6 Oct 20

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, The Grove, Grove Cliffs, East Weare's, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, St Andrew's Church and Penns Wood.

A much extended walk in the hope of spotting either one or both Yellow-browed Warblers seen along the East Weare's this morning. Unfortunately by the time I got there, they were well gone.

And what a difference a day makes. The huge flocks of Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and finches in the Lower Horse Paddock yesterday had all dispersed, just leaving a small handful of Meadow Pipits.

So what did I come across. Well here is a breakdown of the migrating birds:

The Grove - 2 Wheatear, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and a Siskin
East Weare - 10 House Martin, 2 Swallow, 3 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs
Penns Weare - 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff
St Andrew's Church - 1 Chiffchaff

Other bird sightings of note were 2 Sparrowhawks flying at speed over the butterfly reserve and 2 Ravens having a disagreement with a Peregrine over Grove Cliffs.

Also noted were dozens of Red Admirals, Large Whites, 2 Common Blues. and apart from 2 Common Green Shieldbugs, I came across my first ever Spiked Shieldbug in the butterfly reserve.

Here are a few images and video from today:

Just 2 Wheatear today. This one and........

...........this one were both at the Grove sheltering from the wind.

A Magpie and a.........

.............new species, a Red-billed Magpie.......

.............or maybe not, this Magpie has found a nice ripe Rose-hip and decides to hide it.

Just for a second I thought I had found myself a White Wagtail. Sadly not, its just a juvenile Pied Wagtail having a stretch.

I wouldn't say it was a sunnier day than yesterday, but it was a bit drier and obviously what the Ivy Bees needed.

Another Ivy Bee, but a very small individual. There were quite a few of these smaller ones. Perhaps males. I will check.

UK wide I hear that butterfly numbers are down this year. Not for Red Admirals on the island. It has been a bumper year for them. This one has been through a few scrapes.

Two Common Green Shieldbugs and a...........

..............new bug for my Portland List a Spiked Shieldbug (Picromerus bidens). This is a large predatory shieldbug with thorn-like projections just behind its head..

A Nursery Web Spider on the prowl.

With squally showers and the occasional burst of sunshine, a rainbow was always on the cards.

This is something I wouldn't do myself.......

........but Ted seems quite happy to live life close to the edge.

Hmm not something I would do. He's just a fearless dog.

Birds Recorded: 6 Gannet, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 10 House Martin, 4 Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 2 Wheatear, Blackbird, 5 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 2 Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, 1 Siskin and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Red Admiral and Common Blue

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum) and White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax),  Eristalis arbustorum and Syrphus sp.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Cranefly sp.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) and a Spiked Shieldbug (Picromerus bidens).

Spiders Recorded: Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

Ships Today

This is the Vehicles Carrier "Gravity Highway" flying the flag of the Bahamas. It is on its way from Bremerhaven (Denmark) to Santander (Spain). More on this vessel Here.

All lit by the sun is the British Passenger Ship "Britannia". The ship on the left, in the squally shower, is the Passenger Ship "Azura" flying the flag of Bermuda. Both are anchored up in Weymouth Bay.

More on the Britannia Here. and Azura Here.

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.

5 Oct 20

Lower Horse Paddock, Easton Square, Easton Railway Cuttings, Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Penns Wood, St Andrews Church, Penn's Weare, Penn's Weare Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings Quarry and Mermaid Track

An extended walk via Easton as I thought I'd have a look for the juvenile Rosy Starling. No such luck but I did get a Firecrest in the Easton Square Gardens. The first of many I hope.

I started my walk in the Lower Horse Paddock, where there were a good 300+ Meadow Pipits, 50+ Pied Wagtails (surely there must have been at least 1 White Wagtail in amongst them) 170 Linnets and Goldfinches, plus a few Chaffinches.. Also here were 4 Wheatear, 3 Chiffchaff, and 3 Stonechat.

From here it was off to Easton and then onto the Penns Wood via The Easton Cuttings and Perryfields Butterfly Reserve. Just the 1 Chiffchaff along this route.

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church and Penn's Copse all very quiet, but there was a single Chiffchaff in Penn's Weare.

The last leg was Rufus Castle, The Cuttings Quarry and Mermaid Track where there was just a single Chiffchaff and a fly-by Swallow.

No bees or butterflies seen today, which was hardly surprising as there was a fine drizzle for much of my walk. No Ivy Bees either but a few Marmalade Hoverflies on the flowering Ivy in Penn's Cops.

Just one other invertebrate seen a Common Green Shieldbug in the church grounds.

Here are a few images and a couple of videos from today:

The Lower Horse Paddock was a bit of haven for migratory birds with 300+ Meadow Pipits, 170+ Linnets & Goldfinches, 50+ Pied Wagtails & possibly a couple of White Wagtails, 4 Wheatear, 3 Stonechats and 3 Chiffchaff. Not forgetting Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 40+ Starling, House Sparrow and Chaffinch.

