31 Jan 24

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

I probably could have picked a better day, weatherwise, to visit the Bill, as the drizzle began to fall as soon as I started walking from the Obs to the Hut Fields. It did eventually ease off, only to return as I was making my way back to the car.

There were more "lowlights" than highlights today, with no Purple Sandpipers seen, and no Black Redstart either. Plus where have all the Razorbills disappeared to. There were plenty of Guillemots but not their cousins.

A single Chiffchaff was noted between the Obs and Quarry

Birds Recorded:
1 Fulmar
1 Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
3 Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Guillemot
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
2 Skylark
4 Rock Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

A Fulmar appeared from behind the Pulpit and then............ 

................and then began skimming the waves.

A Common Buzzard in the Crown Estate Fields

An Oystercatcher "yawning" and then...........

...........wondering why I'm staring at it.

The only boat seen today was the British Fishing Boat NN7 "Saint George" on its way back to Portland Harbour............

.........with a huge gathering of gulls following it and on it. More on this vessel Here.

Here are a few images of the posse of gulls following........

..........."Saint George", consisting of mainly Herring Gulls and a few Great Black-backed Gulls.

And after "Saint George" was gone, these two Great Black-backed Gulls flew up onto the rocks next the Red Crane

Guillemots in Summer Plumage and Winter Plumage (right)

Ted:

I'm down here Ted.

Here he comes!!

30 Jan 24

Wakeham

With Theo recovering from his op yesterday and Ted on a walk in Weymouth, it was a chance to catch up on a few things at home. So as per norm:

2023

Little Owl in the Portland Bird Observatories quarry

2022

A Robin singing on Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve.

2021

A Peregrine Falcon over the cottage. (Slo-mo)

2020

A Robin singing away.

2019

A female/juvenile Black Redstart at Church Ope Cove.

2018

A female Blackcap on the peanuts and two Goldfinches on the Nyjer Seeds.

29 Jan 24

RSPB Radipole Lake

With Theo in the vets for neutering today, I took Ted for a walk an hour or so before returning for Theo. And our destination this afternoon was Radipole Lake, my first visit here this year.

As expected there were quite a few new bird species for my 2024 list, with seven highlighted in red below:

Birds Recorded:
1 Little Grebe
6 Cormorant
2 Mute Swan
1 Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Teal

1 Shoveler
Tufted Duck
1 Pochard
Water Rail
Moorhen
40+ Coot
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Common Gull
Wood Pigeon
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
4 Cetti's Warbler
3 Chiffchaff
1 Goldcrest
4+ Bearded Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
1 Siskin
Goldfinch

Just the one Shelduck seen by the Observation Centre.

And a mixture of Gadwall, a drake Shoveler (far left), Coots and two Herring Gulls.

Teal

A very smart looking drake Shoveler

A female Pochard

From top to bottom: An adult winter Black-headed Gull, Common Gull and bottom two adult winter Mediterranean Gulls

A lone Siskin landed just above my head on the Buddleia Walk.

Ted and Theo:

Dad can I come off the lead soon!!

And Theo recovering from his op.

28 Jan 24

Portland Bird Observatory, Crown Estate Fields, Top Fields, Higher Lighthouse, The Slopes, Portland Bill and Hut Fields

It was a longer walk today, to see what was about. The main highlight had to be the 6 Skylarks in the Top Fields with at 4 of them singing.

Other highlights included the fem/juv Black Redstart to the east of the Main Lighthouse and 3 pairs of Stonechats. One pair in the Top Fields and two pairs on the Slopes.

Birds Recorded:
4 Fulmar
5 Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
4 Kestrel
3 Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
20+ Razorbill/Guillemot
Wood Pigeon
6 Skylark
12 Meadow Pipit
5 Rock Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
6 Stonechat
1 Black Redstart
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

One of the four Fulmars along the West Cliffs

Top to bottom are a Shag, Cormorant and another Shag on the ledges to the west of the Slopes.

Close to the Red Crane were these three.........

................Oystercatchers............

...............feeding on the exposed rocks. This one has a Limpet.

A male Stonechat and his...........

.............mate in the Top Fields.

A fem/juv Black Redstart to the east of the main Lighthouse.

General Shots:

The Bill from the Slopes

Ted and Theo:

Ted waiting for Ted and then off again. 😂😂

Okay what's going on here!!!

Oh you want to get down now. Just as well it's my car Theo's on.

27 Jan 24

Wakeham

It was a day spent in the garden, with a bit of weeding, trimming and erecting a fence to stop Ted and Theo trampling my roses.

It was also one of the 3 days of the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch Here. And these were my results, in the order I recorded them, between 1:00pm and 2:00pm :

22 House Sparrow

2 Wood Pigeon

1 Dunnock

1 Robin

2 Greenfinch

1 Blue Tit

One big surprise today was seeing three Honey Bees on the Jasmine.

Birds Recorded in and around the garden:
1 Buzzard

Herring Gull

Wood Pigeon

Collared Dove

Dunnock

1 Robin

1 Blackbird

1 Song Thrush

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Jackdaw

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Linnet

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

All was well when this Common Buzzard passed overhead, and........

..............then this Carrion Crow decided it was time to..........

.......for it to move on.

Bees Recorded:

3 Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

On this Jasmine were two........

....................Honey Bees with.......

...........a third one soaking up the sun on the bird feeder.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:

Grass Fly (Meromyza sp.) - Possibly

I'm not 100% sure but I think this is the Grass Fly Meromyza sp. on the Jasmine

26 Jan 24

Portland Bill and along the Bill Road

It was a late afternoon visit to the Bill today, as I had a few gardening jobs to do beforehand whilst it was still dry and sunny.

When I did eventually get to The Bill, it was actually pretty quiet, other than a huge flock of large gulls some 400 metres or so out to sea from the Red Crane. I did find a solitary Purple Sandpiper, but there was no sign of the other 17 from Wednesday.

Birds Recorded:
Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
3 Buzzard (on the fence posts along the Bill Road)
2 Kestrel
1 Purple Sandpiper
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Razorbill/Guillemot
Wood Pigeon
2 Meadow Pipit
4 Rock Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Magpie
Rook
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

A lone Purple Sandpiper by the Obelisk. When I bumped into the PBO Warden Martin Cade by the lighthouse he only managed 4. Where did the other 14 go from Wednesday.

I had hoped that these distant birds were Gannets feeding 400 metres out from the Red Crane........

....They weren't, but in fact Herring Gulls, with a few Great Black-backed Gulls and Cormorants mixed in with them.

General Shots:

The Red Crane and behind the boats.............

..........is this anchor, which was allegedly raised from a local shipwreck, believed to be a Dutch shipwreck from the 1700’s after the invasion.

And of course the Portland Bill Lighthouse.

The sun setting behind the Pulpit with.......

.........the Obelisk to the east.

Ted:

And Ted enjoying a break from Theo who was on Weymouth Beach with David.

Ships Today:

This is the British Sailing Vessel "Ragtime" on its way from Weymouth to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.

And my mystery ship today is possibly a Fisheries Patrol Boat.