Portland Bird Observatory

Marsh Harrier - Portland Bill, 2nd September 2010 © Martin Cade

...amongst other features, the variegated wing pattern (including the beginnings of a black trailing edge), patchy moult in the flight feathers and the grey tail seem to indicate that this is a second calendar year male.

2nd September

Evening update.

Not much change in the weather or the quality of the birding today. Minor highlights included a Marsh Harrier over the Bill and 4 Curlew Sandpipers at Ferrybridge, whilst amongst more routine fare hirundines and Yellow Wagtails were numerous overhead but, as in recent days, grounded migrants weren't at all conspicuous. With the likes of warblers and flycatchers very thin on the ground/absent the only noteworthy counts among the commoner migrants were of 800 Swallows south over Ferrybridge in a 2 hour sample count, 80 Yellow Wagtails grounded at Reap Lane and another 60 overhead at the Bill, 16 Whinchats at the Bill and 7 White Wagtails scattered about. The only report from the sea was of a lone Balearic Shearwater passing through off the Bill.

Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 2 Rush Veneer, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 2 Silver Y and a Pearly Underwing.

Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Shelduck and White Wagtail - Ferrybridge and Portland Bill, 1st September 2010 © Pete Saunders (Little Stint and Shelduck) and Martin Cade (Curlew Sandpiper and White Wagtail)

1st September

More - or in many cases less - of the same on another day of sunny skies and a brisk easterly. An Osprey that passed over the Bill during the evening was the best of the day's sightings that otherwise included, for example, 30 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Whinchats, 5 Grey Herons, 5 Garden Warblers, 4 Tree Pipits, 4 Grasshopper Warblers, 2 White Wagtails, 2 Redstarts, 2 Lesser Whitethroats and singles of Merlin and Hobby at the Bill and 3 White Wagtails and singles of Shelduck, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint at Ferrybridge but only rather low totals of grounded commoner migrants and far fewer hirundines on the move overhead than yesterday. Seawatching at the Bill produced 4 Sanderling, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 Redshank and an Arctic Skua.

Immigrants in the Obs garden moth-traps this morning: 4 Dark Sword Grass, a Rush Veneer and a Silver Y