth-traps, with a Scorched Wing (only the second or third island record), a Striped Hawk-moth, a Pine Hawk-moth and a Bordered Straw the highlights
Canada Goose, Common Rosefinch, Common Buzzard and Hobby - Ferrybridge and Portland Bill, June 1st 2006 © Martin Cade
The recent purple patch continued with a Common Rosefinch appearing in the Obs garden early in the morning; the bird was briefly in song on a couple of occasions but otherwise just showed distantly in a weedy field opposite the Obs front gate for a short period around mid-morning. The Serin continued to show from time to time at the Obs and a Marsh Harrier passed overhead at Weston during the afternoon but commoner migrants were not quite as plentiful as in recent days, with the best at the Bill being 11 Reed Warblers, 5 Wheatears, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Bullfinches, a Hobby, a Common Buzzard, a Cuckoo, a Black Redstart, a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and a trickle of Swifts and House Martins still on the move overhead. The only reports from elsewhere were of 3 Reed Warblers and 2 Spotted Flycatchers in the Reap Lane/Barleycrates Lane area and 10 Sanderling and a Canada Goose at Ferrybridge.