Portland Bird Observatory
@portlandbirdobs.bsky.social
Pallas's Warbler just trapped in the Crown Estate Field
November 9, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Pallas's Warbler just trapped in the Crown Estate Field
Bearing mind the number of rare phylloscs elsewhere, a single Siberian Chiffchaff was perhaps a measly return from the Bill mist-nets today. 30 birds ringed in total, with 4 Redpolls and another Black Redstart the best of the rest.
November 8, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Bearing mind the number of rare phylloscs elsewhere, a single Siberian Chiffchaff was perhaps a measly return from the Bill mist-nets today. 30 birds ringed in total, with 4 Redpolls and another Black Redstart the best of the rest.
Crimson Speckled currently settled in the Crown Estate Field
November 8, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Crimson Speckled currently settled in the Crown Estate Field
Siberian Chiffchaff trapped in the Crown Estate Field; Snow Bunting still in the East Cliff Quarries up towards Southwell.
November 8, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Siberian Chiffchaff trapped in the Crown Estate Field; Snow Bunting still in the East Cliff Quarries up towards Southwell.
Weather enforced early curtailment of ringing activities today but not before another pretty fair arrival of late migrants was tapped into at the Bill: total of 41 included 12 Goldcrests and 6 Chiffchaffs + the sixth Cetti's Warbler of the autumn and the first Black Redstart of the year
November 7, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Weather enforced early curtailment of ringing activities today but not before another pretty fair arrival of late migrants was tapped into at the Bill: total of 41 included 12 Goldcrests and 6 Chiffchaffs + the sixth Cetti's Warbler of the autumn and the first Black Redstart of the year
A ripping ringing day at the Bill: the Black-faced Bunting a top notch rare but 45 Goldcrests also an exceptional total for November out of the day total of 108 new birds; Skylark a rarely-ringed highlight amongst the lower totals.
November 6, 2025 at 6:46 PM
A ripping ringing day at the Bill: the Black-faced Bunting a top notch rare but 45 Goldcrests also an exceptional total for November out of the day total of 108 new birds; Skylark a rarely-ringed highlight amongst the lower totals.
Outstanding views of the Pallid Swift at times over the middle of Top Fields - thanks @alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social for letting us know it was showing so well up there
November 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Outstanding views of the Pallid Swift at times over the middle of Top Fields - thanks @alanlewiswildlife.bsky.social for letting us know it was showing so well up there
Sorry for the late news, ridiculously busy first couple of hours so not had time to post a photo of the Black-faced Bunting trapped in the Crown Estate Field on the first net round of the day - ta to Duncan Walbridge for this pic
November 6, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Sorry for the late news, ridiculously busy first couple of hours so not had time to post a photo of the Black-faced Bunting trapped in the Crown Estate Field on the first net round of the day - ta to Duncan Walbridge for this pic
A fly-by juv large falcon - presumably a Saker or Lanner - north over the Obs just now; views too brief/distant to be able to check on finer points of ID or for rings
November 5, 2025 at 11:32 AM
A fly-by juv large falcon - presumably a Saker or Lanner - north over the Obs just now; views too brief/distant to be able to check on finer points of ID or for rings
Very few moths on a night of howling southerlies but what there was at the Obs included three singles of note: Ni Moth, Small Marbled and Blair's Mocha
November 1, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Very few moths on a night of howling southerlies but what there was at the Obs included three singles of note: Ni Moth, Small Marbled and Blair's Mocha
Still ticking over on the ringing front - at least until the afternoon when the ever-increasing wind became too much of an issue. 41 new birds included another 16 Redpolls that takes their annual total into three figures - previous highest year total only 24! 5 more Reed Buntings best of the rest.
October 30, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Still ticking over on the ringing front - at least until the afternoon when the ever-increasing wind became too much of an issue. 41 new birds included another 16 Redpolls that takes their annual total into three figures - previous highest year total only 24! 5 more Reed Buntings best of the rest.
Welcome amelioration in the weather allowed for fuller ringing activities at the Bill today. 43 birds trapped; 17 of the new birds were Redpolls and the one control was another Redpoll that had first been ringed at Thorpe Marsh, South Yorkshire, on 26th September - nice!
October 29, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Welcome amelioration in the weather allowed for fuller ringing activities at the Bill today. 43 birds trapped; 17 of the new birds were Redpolls and the one control was another Redpoll that had first been ringed at Thorpe Marsh, South Yorkshire, on 26th September - nice!
