The sea rules the day

Overcast, 18°, fresh SW.

The high winds put paid to any birding on the land today so a sea-watch was order of the day.

The 4 hours between 07:00 and 11:00 were the most productive with, 34 Balearic Shearwater, 2 Cory’s Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater, 9 Arctic Skua, 1 Great Skua, 1 Long-tailed Skua, 21+ Kittiwake and numerous Gannet. A continued watch after 11:00 turned up very little.

All I heard in the garden was 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap plus a couple of Meadow Pipit, Raven and Little Owl nearby and saw a few Swallow milling around overhead considering whether to fly south. Fortunately, they turned back inland.

Butterflies: Red Admiral & Speckled Wood.

The view from the Observatory patio today where sea-watching takes place.

Final day with a LTS

Sunny, 18°, light NNW.

A beautiful dawn and sunny morning on our last day at Portland leaving around 13:00.

Another early movement of 18 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Tree Pipit 60+ Siskin.

Someone was actually sea watching today and approx. 08:00 he called a Long-tailed Skua moving west. A few of us managed a distant view as it then disappeared around the bill. Another distant Skua noted that was probably a Bonxie.

In between packing etc. we managed 3 Blackcap, 4 Common Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Wheatear.

Mammals: 2 North Atlantic Grey Seal.

Dragonflies: Emperor and Common Darter.

Butterflies: Brimstone (a scarce butterfly on Portland), Large White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Meadow Brown.

Moths: Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Convolvulus Hawkmoth.

A good week on Portland with a lot of good birds, good insects and good company. Thanks to Martin and Glen. Cheers

 (courtesy Loren)

forgotten the name of this fly?