Just a handful of sightings to report again today: 22 Common Scoter, 3 Manx Shearwaters and a Balearic Shearwater through on the sea at the Bill and a lone Dunlin at Ferrybridge.
The Obs garden moth-traps were again busy although there was next to no immigrant interest; a Beautiful Hook-tip was a good local record (only the fourth or fifth record for Portland) but the only other captures of even minor note were singles of Green Oak Tortrix, Dark Spectacle and Silver Y.
Yellow-legged Gull - Ferrybridge, 29th June 2010 © Martin Cade
A bit of a break down in the recent fine weather saw the arrival of overcast, very muggy conditions but little by way of notable new migrants on the land. The summer's first Yellow-legged Gull did arrive in off the sea at the Bill, where a Common Sandpiper was on the land and 6 Common Scoter, 4 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Sandwich Terns, 3 Mediterranean Gulls and a Great Skua passed by on the sea. Elsewhere, the same or another Yellow-legged Gull was at Ferrybridge, along with 2 Dunlin.
The muggy conditions led to a good overnight catch of moths at the Obs, although immigrant interest was minimal: 2 Diamond-back Moth, a Silver Y a Green Oak Tortrix and a Rusty-dot Pearl.
More routine fare for the time of year: 5 Grey Herons and 4 Sand Martins overhead at the Bill, a Common Sandpiper heard calling at night at Ferrybridge and 3 Manx Shearwaters through on the sea at the Bill.
The mothing remained as low-key as the birding, with 4 Diamond-back Moth, 2 Silver Y, a European Corn-borer and a Rusty-dot Pearl the only immigrants in the Obs garden traps.
Still a conspicuous lack of quality in the continuing fine weather. All the day's reports came from the Bill: 3 Sand Martins overhead and 23 Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Terns and 2 Manx Shearwaters through on the sea.
Moth interest remained pretty limited, with 2 each of Diamond-back Moth, Rusty-dot Pearl, Dark Sword Grass and Silver Y the only immigrants in the Obs garden traps.
Round-winged Muslin - Portland Bill, 26th June 2010 © Martin Cade
...and Trachycera marmorea, another minor local speciality just appearing on the wing for the first time this year:
No sound of the Quail today at the Bill where the only reports of note were of a Balearic Shearwater through on the sea and singles of Reed Warbler and Willow Warbler on the land.
A Harbour Porpoise was off the Bill early in the morning.
A Round-winged Muslin (the fourth record for Portland) was a notable overnight capture in the Obs garden moth-traps; other immigrants/wanderers there included 3 Silver Y, 2 Green Oak Tortrix, 2 Rush Veneer and a Rusty-dot Pearl.
Adonis Blue larva - Kingbarrow Quarry, 24th June 2010 © Bob Ford Nature Portfolio Image Library
...and just for the record a photo of the Storm Petrel trapped and ringed at the Bill a couple of nights ago © Martin Cade:
A Quail singing sporadically from the fields between the Obs and the Higher Light during the evening was the day's highlight; click here to listen to a short recording of it. In gloriously hot and sunny conditions the only slightly out of the ordinary report earlier in the day concerned 3 Shoveler passing through off the Bill; also there, 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were presumably early departing migrants, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Manx Shearwater passed by on the sea and during the early hours of the morning another single Storm Petrel was tape-lured and ringed. The only other news was of a Reed Warbler in song at Broadcroft Quarry.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 2 Silver Y, 2 Diamond-back Moth, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl, a Rush Veneer and a Dark Sword Grass.
Late news for yesterday: 3 Grey Herons passed overhead at Weston.
After the recent rather quiet spell for birds a day with absolutely nothing worth reporting was probably in the offing and duly arrived today.
There wasn't a great deal on the moth front either, but immigrants/wanderers caught overnight in the Obs garden traps did include 4 Silver Y, 2 Diamond-back Moth, a Rusty-dot Pearl and a Green Oak Tortrix.
