Sea-watch saved the day

Sunny periods and rain showers, 19°, breezy SSW.

Another day of wind and rain with migratory land birds virtually non-existent.

A Tree Pipit, 2 Willow Warbler and a Firecrest that has been present in the garden for the last 5 days at least. A single Swallow and 3 Raven overhead.

The sea-watch was the saving grace of the day although we missed the Fea’s Petrel that was seen off the Bill when we were viewing from the Obs.

5 Arctic Skua, a Sooty Shearwater, a Cory’s Shearwater, 2 Manx Shearwater, 38 Balearic Shearwater, 5 Fulmar, 10+ Kittiwake, 2 Auk sp, 1 Common Scoter and 2 Whimbrel.

Dragonflies: Common Darter.

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

Moths: Striped Hawkmoth, Hummingbird Hawkmoth and Gothic Beauty.

Blue-fin Tuna – at least one seen breaching.

Did not get any bird photos today due to the lack or distance of birds. so Moths will have to do as they were placid and nearby.

Portland: Day 8.

Sunny then clouding over, 18°, light NW.

A quiet day by any standards. Didn’t do a sea watch as did not hear any decent calls from the guys watching and land was pretty hard work with migrants few and far between.

Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Little Owl, another Cattle Egret in, off the sea, 3 Raven, 22 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 4 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 “White” Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Stonechat, 3 Whinchat, 1 Common Redstart, 1 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff and 1 Willow Warbler.

Dragonflies: Common Darter.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Small Blue, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood and Small Heath.

Blue-fin Tuna.

Sunrise

Whinchat

Robin

Portland: Day 6.

Sunny, 16°, light WNW.

Skipped a sea watch today as little appeared to be happening so concentrated more on the land.

Quite a good selection with a couple of reasonable figures.

Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit over, 1 Whimbrel, 100+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Tree Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 White Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 8 Stonechat, a Common Redstart, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 17 Chiffchaff, 200+ Swallow, c40 House Martin and 26 Sand Martin.

Mammals: Red Fox & Grey Seal.

Dragonflies: Migrant Hawker & Common Darter.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Small Blue, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood & Small Heath.

Moths: Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

Good numbers of Blue-fin Tuna offshore.

Sunrise

Wheatear mid jump

Wheatear

Linnet

Stonechat (above & below)

Angle Shade Moth landed on my binoculars, Was not aware until I saw a fuzzy shape through them.

Portland: Day 5.

Sunny spells and heavy showers, 15°, light to breezy N.

A bit of a slow day today with little to find. A brief sea watch produced 5 Manx Shearwater, 3 Balearic Shearwater, 2 Arctic Skua, 4 Common Scoter, a couple of Sandwich Tern and Common/Arctic Tern.

Overhead migration was a little thin, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Grey Wagtail, 3 Tree Pipit, c50 Meadow Pipit and approx. 30 Swallow.

A Pied Flycatcher caught and ringed at the Obs, plus a Sedge Warbler seen, a Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 10+ Chiffchaff and 4 Willow Warbler.

An afternoon visit to Ferrybridge: a Little Egret, a Mediterranean Gull, 5-6 Knot, a Bar-tailed Godwit, c30 Dunlin, c30 Ringed Plover, a Sanderling and 5 Oystercatcher.

Butterflies: Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood.

Insects: Speckled Bush Cricket and Great Green Bush Cricket.

Several Blue-fin Tuna noted feeding offshore.

Sunrise

Pied Flycatcher

Small Tortoiseshell

Starling sheltering from the rain

Portland: Day 2

Sunny spells, 18°, fresh W.

The day dawned with limited expectations, the sea was relatively quiet and overhead passage was fairly low.

At around 07:00 we started to see a small passage of Shearwaters and then by 07:30 it really kicked off.

The following are rough totals: c700 Great Shearwater (all within 30 minutes), in excess of 500 Manx Shearwater, c15 Balearic Shearwater and 4 Sooty Shearwater.

Plus, 3 Great Skua, 8 Arctic Skua, c50 Sandwich Tern, c20 Common/Arctic Tern, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 200+ Gannet, c30 Kittiwake and c20 Auk sp.

The sea movement petered out towards midday so attention focussed on land birds.

A Marsh Harrier, 3 Raven, a Little Owl, a Short-eared Owl (in, off the sea), a couple of Oystercatcher, 14 Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 15 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 5 Sand Martin, c40 Meadow Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit, 8 Wheatear, 3 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Common Whitethroat, several Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler and 1 Firecrest.

A small pod of Common Dolphin offshore and a couple of Blue-fin Tuna sightings.

Dragonflies: Emperor and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Small White, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood and Small Heath.

Sunrise

Firecrest

Convolvulus Hawk Moth

Marsh Harrier

Wheatear (above & below)

Raven

Little Owl

Painted Lady