Very small uptick in migrant moth activity at the Obs last night with singles of Vestal and Migrant Sable presumed new arrivals; only tiny numbers of other migrants
October 29, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Very small uptick in migrant moth activity at the Obs last night with singles of Vestal and Migrant Sable presumed new arrivals; only tiny numbers of other migrants
Still slow on the ringing front - as much because the strength of wind restricted opportunities. Another Cetti's Warbler at Culverwell (photo Alan Pomroy) was the 5th ringed this autumn which is a new record annual total here (previous highest 4 in 2018 and 2022). Otherwise just 18 new birds today.
October 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Still slow on the ringing front - as much because the strength of wind restricted opportunities. Another Cetti's Warbler at Culverwell (photo Alan Pomroy) was the 5th ringed this autumn which is a new record annual total here (previous highest 4 in 2018 and 2022). Otherwise just 18 new birds today.
Ringing returns well down at the Bill with the day's only noteworthy event amongst just 17 new birds being the ringing of the two Chiffchaffs required to first equal and then overtake a record: more Chiffchaffs have now been ringed during this September and October than in any previous whole year!
October 25, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Ringing returns well down at the Bill with the day's only noteworthy event amongst just 17 new birds being the ringing of the two Chiffchaffs required to first equal and then overtake a record: more Chiffchaffs have now been ringed during this September and October than in any previous whole year!
Perfect mist-netting weather and some nice late season variety trapped at the Bill today. The Cirl Bunting the best but 13 Redpolls, 8 Stonechats and 6 Reed Buntings were all good totals along with 22 Goldfinches and 13 Chiffchaffs. Late pulse of 18 Swallows and a House Martin a surprise.
October 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Perfect mist-netting weather and some nice late season variety trapped at the Bill today. The Cirl Bunting the best but 13 Redpolls, 8 Stonechats and 6 Reed Buntings were all good totals along with 22 Goldfinches and 13 Chiffchaffs. Late pulse of 18 Swallows and a House Martin a surprise.
Cirl Bunting trapped in the Crown Estate Field
October 22, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Cirl Bunting trapped in the Crown Estate Field
Ringing attempts resumed today at the Bill after a couple of days of weather interruption. 88 ringed a decent catch but changes afoot with Chiffchaffs down to just 3 new; Goldcrests still arriving with 11 new but a good hit on Linnets saw them tops with 31. Fourth Cetti's W of the autumn a highlight
October 21, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Ringing attempts resumed today at the Bill after a couple of days of weather interruption. 88 ringed a decent catch but changes afoot with Chiffchaffs down to just 3 new; Goldcrests still arriving with 11 new but a good hit on Linnets saw them tops with 31. Fourth Cetti's W of the autumn a highlight
Poor reward at the Obs on the migrant moth front last night: low numbers and duff variety, with 2 White-specks and singles of Old World Webworm and Hummingbird Hawk the best.
October 20, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Poor reward at the Obs on the migrant moth front last night: low numbers and duff variety, with 2 White-specks and singles of Old World Webworm and Hummingbird Hawk the best.
Yesterday's Death's-head Hawkmoth disappearing off into the night after release
October 18, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Yesterday's Death's-head Hawkmoth disappearing off into the night after release
Far too windy for a full complement of mist-nets at the Bill today but tapped into a nice arrival of Goldcrests that made up 27 of the 61 birds ringed. Totting up of the totals also revealed that yesterday we broke the all-time Stonechat record - now 81 ringed this year (previous record 78 in 2024)
October 18, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Far too windy for a full complement of mist-nets at the Bill today but tapped into a nice arrival of Goldcrests that made up 27 of the 61 birds ringed. Totting up of the totals also revealed that yesterday we broke the all-time Stonechat record - now 81 ringed this year (previous record 78 in 2024)
Don't think it's been reported on the news services but Pete Gammage and Keith Turner had brief views of a Radde's Warbler beside the Obs gdn earlier this afternoon but no sign since. They then found a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Avalanche Rd Hump that has been showing just recently.
October 18, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Don't think it's been reported on the news services but Pete Gammage and Keith Turner had brief views of a Radde's Warbler beside the Obs gdn earlier this afternoon but no sign since. They then found a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Avalanche Rd Hump that has been showing just recently.
Death's-head Hawk from the Obs moth-traps this morning
October 18, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Death's-head Hawk from the Obs moth-traps this morning