The cold weather (3.4°C) has certainly brought the birds into the back garden this morning, with Great Tits, Blue Tits, House Sparrows, the over-wintering Robin, a Blackbird, a Wood Pigeon and a first for me a Song Thrush grabbing chunks off the fatballs hanging off the bird feeder.
The Song Thrush positions itself.......
....to fly up and grab a chunk off the fatball.
Portland Bill
Early afternoon and it was off to The Bill to see what was around. What a difference the wind makes when its blowing from the north-east, with the waves crashing into the east cliffs and the wind chill factor making it feel like -5°C rather than +5°C. It was freezing.
The goal today was to find some Purple Sandpipers and I eventually tracked them down to the flat rocks just east of the Pulpit Rock. It was a good count with 14 birds and talking to Martin Cade a little later it appears that 2 more birds have joined them recently. Also in attendance were 3 Turnstones and when they all took off and headed east towards the obelisk, 2 Oystercatchers landed on their vacated rock.
On the headland behind the obelisk, were several Rock Pipits, 40+ Linnets and a lone Stonechat.
Out to sea it was incredibly calm to the west of the "Races" and here there were rafts of Razorbills which having gathered in small flocks began diving down together in search of food. Above them were Gannets circling and between them were both Cormorants & Shags passing through.
Back at the Obs there was a Pheasant in the garden, 2 fly-by Greenfinches and on the way back a Buzzard was perched on a post next to Culverwell.
Here are a few images from this afternoon:
3 Turnstones
Purple Sandpipers
And here are all 14.
Purple Sandpiper
Bath time for one of the Purple Sandpipers.
Here two Oystercatchers come into land on the vacated rock outcrop.
A Gannet
And a Razorbill
Another Razorbill passes through.
Here a small flock of Razorbills gather before diving down together for food.
And having gathered together they all dive down together.
Behind the Lighthouse a lone Stonechat braves the weather.
And one of the local Kestrels taking shelter on the end of the Fisherman's Cottages.
Birds Recorded: 10+ Gannet, 4 Shag, 3 Cormorant, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pheasant, 2 Oystercatcher, 14 Purple Sandpiper, 3 Turnstone, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 8 Rock Pipit, Robin, 1 Stonechat, Blackbird, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, 40+ Linnet, Goldfinch and 2 Greenfinch.