An unseasonable Siskin overhead at the Bill was unexpected and the first Storm Petrel of the summer was tape-lured and ringed during the early hours of the morning but the rest of the day's news was routine: 3 Lapwings and a new Chiffchaff at the Bill, 12 Common Scoter and 4 Curlew through on the sea there and the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Whimbrel at Ferrybridge.
Immigrant moth interest has all but fizzled out, with just 2 Silver Y, a Diamond-back Moth and a Rush Veneer caught overnight in the Obs garden traps; a Tawny-barred Angle in a garden trap at Southwell was the best of the 'non-residents'.
Early departing migrants made up the bulk the day's meagre list, with 5 Sand Martins, a Grey Heron and a Wheatear at the Bill and a Whimbrel at Ferrybridge; the only other reports of note were of the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers still at Ferrybridge and a lone Manx Shearwater passing through on the sea at the Bill.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 2 Silver Y, a Rusty-dot Pearl and a Rush Veneer.
Late news for yesterday: we forgot to mention that another (or possibly even the same since only one individual could be found) Wood Tiger moth was seen at Broadcroft Quarry BC reserve in the afternoon.
Silky Wainscot - Portland Bill, 21st June 2010 © Martin Cade
...we haven't had time to do a full check but we think this is only the second record of Silky Wainscot for Portland. Continuing our theme of local specials now on the wing, Ken Dolbear sent us through a nice photo from the end of last week of a pair of Silver-studded Blues at Broadcroft Quarry BC reserve :
A lovely warm, sunny day but pretty dreadful on the bird front: a Grey Heron passed through on the sea at the Bill and the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers were still at Ferrybridge.
Immigrants/wanderers in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 Rusty-dot Pearl, 5 Silver Y and singles of Rush Veneer, Silky Wainscot and Dark Spectacle.
Underwater view, cup coral sp and a flatworm thought to be Prostheceraeus vittatus - Portland Harbour, 18th June 2010 © Ken Tucker
...thanks to Ken for these fascinating photos taken on a snorkeling trip off Portland Castle a couple of evenings ago - we'd be very keen on some more underwater images if anyone can oblige.
Another small selection of late arrivals and early departures included singles of Reed Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff at the Bill, 6 Sanderling, 2 Redshank and singles of Black-headed Gull and Mediterranean Gull at Ferrybridge (where the 2 summering Red-breasted Mergansers were also still present) and 26 commic terns, 8 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Common Scoter and a Little Tern through on the sea at the Bill
In surprisingly chilly conditions overnight moth-trapping at the Obs was very unproductive, with geometers and micros barely represented at all; the only immigrants logged were 2 Silver Y and singles of Rush Veneer and Dark Sword Grass.
There are still a few odds and ends showing up on the land, with singles of Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Spotted Flycatcher all newcomers at the Bill today; seawatching there provided just 13 commic terns, 2 Manx Shearwaters and a Sandwich Tern.
Anticipating a wave of Rannoch Loopers we added a couple of moth-traps to those already operating at the Obs but there were just slim pickings on the immigrant front: 19 Rush Veneer, 8 Silver Y, 5 Rusty-dot Pearl and a Diamond-back Moth; infrequently recorded species that did show up included singles of Elephant Hawk-moth, Cream-bordered Green Pea and Marbled White Spot.
Wood Tiger - Broadcroft Quarry BC reserve, 17th June 2010 © Ken Dolbear
...it would be surprising if such an obvious species had escaped attention if it were established at this well-watched site and, since we're not aware that the species has any track record of vagrancy, there must be some suspicion of 'dodgy origin' with this record; it'll be interesting to see if further searches reveal any more specimens. A Green Silver Lines - always an infrequent visitor to the island - was the best of the overnight captures in the Obs moth-traps:
...whilst local specialities beginning to appear on the wing include Cynaeda dentalis:
...Euzophera cinerosella:
...and Cypress Carpet:
additional photos © Martin Cade
The most unexpected news concerned a Wood Tiger - a new moth for Portland - seen and photographed yesterday (but its identity only established today) at Broadcroft Quarry. With the stiff breeze of recent nights having dropped away the Obs garden moth-traps were quite productive although the immigrant/wanderer list - 14 Rush Veneer, 8 Rusty-dot Pearl, 5 Diamond-back Moth and a Green Silver-lines - was none too impressive.
