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.