This morning I dropped the car off at the garage (more repairs) and started my walk back home from King Barrow Quarries and then via the West Cliffs, before heading back to Wakeham via Barleycrates, Thumb Lane, The Windmills and Wakeham Wood.
The weather was very overcast when I started off at 8:15am and remained dry until 11:10am when the drizzle began to fall. Even though it rained until I got home at midday, it at least cleared up in the afternoon.
Some good highlights:
King Barrow Quarries: In the quarry 12+ Robin, 3 Stonechat, 1 Black Redstart, 2 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and 5 Goldcrest. Overhead were Skylark, 1 Tree Pipit over, 20+ Redwing, 300+ Starling and 2 Siskin
Old Hill: 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler singing and 2 Goldcrest
Tout Quarry: 2 Common Buzzards
Chesil Beach viewed from Tout Quarry: 500+ gulls plus huge shoals of Whitebait and Mackerel/Bass jumping out of the water.
Blacknor Fort: 2 Stonechat and 1 Black Redstart
Thumb Lane: When I arrived, before the rain, there were 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler and 4 Goldcrests. As the heavens opened so it produced more Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs with an estimate of 12+ crests and at least 2 more Chiffs seeking "shelter". Also amongst them was a **Northern Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus acredula). Thank you to Duncan for pointing it out as we braved the elements in the copse.
The Windmills: 1 Stonechat
Wakeham Wood. 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 30+ Goldfinch and 15 Greenfinch
Here are a few images and a few videos from this morning taken in very gloomy light.
One of the 3 Stonechats in King Barrows Quarry.
And very briefly a pair of Stonechats.
On the edge of the quarry a Black Redstart.
I think I need to invest in a tripod!!!
On the edge of Tout Quarry was this Common Buzzard and......
..........a second bird.
As I looked down from Tout Quarry onto Chesil Beach I noticed this black patch just off the beach.
It wasn't just the anglers and larger fish after the Whitebait..............
...................but also this huge flock of gulls.
By the old Blacknor Fort were 2 Stonechats and this..........
............presumed 1st year male Black Redstart at Westcliff estate.
Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Shag, 2 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 200+ Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Skylark, 1 Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 6 Stonechat, 2 Black Redstart, Blackbird, Redwing, Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 20+ Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 150+ Jackdaw, 500+ Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, 2 Siskin, 30+ Goldfinch and 15 Greenfinch
Butterflies Recorded: 2 Red Admiral
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica) and Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) and Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
Note:
**Willow Warblers comprise of three subspecies – nominate trochilus from Britain, central Europe and southern Scandinavia, acredula (‘Northern Willow Warbler’) from northern Scandinavia, Russia and western Siberia and yakutensis (‘Siberian Willow Warbler’) from central and eastern Siberia. The latter as far as I am aware is not on the British List.
Ships Today
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.
2017
Today's Sightings Here.