10th October

There were welcome hints of interest beginning to pick up again today, with notable new arrivals in the form of a Red-breasted Flycatcher at the Bill, a Yellow-browed Warbler at Wakeham and 3 Grey Phalaropes at Chesil Cove; the Rose-coloured Starling and Black Guillemot were also both still present at Reap Lane and Portland Harbour respectively. With the exception of a conspicuous influx of Meadow Pipits it was frankly pretty dreadful on the ground (bar the Red-breasted Flycatcher, just one migrant was ringed at the Obs all day!), with just the lightest sprinkle of routine migrants amongst which at least 2 Firecrests in the Pennsylvania Castle/Wakeham area and 2 Ruff at Ferrybridge were the only worthwhile sightings. Visible passage did at least provide some numbers, with 470 Linnets, 450 Meadow Pipits, 190 alba wagtails, 120 Goldfinches, 50 Swallows, 14 Skylarks and a Merlin passing through during a relatively short sample count at the Bill. Odds and ends through off the Bill included singles of Great Northern Diver, Great Skua and Arctic Skua.








Red-breasted Flycatcher, Grey Phalarope and Ruff - Portland Bill, Chesil Cove and Ferrybridge, 10th October 2014 © Alick Simmons fancystoats (RbFly still), Martin Cade (RbFly video and Grey Phal still & video) and Ken Dolbear (Ruff)
 
...and a couple of the Red-breasted Flycatcher in the hand - in some lights it was a really decently coloured individual (photos © Martin Cade):