23 Mar 24

Portland Bill, Hut Fields, Obs Quarry and The Slopes

It was a very late afternoon visit to The Bill, but very rewarding with my first Wheatear of the year, with a female in the QinetiQ compound. Sadly no photo as she disappeared into the undergrowth.

Birds Recorded:
1 Fulmar
50+ Gannet
6 Cormorant
4 Shag
1 Kestrel
100+ Herring Gull
30+ Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
3 Meadow Pipit
6 Rock Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Stonechat
1 Wheatear
2 Chiffchaff
Magpie
Carrion Crow
1 Jackdaw
1 Raven
80+ Starling
20 House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

Below are a few Rock Pipit photos including leg-ringed AAN, one eating a Sea Louse and a very grey individual.

Rock Pipit "AAN"

A Rock Pipit eating a Sea Slater (Ligia oceanica), which also goes by the names of Sea Roach, Sea Louse or Common Slater. More on Sea Slaters Here.

And the grey individual.........

.............which initially I thought was a Water Pipit.

General Shots:

The Pulpit getting a battering

Portland Lighthouse with rain clouds moving in.

Ted:

Ted having a good run.

Ships Today:

This is the British Fishing Support Vessel "CEFAS Endeavour" on its way from Falmouth to Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel here.

Aircraft Today:

This is the Specialist Air Ambulance for Children on its way to a call in Weston Road, Portland. It landed at 5:22pm and took off at 7:11pm. More on this helicopter here, here and here