5 Nov 23

Chesil Cove and Portland Castle Beach

With the waves still pounding away on Chesil Beach, with a lot of help from a strong westerly wind gusting at over 30mph, it was another opportunity to see if I could find a Leach's Petrel. Yesterday there were around 50 seen along Chesil Beach, so I was feeling pretty confident I would see one today.

Well I'm glad to say that after an hour of scouring the sea, one flew west, just 50 metres from the beach opposite Quiddles here. They are really dainty birds and are often named "Sea Swallows". Unfortunately I was unable to photograph it, but chuffed all the same to have seen one this year.

Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Seal (deceased)

A dead presumed Grey Seal being eaten by both an adult and juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls.

Birds Recorded:
1 Great Northern Diver
1 Leach's Petrel
20 Cormorant
5 Shag
3 Red-breasted Merganser
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
1 Common Gull
4 Pied Wagtail
Magpie
Carrion Crow

2 Raven

Two record shots of a............

.............Great Northern Diver way out in Portland Harbour

Also in the harbour were my first two Red-breasted Mergansers this Autumn

Below are photos and videos from Chesil Beach

An adult winter Black-headed Gull

An adult winter Mediterranean Gull.

And also off the beach was this adult winter Herring Gull

Two juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls..................

..........checking out this raft heading towards the beach.

Another juvenile Great Black-backed Gull above my head.

An adult Common Gull

With the dead seal on the beach this........

...........Raven and its mate were very keen to join the Great Black-backed Gulls.

General Shots:

There is still a fair bit of...........

...........surf kicking up onto the beach

The beach has definitely changed shape. the concrete platforms on the right are now exposed, plus...

.........who would have thought there would be sand under all the shingle!!

This young lady had a very lucky escape. She actually walked further down towards the sea just as another big wave came thundering onto the beach. Needless to say it knocked her off her feet and she landed on her back screaming, as the receding water dragged her down the beach. Very fortunately she was able to stand up and make her way back up the beach. She was very lucky to get away with it.


Ted:

As you can tell it's still blowing well here on Portland. I'm over here Ted!!!

Ships today:

This is the British Fishing Boat PH 37 "Loyal Friend" returning to Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.