More unbroken sunshine and a constantly freshening easterly wind weren't really a recipe for success on the ground, with the total of only 5 new migrants ringed all day at the Obs being an adequate reflection on the numbers everywhere. It did remain quite busy overhead, with 250 Siskins, 28 Yellow Wagtail, 11 Grey Wagtails, 6 Tree Pipits, 2 Snipe, a Short-eared Owl and plenty more hirundines through over the Bill and a Golden Plover over Blacknor the pick of a similar selection elsewhere. On the ground, most of the expected early September migrants put in appearances but there were few double figure totals in any of the areas covered and 9 Spotted Flycatchers at the Bill was the only total really worth a mention; less frequent migrants included 3 White Wagtails, a Kingfisher and a Grasshopper Warbler at the Bill and 2 Little Stints at Ferrybridge, whilst the season's first Brent Goose also passed through at Ferrybridge. Interest from the sea came in the form of singles of Balearic Shearwater, Arctic Skua and Puffin off the Bill.
Singles of Convolvulus Hawk-moth and Ni Moth at the Obs were best of a poor overnight catch of immigrant moths.
Siskin, White Wagtail, Little Stint, Bar-tailed Godwit, Spotted Flycatcher and Hummingbird Hawk-moth - Portland Bill and Ferrybridge, 8th September 2015 © Martin Cade (Siskins, White Wag and Ni), Pete Saunders (Little Stint and Barwit), Martin King (Spot Fly) and Mark Rayment (Hummingbird Hawk)
Whilst you do hear all manner of stilted song from autumn migrants we can't actually recall ever having heard a Reed Warbler at this time of year. Yesterday one was giving snatches of quite passable song in the Obs garden, and at dawn today what was presumably the same individual in the same spot was trying it on again (we did see it and were able to confirm that it's a lingering ringed youngster); today its 'learning song' was much more hesitant and all but drowned out by the general dawn cacophony:
