Time to go home

Mainly cloudy, 12°, breezy NE.

A weather block out in the Channell appears to have prevented any northward bound migrants reaching Portland shores today.

In the small time we had left not much was noted as we departed northwards ourselves at around 12:30.

As well as a steady flow of Gannet, Manx Shearwater and Auks and a single Great Northern Diver flew west and a Fulmar noted.

The only land birds noted were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, and Common and Lesser Whitethroat.

Another quiet one

Sunny periods, 14°, light NE.

A slow day with a limited flurry of migrants early then all quiet.

A call from the ringing crew at Culverwell for a Golden Oriole saw most of us trek up there but to no avail as the bird appeared to pass through and was not seen again.

So back to the Obs for whatever was around:

An Arctic Skua, a Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Whimbrel and 50+ Manx Shearwater plus the usual fare over the sea.

Land: a Grey Heron, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, White Wagtail, a Swift and 50+ Swallow through the day.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Much as the day before and Painted Ladies arriving in off the sea.

The morning rush

Mainly sunny, 14°, light SW.

A light influx of migrants’ early morning, they quickly filtered through the Bill area and by midday most had departed leaving the rest of the day fairly quiet.

5 Common Scoter, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Fulmar, a Cuckoo, a Hobby, a White Wagtail, 3 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat and 3 Wheatear.

50+ Swallow trickling through the day provided the only real consistency after the morning rush.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Large White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady (many), Speckled Wood and Wall Brown.

A better day

Mainly cloudy, 14°, light SW.

The highlight of the day was a Turtle Dove that arrived off the sea and spent some time moving around the bill area before departing.

An intermittent sea-watch produced: 2 Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, 3 Red-throated Diver, 6 Common Scoter, 10 Mediterranean Gull, 6 Common Gull and 3 Manx Shearwater etc.

The land was more varied in species if not numbers: 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, a Garden Warbler, Blackcap, 8 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Common Redstart, a Whinchat, Stonechat, 4 Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, a White Wagtail and c30 Swallow.

Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser.

Butterflies: Large White, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood and Wall Brown.

Rain stopped play

A cloudy day with rain at 13:00 onwards, 14°, mod E.

A very slow day with rain stopping play early afternoon.

Approx. 50 Common Scoter, 10 Oystercatcher and 2 Whimbrel over the sea and the odd Manx Shearwater was about it, other than the regulars.

The land didn’t do much better with 12 Swallow, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroat, a Wheatear and a Stonechat.

Butterflies: Large White, Orange Tip and Red Admiral.

Weather

A cloudy start, then fog, then rain, then sun, 14°, light to mod SW.

A strange day weather wise, the fog put the dampers on a sea-watch around 11:00, then a brief period of rain, then the sun came out, birding again.

The RNBWS folk arrived today so we had a lighthouse full of ex RN bods all into birding. So felt right at home.

Anyway, to the birds: the sea produced, 2 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skua, 150+ Kittiwake, a handful of Sandwich Tern, 5 Shelduck, 23 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver, 2 Red-throated Diver and 50+ Manx Shearwater etc.

Land: 2 Whimbrel, a Redpoll, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, a Reed Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Common Whitethroat, a Blackcap, a Whinchat, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 30+ Swallow.

Butterflies: Large White, Orange Tip, a Blue of some description, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown and Meadow Brown.