6 Apr 22

Portland Bird Observatory, Obs Quarry, Portland Bill and Hut Fields

As I still haven't seen any hirundines this Spring I decided to visit the Obs and The Bill, just in case a few were coming in off the sea. However any hope of seeing any was blown right out the window as the wind was gusting to around 42mph, with anything flying across the Channel, continuing their journey at speed onto the mainland.

The only grounded migrant I found was a lone Willow Warbler in the Obs Quarry. The sea watch was a little better with my first Red-throated Diver of the year, several Gannets heading east and a few Fulmars and auks just off The Bill.

I have also yet to see the Little Owls in the quarry. In fact the only bird sat at their entrance was a Stock Dove.

Other sightings in very windy but dry conditions were a Buff-tailed Bumblebee, a Tawny Mining Bee and a Dock Bug.


Birds Recorded:
1 Red-throated Diver
Fulmar
Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
Pheasant
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Razorbill
Guillemot
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Dunnock
1 Willow Warbler
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

If only I had a bigger lens or this.............

............diver was closer. A record shot of my first Red-throated Diver of the year.

A Fulmar just off The Bill

There were a few Gannets about. All of which were heading east.

An adult Herring Gull and its much larger cousin............

..........the Great Black-backed Gull.

A Guillemot follows a Razorbill to the nest sites along Portland's west cliffs.

And a few more here settled on the water. There are 6 Razorbills and 2 Guillemots. The latter are just right of centre and a bit greyer in colour.

The same auks as above but a little closer to each other.

Where the Little Owls reside in this gap in the rocks (I still haven't seen them this year), this Stock Dove was sat on the ledge until a Carrion Crow buzzed it for some reason!!

This Willow Warbler preening itself in the Obs Quarry, was the only warbler I came across today.

A ringed male House Sparrow in the Hut Fields.

Bees Recorded:

1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

1 Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)

Apart from a lone Buff-tailed Bumblebee I came across this afternoon, I also found my first Grey-patched Mining Bee of the year by the Obs.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)

My first Dock Bug of the year

Woodlice Crustaceans Recorded:

Sea Slater (Ligia oceanica)

This is a Sea Slater and also goes by the names of Sea Roach, Sea Louse or Common Slater. More on this Sea Slater Here.

General Shots:

The Pulpit getting a bashing.

And also the ledges around the Red Crane.

There were some pretty big waves coming in.

Ted:

Ted stuck. There was a way down, but Ted being Ted wanted a more direct route. So I had to carry him down.

And then he nearly got blown off his feet as another big gust of wind hit us.

Ships Today:

This is the Dutch Oil/Chemical Tanker "Thun Gazelle" on its way from Plymouth to London. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Gibraltarian Asphalt/Bitumen Tanker "Iver Accord" on its way from Blaye (France) to Portland. More on this vessel Here.