On the bird front it was a case of more of the same at the Bill, where there were 3 Sand Martins, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Reed Warbler on/overhead on the land and 6 commic terns through on the sea; elsewhere there were singles of Blackcap and Chiffchaff at Pennsylvania Castle and Lesser Whitethroat at Duncecroft Quarry.
Still very little of consequence to report, with just singles of Reed Warbler and Chiffchaff at the Bill, a Blackcap at Southwell and 3 commic terns through on the sea at the Bill.
The Obs garden moth-traps were a little busier overnight although the immigrant tally consisted of just 7 Rush Veneer, 4 Silver Y, 3 Rusty-dot Pearl and a Diamond-back Moth.
Pretty well all the day's reports came from the Bill where 2 more new Chiffchaffs were trapped at the Obs and 10 Manx Shearwaters, 10 commic terns, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Balearic Shearwater and a Black-headed Gull passed through on the sea; elsewhere there was a Reed Warbler at Southwell and the 2 summering Red-breasted Mergansers were still at Ferrybridge.
It was still a bit too windy to expect much in the moth-traps and 3 Rusty-dot Pearl, a Diamond-back Moth and a Silver Y were the only immigrants trapped overnight at the Obs.
For the most part just routine June fare today at the Bill, where yet another new Chiffchaff was trapped and ringed at the Obs, 25 Manx Shearwaters, 17 commic terns, 4 Sandwich Terns and a Mediterranean Gull passed by on the sea, 2 Lapwings and a Grey Heron arrived in off the sea from the south and, oddly for the time of year, 2 Wood Pigeons left in the opposite direction; the only reports from elsewhere were of a Sedge Warbler at Barelycrates Lane and 2 Dunlin and a Sanderling at Ferrybridge. Also, good news from the Little Tern wardens at Ferrybridge who report that the first 5 chicks have recently hatched (at least 10 pairs are breeding in the colony); for anyone interested there is a CCTV feed from one of the nests on show in the Chesil Beach Centre at the moment.
Very windy conditions spoilt overnight moth-trapping, with 7 Silver Y and 2 Rush Veneer the only immigrants caught in the Obs garden traps.
Variegated Golden Tortrix - Portland Bill, 14th June 2010 © Martin Cade
Just a handful of reports from the Bill: 50 Manx Shearwaters through on the sea, 150 Swifts heading east in the evening after the arrival of some hefty showers and a lone Chiffchaff in the Obs garden. Elsewhere the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers were still at Ferrybridge, where a lone Whimbrel also dropped in.
On the moth front the most interesting report concerned a specimen of Variegated Golden Tortrix Archips xylosteana caught overnight in the Obs garden traps; this species was stated to be common on the island in the Victorian era but, despite it appearing to be a common species more or less throughout Britain, it hasn't been recorded here since that time. The immigrant tally in the Obs traps consisted of 20 Rush Veneer, 9 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 Silver Y, a Diamond-back Moth and a Dark Sword Grass.
Lapwing - Portland Bill, 13th June 2010 © Martin Cade
...and yesterday's Bordered Straw from Reap Lane © John Lucas/Martin Cade:
A Mistle Thrush was a surprise newcomer at the High Angle Battery, whilst another small flurry of migrants at the Bill included 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Lapwings and singles of Wheatear, Reed Warbler and Blackcap. The only reports from the sea were of 6 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Common Scoter and 2 Sandwich Terns passing the Bill.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 55 Rush Veneer, 23 Rusty-dot Pearl, 3 Silver Y and 2 Diamond-back Moth.
