To be honest having dropped off Ted and Benji at the dog groomers this morning in the pouring rain, I didn't think I would get a walk in today.
The plan was drop them off and have a walk around Lodmoor RSPB Reserve. Instead I ended up going shopping, picking the dogs late morning and driving back home.
However it wasn't all gloom and doom, as the rain eased off and the sun came out as I got back. So it was a case of getting Ted's waterproofs on and heading off to the cove for a quick walk, before the next front arrived.
Ted enjoyed the walk as always, but unfortunately there wasn't much about apart from four species of birds of prey. They were 2 Sparrowhawks (one over the cove and a female in Wakeham), a Buzzard over the cove, where there were also 2 Peregrine Falcons and a Kestrel.
Other than that it was pretty quiet, though I did see on Twitter that a few Chiffchaffs have arrived at Portland Bill with a "pollen horn" on one individual. Hopefully more migrants to come soon.
Note: More on Pollen Horns Here.
Birds Recorded:
1 Fulmar
2 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
2 Peregrine Falcon
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
1 Raven
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
The light today as you can tell was pretty dire. So not brilliant photos of this.....
............Common Buzzard circling Church Ope Cove.
Photographing this Peregrine Falcon and its........
............mate here wasn't brilliant either.
This photo............
........and this one, plus the two videos below are of the second bird.
Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon over the cove.
This eagle-eyed Kestrel has spotted a meal below the cliff face.
I missed the dive and pounce, but you can definitely see something green in its beak. A caterpillar maybe!!
Well whatever it was, it was devoured in seconds.
Another "black" bird this time a Raven.
Wow, I don't think I could be that brave.
