It's been quite awhile since we've had a named storm, and today we had Storm Mathis (Named by the French). So it was off down Chesil Cove to see if anything had been blown in winds reaching 60mph at times.
Unsurprisingly the only birds visible on and over the sea were gulls, with mainly Herring Gulls, a few Great Black-backed Gulls and dozens of Common Gulls & Black-headed Gulls.
Birds Recorded: Black-headed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Common Gull
Below are a few photos and videos from Chesil Cove.
Chesil Beach taking...........
...........a hammering by..................
....................... the French named Storm "Mathis"
Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls
It was another shopping trip into Weymouth and of course plenty of time to drop in to Radipole to see what was about. Well the first thing I noticed was that the water level was a good 18" higher than normal and most of the islands were under water.
As for the waterfowl, there were considerable less than when I was here last, but most have moved onwards to their breeding grounds.
As for Spring migrants there were several waves of Sand Martins passing through. I did try hard to find a Swallow or a House Martin amongst them, but to no avail.
Chiffchaffs were everywhere and most were singing, and there was also a single Willow Warbler singing along the Buddleia Loop.
Birds Recorded: 4 Cormorant 1 Little Egret 1 Grey Heron 5 Mute Swan 2 Shelduck Mallard Gadwall Teal 4 Shoveler 20 Tufted Duck 2 Pochard 3 Buzzard 2 Marsh Harrier Water Rail (Not seen or heard) Moorhen Coot Black-headed Gull 30+ Herring Gull 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 Great Black-backed Gull Wood Pigeon 50+ Sand Martin Dunnock Robin Blackbird Cetti's Warbler 12+ Chiffchaff 1 Willow Warbler (singing) Great Tit Blue Tit Wren Magpie Carrion Crow Chaffinch Goldfinch Reed Bunting
A Cormorant walking on water. It's actually stood on one of the many islands completely covered in "flood" water.
A pair of Shelduck with two pairs of Teal sat behind. There is a duck Teal top right, behind a plant.
The same pair of Shelduck with the drake leading the way across the lake.
Just this one pair of Pochard seen on the reserve.
Here's a close up of the drake and.......
............here is the female.
For a short time there were three Common Buzzards and.........
............two female Marsh Harriers circling at the northwest corner of the reserve.
Here we have a Common Buzzard (top) and (below) a female Marsh Harrier.
There were good numbers of Herring Gulls, with most being adults.
Here's an adult Herring Gull taking off.
A "yellow-legged" gull. I wish!! It's an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull...........
.Here is another adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.
And another on the left with a 4th Calendar Year Herring Gull on the right
On the water left to right 3 adult Herring Gulls, centre an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and on the right an adult Herring Gull. In flight from centre to the right an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, an adult Herring Gull and I hope I have got this right, a 2nd Calendar Year Herring Gull just touching the water..
Here the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull comes into land in amongst the adult Herring Gulls.
A mixture of mainly Herring Gulls, with a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Black-headed Gulls on the main lake Radipole.
One of the many Sand Martins that passed overhead.
There were a good dozen or more Chiffchaffs on the buddleia loop, with.....
.......several singing. This individual had an interesting song.
It flew into this tree and started singing before flying across the path...........
..............and resumed singing in another tree.
One of the most invasive plant on the planet, well certainly in the UK. This is Knotweed, which can penetrate concrete, cavity walls, weaknesses in the broken mortar between paving slabs or bricks and can also damage drains and sewers. Not a plant you would want to grow at home!! More on this plant Here. NB. Every year this plant keeps turning up on the reserve. I have let the warden know.
General Shots:
The visitors centre at RSPB Radipole Reserve. Really friendly staff and great views from the main window overlooking a small portion of the reserve.
Ted:
Come on Dad, stop taking photos and get a move on!!!
It was difficult to know where to go today, especially with frequent showers passing through on 40mph southerlies. In the end I opted for Hamm Beach, as it was next to the local supermarket for a mini shop afterwards.
Hmm, there wasn't much about apart from very very distant views of 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, and 4 Oystercatchers and a Turnstone on Hamm Beach.
Here is a short video of the Turnstone feeding in among stones the pebbles.
Up on the grass embankment a male Pied Wagtail
Amphipods Recorded:
Sandhopper probably Talitrus saltator
A Sandhopper and most likely what the Turnstone was feeding on. Sandhoppers are a member of the Amphipods, an order of crustacea which are shrimp-like in form. There are many species of Sandhopper, but the most common one in the UK is Talitrus saltator. More on this sandhopper Here.
General Shots:
Hamm Beach
Ted:
Oh dear someone doesn't look happy. Come on Dad take my lead off!!!
Ships Today:
This is the Maltese Oil/Chemical Tanker "Monjasa Provider" anchored up in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Training Ship "Prolific" in Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.
Aircraft Today:
A Royal Navy Merlin and Wildcat over Portland Harbour
The Royal Navy Merlin
And the Royal Navy Wildcat Helicopter. More on this aircraft Here.
Here both the Merlin and Wildcat head south over Portland Harbour
