A clear night with a near full moon and a light NE breeze promised good things on the migrant front. The only problem being that conditions were so favourable for passage that there was little reason for birds to stop or linger. The headlands either side of South Milton Ley have always produced more migrants and greater variety in autumn than the SW facing coastline between them but I was optimistic and had 90m of nets up by 7am.
There were birds about but little sign of significant passage overhead, unlike at Portland which recorded their first big passage day of September. Meadow Pipits were most evident, having largely replaced the few tardy Tree Pipits and, together with Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, they dominated the catch. A nice bonus was the capture of a 1st year Common Redstart, the first I have ringed here since 2015.
55 new birds were ringed: 12 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, 14 Chiffchaff, 2 Dunnock, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Great Tit, 13 Meadow Pipit, 1 Redstart, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Robin, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Wren
The Early Worm 