On the way back from Wyke Regis I stopped off at the Chesil Beach Visitors Centre and spent 30 minutes watching the waders on sandflats being "pushed" towards me with the incoming tide.
Strangely all the 200+ waders in front of me, were all Dunlin. There wasn't a single Ringed Plover or Turnstone to be seen. Though I suspect the latter two species were most likely on the much sheltered east facing beach in Portland Harbour.
Strangely all the 200+ waders in front of me, were all Dunlin. There wasn't a single Ringed Plover or Turnstone to be seen. Though I suspect the latter two species were most likely on the much sheltered east facing beach in Portland Harbour.
A lone Bar-tailed Godwit dropped in briefly, but was soon off as the tide raced in
I didn't have my scope with me, but with my binoculars I spotted a Merganser/Goosander type-duck on the water by the Chesil Beach Tern Site. Fortunately another birder at the Visitors Centre had a look and confirmed that it was in fact a Goosander; my first this year.
Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
Dark-bellied Brent Geese
1 Goosander
200+ Dunlin
I didn't have my scope with me, but with my binoculars I spotted a Merganser/Goosander type-duck on the water by the Chesil Beach Tern Site. Fortunately another birder at the Visitors Centre had a look and confirmed that it was in fact a Goosander; my first this year.
Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
Dark-bellied Brent Geese
1 Goosander
200+ Dunlin
1 Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
3 Skylark
2 Pied Wagtail
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
3 Skylark
2 Pied Wagtail
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
Two Brent Geese feeding on Common Eelgrass (Zostera marina) with Dunlin in the foreground.
A few of the 200+ Dunlin feeding on the sandflats