30 Sep 18

Wakeham

News filtered through that a Wryneck had been sighted in the horses paddock at the end of Moorfield Road Here. Unfortunately it was a good 2 hours before I could get back home to see it, and sadly it had moved on. The only other migrants here were 2 Stonechats, a Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaffs. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was close-by and other birds of interest were Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtails and several Meadows Pipits.

Sadly not a Wryneck but a Stonechat.

Here's another from behind and ............

.......front view.

Weymouth Way, West of Radipole Reserve

As I was driving north up Weymouth Way Here at around 1:30pm a Hobby flew over the road from Radipole Reserve and attempted to catch a Red Admiral just above the car.

RSPB Lodmoor

Its been awhile since I've been to Lodmoor Reserve and with some good birds being reported from there recently, I decided to give it a visit.

First highlight was a Roe Deer in a patch of hedgerow on the west side of the reserve. Certainly my first deer here in Weymouth. Soon after I watched 2 Great Egrets taking off from the reed beds to the north and then watching them land in the centre of the reserve.

A bit further around I came a group of birdwatchers who were looking into the pools, and as I arrived there was a Lesser Yellowlegs right in front of them. Next to it was "white" headed Ruff and about a dozen or so Black-tailed Godwit. Also here were Dunlin, Lapwing, Mediterranean Gulls, Teal and Gadwall.

Further around to the south I came across 2 Greenshanks in flight where there were also more Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits. For most of the walk there were numerous flocks of Siskin flying overhead, plus a solitary Yellow Wagtail.

Here are a few images:

Here is the long-staying american wader........

.......the Lesser Yellowlegs. Not the first one I've seen, in fact this is my 3rd UK bird, my first was here many years ago and another at Port Meadow in Oxfordshire.


A long way from home, a Lesser Yellowlegs from North America.

This is my first Ruff............

....... for my Port and Wey Bird List.

A Black-tailed Godwit

Nothing like a good stretch.

One of the 2 Great White Egrets.

One of the two Great White Egrets here at Lodmoor today.

Always plenty of Mediterranean Gulls here at Lodmoor..........

.......... This one like many others is sporting a ring on its leg.

A Roe Deer foraging. Apparently there was also stag Sika seen earlier this morning just off the beach track Here.


This Roe Deer was foraging on the embankment.

Birds Recorded: Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, 2 Great White Egret, 4 Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Gadwall, Teal, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Dunlin, 1 Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Skylark, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 20+ Siskin, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting.
Also 1 Roe Deer

29 Sep 18

Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Pools, Bumpers Lane and Mermaid Track

Not quite sure what's going on with the building site in Bumpers Lane, but it was eerily quiet all day yesterday and also this morning, when normally there would be some working going on. A great opportunity then to walk up Broadcroft Quarry Lane in the peace and quiet.

Its that time of year when the warblers head down towards The Bill, with many stopping off along the lane here. This afternoon there were 3 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap here, plus Blue Tits, Great Tits and 2 Robins. Not a bad start and in the adjacent horse field there were 2 Stonechats, a Meadow Pipit and a Pied Wagtail.

Where the mound is on the corner of Bumpers Lane and Broadcroft Quarry Lane, there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Up by the pools there was another Blackcap and Chiffchaff, plus 2 Palmate Newts. The latter "slithering" through the grass and disappearing at speed into the undergrowth.

On the South-west Coast path, above The Cuttings, a Clouded Yellow was flitting about, but didn't stop for a photo. I did attempt a shot as you will see below. Hmm.

Also by The Cuttings the Ivy Bee Colonies are doing well and it looks like there is another colony just started up.

Here are a few images from today:

The horse field to the right and the "abandoned" building site on the left of the re-routed footpath.

A Stonechat

A Meadow Pipit in the grass

Broadcroft Quarry Lane where hopefully there will be some good birds to see this Autumn.

Today there was this Chiffchaff............

..........feeding in the Sycamore.

In a Sallow a male Blackcap. You can just make him out.

In the pool area apart from the 2 Palmate Newts there were 3 Silver-Y's.

Over The Cuttings a Kestrel hovers.

Lots of grasshoppers and voles along this stretch to feed on.

The Clouded yellow flew past and I just pointed the camera and fired off a dozen shots. Moving on!!

One of the many grasshoppers the Kestrels enjoy eating.

One of the Ivy Bee colonies.

And another.

Birds Recorded: 2 Kestrel, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Dunnock, Robin, 2 Stonechat, 3 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.

Butterflies recorded: 1 Clouded Yellow, 2 Red Admiral, 3 Large White, 2 Small White.

Also recorded: Ivy Bees and 2 Palmate Newts

Wakeham

In the back garden a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was on the Valerian, but didn't stay long. Here are a few shots.





Ships Today

This is the Korean Vehicles Carrier "Glovis Chorus" on its way from Dakar, Senegal to Bremerhaven, Germany. More on this vessel Here.
The large ship is the Maltese Ro-Ro Cargo vessel "Celine" on its way from Zeebrugge, Belgian to Dublin, Ireland. More on this vessel Here. The smaller vessel is the Dutch General cargo vessel "Sagasbank" on its way from Kiel, Germany to New Ross, Ireland. More on this vessel Here.

28 Sep 18

Portland Bird Observatory, Quarry and Crown Estate Fields

Wishful thinking on my part, but a late visit to the Obs to see if the Common Rosefinch from this morning was still about. And no surprise, it wasn't.

In the the Obs garden a single Chiffchaff, whilst in the Quarry there were at least 7 Blackcaps, a Common Whitethroat, 2 Dunnocks, a Robin, 2 Blackbirds and a Song Thrush.

I've not walked around the Crown Estate Fields before, but having sought permission I walked clock-wise round and then down through the middle until turning right and back to the entrance. Certainly a lot of birds in here with 60+ Linnets, Goldfinches, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 3 Kestrels, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, a single Skylark, 2 Pheasants and 2 Dunnocks.
Here are a few images:

In the quarry a hungry Starling feeds on the Blackberries.

Also here a Song Thrush.

The Obs from the Crown Estate Fields.

Not the Common Rosefinch but one of the Dunnocks in the Crown Estate Field

A few of the Linnets in the field.

A Small Heath

And finally a Common Blue.

And another shot.

Mermaid Track, Rufus Castle and Museum

A bit cooler today, but still sunny. The Meadow Pipits from early on this morning were still passing overhead this afternoon. Not so many Swallows about, but a few drifting south.

Nearly every flowering Ivy Bush has an Ivy Bee on it, along with Honey Bees, Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum), Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Pied Hoverfly (Scaeva pyrastri), Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare) and wasps.

The Speckled Woods outnumbered the Red Admirals today with 6 Specks and just the 2 Reds. Also seen 1 Large White and a Small Copper.
Here are a few images from today:

Ivy Bees...........

............and another.

This is a Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)

Two Common Wasps.

A Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Pied Hoverfly (Scaeva pyrastri)

Very similar to the Pied Hoverfly, this is the smaller Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

There are several of this species of hoverfly on the wing. They are the same size as the Marmalade hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, but I have yet to ID it.
One of the many Speckled Woods seen today.

Stumpy the juvenile Wall Lizard at Rufus Castle

Wakeham

First light this morning there was a steady procession of Meadow Pipits passing overhead.

Ships Today

A British Warship on manoeuvres................

......................which I have been reliably informed is HMS Kent. More on this Frigate Here.

This is the General Cargo vessel "Wilson Dover" flying the flag of Barbados. Its on its way from Southampton to Coruna, Spain. More on this vessel Here.