Black Redstart, Portland Ribbon Wave and Satin Wave - Portland Bill, 12th June 2010 © Martin Cade
...despite being a relatively common resident around the centre and north of the island Portland Ribbon Wave is rarely encountered at the Bill where, for example, it's a less than annual capture in the Obs garden moth-traps (and since quite a few of the records at the latter occur during periods of immigrant activity we sometimes wonder if in fact they mightn't refer to moths of Continental as opposed to 'up-island' origin). Satin Wave is one of the commoner geometers in the Obs traps at the moment.
Almost unbroken sunshine today but feeling a bit fresher in a brisk northerly. A nice little flurry of late migrants at the Bill included 5 Reed Warblers, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and a Spotted Flycatcher; 10 Manx Shearwaters, 10 commic terns, 4 Sandwich Terns and a Mediterranean Gull also passed through on the sea there.
A Bordered Straw in a garden trap at Reap Lane was the pick of the overnight immigrant moth captures; totals from the Obs garden traps included 47 Rush Veneer, 19 Rusty-dot Pearl, 9 Silver Y and 8 Diamond-back Moth.
May Highflyer, Valerian Pug and Cherry Bark Moth - Portland Bill, 11th June 2010 © Martin Cade
...in the absence of any birds: the May Highflyer is a second for Portland, Valerian Pug is a well-known 'out of usual habitat' inhabitant of the island although one that's never particularly frequent in the Obs traps and Cherry Bark Moth features for the simple reason that we always think they look pretty!
Although it remained windy throughout the night the promised rain didn't amount to very much and by afternoon the weather had turned much fairer and quite muggy. The only worthwhile bird news was of another 2 new Chiffchaffs at the Bill.
Despite the strength of the wind the Obs garden moth-traps were very busy, with the pick of the catch being a May Highflyer (only the second island record); other immigrants/wanderers in the traps included 33 Rush Veneer, 20 Rusty-dot Pearl, 10 Diamond-back Moth, 10 Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword Grass and a Green Oak Tortrix.
Netted Pug and Tachystola acroxantha - Portland Bill, 10th June 2010 © Martin Cade
...two species that are, status-wise, heading in opposite directions at Portland: Netted Pug was formerly frequently recorded but has declined to the point that it is no longer even an annual capture in the Obs garden moth-traps; in contrast, acroxantha, that was recorded for the first time as recently as 2008, seems to be consolidating its residence on the island and has already been recorded at all four of the main trapping sites (the Obs, Weston and two sites at Southwell) this year.
A very stiff north-easterly blowing today ahead of the promised arrival of more rain tonight. A steady arrival of Swifts in off the sea at the Bill (numbering well into the thousands) was probably a weather-related movement rather than some late passage, but new arrivals there did include singles of Black Redstart, Blackcap and Chiffchaff; odds and ends passing by on the sea included 51 Common Scoter, 5 commic terns and 4 Manx Shearwaters.
The ever-freshening wind spoilt overnight moth-trapping, with the immigrant tally in the Obs garden traps consisting of 39 Rush Veneer, 9 Rusty-dot Pearl, 8 Diamond-back Moth and 5 Silver Y.
Little Tern - Ferrybridge, 9th June 2010 © Paul Baker
A Marsh Warbler - presumably yesterday's bird but since it afforded nothing more than subliminal glimpses the presence/absence of a ring couldn't be ascertained - was heard singing beside the Obs garden on a few occasions through the day; click here to have a listen to a recording of this bird (to save on file size we've had to edit out some long periods of silence from the original recording so the distilled version here gives the impression that the bird was singing much more vigorously than was the case in life; thanks to James Lidster for confirming for us that this hidden singer was indeed a Marsh Warbler). New arrivals were disappointingly hard to come by, with just 2 Chiffchaffs, a Grey Heron and a Reed Warbler at the Bill and a Blackcap at Avalanche Road being worthy of note; additionally, the 2 long-staying Red-breasted Mergansers were still at Ferrybridge and 50 Manx Shearwaters passed through off the Bill.
