Ferrybridge
I needed a change of location this morning to get over the shock of losing my favourite patch in Wakeham yesterday. So having dropped the pooches off at the dog groomers in Weymouth for 8:30am, I stopped off at Ferrybridge on the way back.
It was perfect timing, as the rain which was forecast for 9:00am didn't arrive until about 9:30am, plus on the sand flats I met up with Debbie and Pete Saunders, who were kind enough to point out to me, that in amongst the 310 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, there was not only a family of Pale-bellied Brent Geese, but also an unusual family of an adult Pale-bellied Brent Goose, an adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose and their 3 youngsters of mixed race. As Pete pointed out it, it would be very interesting to know what the dominant gene is amongst the 3 juveniles.
Also on the sand flats were 40+ Dunlin and Little Plovers, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Black-headed Gulls and a few Mediterranean Gulls.
Out on the Fleet were 2 Wigeon, Cormorants and a fly-by Little Egret.
Here are a few images from today:
Something put the geese up and when they landed.................
.................there numbers had reduced from 310 to 162. In the last few seconds of the video you can just make out the 2 Bar-tailed Godwits coming back into land.
Here are the remaining 162 +/- Brent Geese after they regrouped on the sand flats.
Centre frame one of the Pale-bellied Brent Geese.
And an unusual family group...........
On the left an adult Pale-bellied, on the right an adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose and between them their youngsters.
Feeding away in front of the Dark-bellied Brent Geese a Bar-tailed Godwit and..........
...........here is the second bird.
Two Wigeon out on The fleet, my first this year.
Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Little Egret, 300 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 3 Dark-bellied x Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Wigeon, 1 Kestrel, Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow and Starling
Portland Marina
Next stop was Portland Marina to check on our boat Star. As I got out of the car a Black Redstart shot across the car park and disappeared behind the buildings.