14 Jan 24

Portland Bird Observatory Quarry, Hut Fields, Portland Bill and The Slopes

This is getting a regular excursion to The Bill, mainly to give Theo a really good run on the Common. As a working dog he definitely needs a lot of exercise and fortunately there is plenty of room for him to run about.

And of course the trip here gives me the opportunity to see what's about. That being the case the highlights here this afternoon were:

Fulmer: One to the east of the Obelisk and another along the cliffs to the east of the slopes.

Little Owl: On in the Obs Quarry

Stonechats: A pair on the slopes

Mammals Recorded:
1 Bunny


Birds Recorded:
2 Fulmar

Cormorant

Shag

1 Kestrel

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Razorbill

Guillemot

Wood Pigeon

1 Little Owl

Rock Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Dunnock

Robin

2 Stonechat

Blackbird

Wren

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Jackdaw

2 Raven

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

My first Fulmar of the year

Razorbills heading up Portland's east coast

And to the west of the Slopes a Guillemot

And here are a couple of.........

............photos of one of the Little Owls in the Obs Quarry.

Mushrooms Recorded:
Field Blewit (Lepista saeva)

This is Field Blewit. It is an edible mushroom................

.....................but must be cooked and never eaten raw. More on this mushroom Here and Here.

General Shots:

The sun setting behind the Pulpit

Ted and Theo:

Watch out Ted there's a Theo about.

Ships Today:

This is the British Minesweeper M34 "HMS Middleton"..............

................. on manoeuvres just off Portland. More on this vessel here and here.

This is the British Fishing Boat - WH296 "Portland Isle" fishing off Portland west coast. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Utility Ship "SD Navigator" on its way from Weymouth to Portsmouth. More on this vessel here.