Immigrant moth numbers increased conspicuously, with the Obs garden traps returning totals of 35 Rush Veneer, 27 Rusty-dot Pearl, 9 Diamond-back Moth, 4 Silver Y, a Maiden's Blush and a Dark Sword Grass this morning, and large numbers (reported to be well into the hundreds by observers who were making an effort) of Rush Veneers, Rusty-dot Pearls and Silver Ys evident all around the Bill area during the day.
Red-backed Shrike and Marsh Warbler - Portland Bill, 8th June 2010 © Martin Cade
...our 'indoor' photo (above) of the Marsh Warbler warmed up the plumage tones too much (it was a poor performer outdoors and refused to pose in profile). Outdoors it was really quite strikingly different in general colouration to a Reed Warbler as these rump views of it and the Reed caught later in the afternoon show:
To us, Marsh usually looks a rather heavy-billed bird and today's individual certainly fitted the bill in that respect (again with a Reed for comparison):
And a very brief field view after release:
.
After a real stir-up in the weather - heavy rain yesterday evening followed by a damp, foggy night - there was some welcome quality today in the form of a Red-backed Shrike briefly beside Culverwell in the morning and a Marsh Warbler trapped and ringed at the Obs at midday. Further new arrivals included 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Reed Warblers and a Wheatear at the Bill and another Reed Warbler at Suckthumb Quarry, whilst yesterday's Redstart (click here to listen to a recording of this first-summer bird singing at dawn this morning) remained at Southwell School. Seawatching at the Bill produced 5 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Great Skuas and a Whimbrel.
Two Silver Y and singles of Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl and Dark Sword Grass were the only immigrants attracted to the Obs garden moth-traps overnight.
Scorched Wing - Portland Bill, 7th June 2010 © Martin Cade
...among the day's birds there were the usual conundrums as to which way they were going. The Redstart at Southwell School was in song so was perhaps most likely to be incoming:
...but the Blackcap at the Obs showed a well-developed brood patch when examined in the hand so was presumably a failed breeder already leaving:
A gradual deterioration in the weather today with steady rain having set in by mid-afternoon. On the bird front the highlight was a Spoonbill that was settled at Ferrybridge for a couple of hours early in the morning. The only other reports from the land were of 3 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap at the Bill, a Redstart at Southwell School and 13 Dunlin at Ferrybridge; at least 25 Manx Shearwaters were still milling around on the sea at the Bill.
Immigrants/wanderers in the Obs garden traps this morning: 7 Dark Sword Grass, 3 Diamond-back Moths, 2 Rush Veneers, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 Silver Y, a Green Oak Tortrix and a Scorched Wing (the latter just the fifth record of the species for Portland).
First of all, apologies for the lack of an update yesterday when - yet again - our internet connection was down: being at the very end of a very long and probably very old phone line means that the white heat of the technological revolution didn't ever glow very brightly at south Portland and currently it seems to have dimmed to a dying ember.
Today's bird list was very nearly non-existent: upwards of 50 Manx Shearwaters were milling around off the Bill and a lone Chiffchaff was in song at the Obs.
The overnight moth-trapping - in still, muggy conditions - was much more productive, with a tally of immigrants/wanderers in the Obs garden traps that included 16 Diamond-back Moths, 14 Rush Veneers, 7 Rusty-dot Pearl and singles of Endothenia quadrimaculana, Green Oak Tortrix, Gem, Brown Silver-line, Dark Sword Grass, Gold Spot and Silver Y.
