Its been awhile since I've paid the Observatory a visit and with a break in the weather I popped in there for an hour.
Chatting to Martin Cade the Obs Warden, he was telling me he had a phone call early this morning from a resident in Southwell to say she had a bird in her garage and could he rescue it. Apparently it had been on her neighbours bird table, but was somehow scared off into her garage. To cut a long story short, it turned out to be Cirl Bunting of all things!! More Here
Out to sea it was extremely rough and the only birds recorded were dozens of Gannets, a few Cormorants and Shags, and a Fulmar which I can only conclude had flown down from the Grove Cliffs, so they do venture down here.
So my next port of call was the Crown Estate Fields, in the hope of seeing the male Cirl Bunting. Sadly I didn't find it but there were certainly lots of other birds about with at least 33 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipits, 20+ Linnet, 15+ Chaffinch and 37 Stock Doves.
Birds Recorded: 1 Fulmar, Gannets, Cormorant, Shag, Kestrel, Pheasant, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 37 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 33+ Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Starling, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
Penns Wood, Church Ope Cove and Rufus Castle
So it was another trip down to the cove and as I passed through Penns Wood I came across a Firecrest. Perhaps the same bird, I can't be certain, but 30 minutes later I came across another or the same bird at the back of the cove. Also about were 2 Goldcrests in the grounds of St Andrew's Church and for the second day running a Chiffchaff at the top of the steps by Rufus Castle.
Other birds of note were 9 Rock Pipits on the beach, where today there was only the female Pied Wagtail keeping them company. There was no sign of either the Grey Wagtail or male Pied Wagtail.
The local Kestrel was out hunting again over Penns Weare and as I left the cove it moved over the beach. Also over the cove a Fulmar circled briefly before heading back up towards its nest site presumably at The Grove Cliffs.
Here are a few photos from this morning.
I've not seen them head any further south than Church Ope Cove. However from the patio at the Portland Bird Observatory early this afternoon there was one heading down towards the Obelisk.
The exceptionally mild weather has seen a few flowers appear on the Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x Uplandicum) in Penns Wood.
Chatting to Martin Cade the Obs Warden, he was telling me he had a phone call early this morning from a resident in Southwell to say she had a bird in her garage and could he rescue it. Apparently it had been on her neighbours bird table, but was somehow scared off into her garage. To cut a long story short, it turned out to be Cirl Bunting of all things!! More Here
Out to sea it was extremely rough and the only birds recorded were dozens of Gannets, a few Cormorants and Shags, and a Fulmar which I can only conclude had flown down from the Grove Cliffs, so they do venture down here.
So my next port of call was the Crown Estate Fields, in the hope of seeing the male Cirl Bunting. Sadly I didn't find it but there were certainly lots of other birds about with at least 33 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipits, 20+ Linnet, 15+ Chaffinch and 37 Stock Doves.
The view of a very stormy sea from the patio of the Portland Observatory
And in the Crown Estate a few of the 37 Stock Doves.
Penns Wood, Church Ope Cove and Rufus Castle
Well with Storm Freya heading north over the country, the expected gale force winds and gusts to 60mph over Portland didn't really materialise. It was certainly windy, but we've had worse.
So it was another trip down to the cove and as I passed through Penns Wood I came across a Firecrest. Perhaps the same bird, I can't be certain, but 30 minutes later I came across another or the same bird at the back of the cove. Also about were 2 Goldcrests in the grounds of St Andrew's Church and for the second day running a Chiffchaff at the top of the steps by Rufus Castle.
Other birds of note were 9 Rock Pipits on the beach, where today there was only the female Pied Wagtail keeping them company. There was no sign of either the Grey Wagtail or male Pied Wagtail.
The local Kestrel was out hunting again over Penns Weare and as I left the cove it moved over the beach. Also over the cove a Fulmar circled briefly before heading back up towards its nest site presumably at The Grove Cliffs.
Here are a few photos from this morning.
This view of Church Ope Cove yesterday was one of sunshine. Not today as Storm Freya passes by.
Well yesterday we had the male Pied Wagtail and Grey Wagtail. Today its the turn of the female Pied Wagtail.
Fulmars passing over the cove are becoming regular occurrences.
Birds Recorded: 1 Fulmar, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 9 Rock Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Firecrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Today's Sightings Here.
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.