Port and Wey: 30 Oct 21

Wakeham, Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, The Windmills, Wakeham Railway Cuttings and Penns Wood

What a great start to the day when a Snow Bunting flew over the garden and was also heard by a friend of mine in Easton. Not a flight call I'm familiar with, but quite unmistakeable, once you know what one sounds like.

Here is an example of a Snow Bunting flight call.

The Snow Bunting was then followed up by several Redwings and a couple of Bramblings in my neighbours garden. So it was a pretty good morning so far.

I then took Ted for a walk in the afternoon and came across a Goldcrest and Chiffchaff close to the Railway Cuttings. However the best was to come when I got as far as the bottom of Pennsylvania Castle Woods and having found the 2 Firecrests again (), a small brown and white bird flew up into the tree in front of me and began searching for food. A Treecreeper and a huge surprise, as I know that Portland don't get that many.

Having alerted Portland Bird Observatory, the warden and several other birders arrived and as I type this, there is some thought that it might be a Short-toed Treecreeper.

However it didn't call whilst we were looking at it, and there was quite a discussion as to the colouration, pattern, length of the bill and hind-claws. I'm still non the wiser, but just happy I got to find an unusual bird on the island.

Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull

Wood Pigeon

Collared Dove

Grey Wagtail

Dunnock

Robin

Blackbird

7+ Redwing

2 Chiffchaff

1 Goldcrest

2 Firecrest

Long-tailed Tit