Cockchafer - Weston, 5th June 2010 © Duncan Walbridge/Martin Cade
Still precious little of any consequence to report: 2 Grey Herons left to the south over the Bill, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Flycatcher were at the Bill and 4 Dunlin and the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers were at Ferrybridge.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 Diamond-back Moth, 4 Silver Y, 2 Rusty-dot Pearl, a Rush Veneer and a Dark Sword Grass; additionally, a Cockchafer caught in a garden moth-trap at Weston was a good record for Portland (the only records we're aware of relate to a handful of specimens caught over the last 15 years or so in the Obs garden moth-traps).
Adder and Yellowhammer - High Angle Battery, 4th June 2010 © Duncan Walbridge (Adder) and Martin Cade (Yellowhammer)
...when we mention the unfamiliar inhabitants lurking in the north of the island we're not always referring to the human population: Adders haven't been recorded at the Bill for getting on for 20 years, whilst the Yellowhammer is heading toward vagrant status there despite still maintaining a tenuous toehold as a breeding species around the top of the island.
Just a few reports from the Bill area today: 2 Chiffchaffs on the land and 31 Common Scoter, 15 commic terns, 13 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Sandwich Terns and 3 Black-headed Gulls through on the sea.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 3 Rush Veneer and 1 Diamond-back Moth; elsewhere a single Narrow-winged Pug was the pick of the catch in a garden trap at Weston.
Late news for yesterday: additions to the list included a Blackcap at Southwell and a Corn Bunting at Reap Lane.
Bordered Sallow and Fox Moth - Portland Bill, 3rd June 2010 © Martin Cade
...on the bird-less days at least we can resort to some moth photos at this time of year.
Shockingly poor today although there were very few birders out looking. At the Bill there were 6 Chiffchaffs and a Wheatear on the land and 20 Manx Shearwaters and 18 Common Scoter passed through on the sea, whilst at Ferrybridge there were 4 Mute Swans and the 2 long-staying Red-breasted Mergansers (and the tern wardens there report that 10 pairs of Little Terns are breeding this year).
There was another small haul of immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 Rusty-dot Pearl, 2 Rush Veneer and 1 Diamond-back Moth.
Spoonbill, Chiffchaff and Gem - Portland Bill, 2nd June 2010 © Martin Cade
...Spoonbill records have never taken off in quite the way that, for example, those of Little Egret have and today's fly-over at the Bill constituted only the 23rd record for Portland. We're never quite sure what our late arriving Chiffchaffs are up to: this species is typically one of the earliest summer migrants to show up and the spring peak occurs way back in early/mid April but after that late arrivals just keeping on coming and it isn't at all unusual for them to be the commonest capture in the Obs garden mist-nets in late May/early June (of the 40 birds ringed at the Obs in the last week 16 have been Chiffchaffs); it could be that some are early departing failed breeders but, for example, the females hardly ever possess brood patches so that doesn't seem particularly likely - maybe this species does just have a remarkably protracted spring migration period.
After yesterday's slow start today provided a bit of the hoped-for June quality. A Spoonbill that flew south high over the Bill and headed away out to sea showed up first, whilst later in the day a Quail was flushed by chance at Verne Common. On the common migrant front the recent trickle of late arrivals continued, with 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Reed Warblers, a Wheatear and a Sedge Warbler all new in at the Bill; 60 Manx Shearwaters and 30 Common Scoter also passed through on the sea there.
A rather early Gem was minor surprise in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning; other immigrants in the traps there included 10 Diamond-back Moth, 7 Rush Veneer and 3 Silver Y.
Precious little to be found during the afternoon after the heaviest rainfall for several weeks had seen to it that the morning was a complete washout. The only reports from the Bill were of 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Ringed Plover, a Wheatear and a Willow Warbler on the land and 9 Common Scoter and a Manx Shearwater through on the sea. Elsewhere, Ferrybridge was devoid of late passage waders but a Grey Heron was a slightly unusual visitor there and the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers were still in residence.
Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 5 Rush Veneer and 4 Diamond-back Moth.