Much improved birding conditions - millpond calm and overcast - and a nice pulse of late movement today. It was certainly a day to be looking skyward or out to sea with precious little of what was on the move actually dropping in: 4 Cranes heading west over Portland Harbour provided the rarity highlight, whilst another Spoonbill - over Ferrybridge - added to the recent rash of records of that local oddity. Visible passage over the Bill included 1700 Wood Pigeons and 210 Chaffinches by way of numbers and the likes of singles of Merlin and Short-eared Owl as minor quality amongst the selection of seasonable back-up; it was quieter on the ground although the Siberian Lesser Whitethroat popped up again and singles of Woodcock and Mistle Thrush were of interest. The sea there was busier than it has been for weeks, with auks now plentiful offshore and 69 Brent Geese, 24 Common Scoter, 6 Teal, 4 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Skuas and a late Manx Shearwater through. Additional to the Spoonbill, movers over Ferrybridge included 6 Goosander, 3 Lapwings and singles of Great Northern Diver and Mute Swan.
Two Pearly Underwings and a Dark Sword Grass were the only immigrant moths trapped overnight at the Obs.
It's been a good year to have been peering skyward at Ferrybridge/Portland Harbour - the autumn alone has come up with the likes of both White and Black Stork, two Cranes and a Sabine's Gull, to which can be added today's party of four more Cranes © Matt Phipps:
...the Cranes aside, there was plenty more overhead action at Ferrybridge through the morning including Spoonbill, Great Northern Diver, Mute Swan and five Goosanders © Pete Saunders:
