Out in the boat this afternoon and a bit of a potter around Portland Harbour and Newtons Cove to see if anything was about. And at long last success with 2 Red-necked Grebes and 4 Black-necked Grebes. Also about were 5 Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour and a Razorbill in Newton's Cove.
Highlight though had to be "Danny" the Bottle-nosed Dolphin who found us in the harbour and followed us out into Weymouth Bay for a little way, until we crossed Newton's Cove towards Weymouth Beach. On the way back there was no sign of him, but as we entered Portland Marina he followed us in for a good 100 metres before heading back into the main harbour.
Other sights were a Carrion Crow flying across Weymouth Bay with a round object in its bill, several Great Black-backed Gulls flying about and the resident Grey Heron in the marina.
Here are a few images and videos from this afternoon.
Danny the young male Bottle-nosed Dolphin.
As we made our way out of the harbour so he...........
.......gave us an escort.
On the way out we came across a few Red-breasted Mergansers. Here the female is just taking off.
And here both are in flight.
The female comes into land, as does..........
.......the drake, who then..........
...........begins to call for her.
Two Cormorants on the floating pontoon.
One of the four Black-necked Grebes in the harbour.
A Razorbill. Honest. Yet another bird that escaped the camera.
The Jubilee Clock Tower on the promenade.
Nothe Fort
Sandsfoot Castle
Returning to the marina.
Crossing Portland Harbour.
And in the marina the resident Grey Heron.
Birds Recorded: 2 Red-necked Grebes, 4 Black-necked Grebe, Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Razorbill and 1 Carrion Crow.
Penns Wood and Church Ope Cove
What a beautiful sunny day, and out of the northwesterly wind it was very warm, especially at Church Ope Cove. Its a right sun trap even in the Winter.
Lots of highlights today starting in Penns Wood where there were 2 Redwings, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Goldcrests. Next stop was Church Ope Cove where it took me a good 20 minutes to locate the 2 Black Redstarts and Stonechat. Not sure why they weren't out in the open, but I eventually found all 3 of them behind the huts. Really odd!
Also here were 23 Rock Pipits, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Wrens and a Red Admiral sunbathing on one of the huts.
Out to sea there was a huge flock of around 100+ Gannets which had found a shoal of fish and were continually dive bombing.
On the Hebes at the back of the beach I came across 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees, 2 Honey Bees and 6 Common Drone Flies.
Here are a few images and videos from today:
In Penns Wood today were three Goldcrests.............
........all feeding in the high canopies.
Also in the wood were several Meliscaeva auricollis hoverflies
A beautiful sunny day on the beach where you would normally find the Black Redstarts and Stonechat...............
Here is one of the birds and...........
.........she was off.
And the second bird which just like the first bird must surely be a female............
.........if it were a male surely it would be coming into Summer plumage by now!
Never to far away from the Black Redstarts the female Stonechat.
The male Pied Wagtail was still present and..............
............making short work of the Kelp Flies around him.
Close-by was the Grey Wagtail
Even closer to me was one of the 23 Rock Pipits sat on the washed up tyre. However........
..........I hadn't realised why until I watched the video. It's quite obvious that it has almost lost its right leg. At least there are enough Kelp Flies for it to feed on and hopefully build up its strength to overcome its injury.
As always a Wren on the beach.
It was so warm even a Red Admiral was out enjoying the sun.
Out to sea a huge shoal of fish attracted these Gannets and many more out of shot.
Behind the toilet block is a Hebe which on every visit I have made has had this Wren hopping about inside it.
As long as you stand still its quite happen to move around the bush...........
........with the occasional glance to see if you've moved or not.
Happy to continue it would fly up in bush to grab another unsuspecting fly.
Here its inspecting one of the flowers for another snack.
Not sure if a Wren would take this Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) but.........
.........if it did there were many more of them to be found on this Hebe today.
Other than the hoverflies there were a couple of Honey Bees and this Buff-tailed Bumblebee.
Birds Recorded today: 100+ Gannet, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 23 Rock Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Magpie, 1 Raven, Carrion Crow, Wren, Dunnock, 4 Goldcrest, 1 Stonechat, 2 Black Redstart, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Redwing, Great Tit, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Also recorded: 1 Red Admiral, Buff-tailed Bumblebees, 2 Honey Bees, 6 Common Drone Flies and 3 Meliscaeva auricollis hoverflies
Ships Today
This is the Maltese Ro-ro cargo vessel "Wilhelmine".........................
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On this day..........
2018
Today's Sightings Here