One of the many Meadow Pipits in the horse paddock

This one has found a tasty snack, a...........

..........Cranefly. And this Autumn there have been thousands. So I'm not surprised there are so many migrants here feasting on these "flies". In fact there is actually a Cranefly Recording Scheme Here.

And a few Wheatear here today, after being absence for a few days.

And another.

And one one on the Brambles.

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

..........and a female. Another female was on the other side of the field.

Other than on the Crown Estate Fields where they get huge flocks, I dont think I have ever seen so many Linnets and Goldfinches together. There must have been around 140+ Linnets in two flocks (80+ and 60+) plus 30+ Goldfinch

Other than the large Starling flock in Easton, there is quite a large one here behind The Alessandria Hotel. Nothing like a good splash.

This was the only bug I found today a Common Green Shieldbug.

This was the only ray of sunlight I saw on my walk.

The rest of the walk was like this, wave after wave of rain moving in.

At least Ted was dressed for it.

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Swallow, 300+ Meadow Pipit, 50+ Pied Wagtail, White Wagtail ??, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 3 Stonechat, 4 Wheatear, Blackbird, 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 140+ Linnet, 5 Siskin, 30+ Goldfinch

Bees Recorded: None

Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

Ships Today

This is the British Replenishment Ship "RFA Tidespring" on Military Ops. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Container Ship "OOCL Montreal" flying the flag of Hong Kong. It is on its way from Montreal (Canada) to Southampton. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Liberian Tanker "Elandra Denali" on its way from Sungai Linggi (Malaysia) to Hamburg Cove Landing (USA). However it appears to be doing some circuits in the English Channel, miles away from where it should be heading. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.

4 Oct 20

Portland Bird Observatory, Obs Quarry and Hut Fields.

I hadn't intended to visit the Obs, especially as it was absolutely chucking it down and the westerly wind was gusting at 40mph. But sometimes you just have to take a chance and it turned out to be a good decision, especially as I pulled into the Obs car park and the rain eased right off.

And it was a good start, as in the front garden, a Chiffchaff was feeding in amongst the Japonica. Next stop was the Obs Quarry and first bird spotted was a female/juvenile Stonechat, followed by a male Blackcap. Next was a Robin, then a Dunnock, another male Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaffs. In the quarry wall there was no sign of any Little Owls, but a Kestrel was sat on one of the ledges.

From the quarry I walked down through the hut fields to the south side of the Obs garden and here were 2 more Blackcaps and a Spotted Flycatcher.

A little further down, there is a gap in the treeline and through here you can walk into another hut field. It was pretty sheltered here and a good spot for one Chiffchaff, which was doing well catching flies along a wall.

The last leg was up the track to the north of the Obs and straight into the gale force wind. Along the Obs garden were 2 more Blackcaps in amongst the Brambles.

So nothing spectacular, but great to get out and blow some cobwebs away

Here are a few images and videos from today:

The Obs Quarry.

In the quarry wall a Kestrel tries to keep out of the rain.

I don't need to tell you it was windy and this Kestrel knows it too.

A juvenile or perhaps female Stonechat

A few Chiffchaffs about.

This one was in the hut fields

I thought I was tracking the Chiffchaff in the bushes, appears it was a Wren until I panned left. Unfortunately just as I zoomed in, the Chiffchaff decided to fly right.

Birds Recorded: 2 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Stonechat, Blackbird, 6 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Linnet and Goldfinch.

Ships Today

This is the British Offshore Supply Ship "Ocean Osprey" heading out into the rough seas, just off The Bill. More on this vessel Here:

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.

3 Oct 20

Wakeham

Not on the scale as other bird watchers have seen along the south coast this morning, but over Wakeham at around 10:00am, there were at least 500 House Martins and a few Swallows swirling overhead.

At other locations such as Charmouth, Bridport, Weymouth and Kimmeridge there were probably a 1000+ hirundines at each location. Here are a few of the videos from other birders Here and Here.

The rain didn't stop all day and the only other birds of note were 10 Meadow Pipits heading south. They must know something we don't.

Hopefully better weather tomorrow, but in the meantime its back to the 30 Sep to finish off ID'ing the remaining 5 moths Here,

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018

Today's Sightings Here.

2017

Today's Sightings Here.

2 Oct 20

Ferrybridge Sandflats

On the way back to Portland, having just dropped the dogs off for their 6 weekly wash and brush up, I stopped off at Ferrybridge, just as the tide was turning.

It was pretty good timing as the wind and rain that Storm Alex brought us overnight and early this morning, started to ease down a bit. So much so that from 10:20 - 11:20 there were just 2 very brief showers and there was actually a bit of sunshine.

There were some good highlights including an immature Kentish Plover, which I was told was in front of me a minute or so earlier, but had since vanished from view.

Fortunately I managed to pick it out 10 minutes later in amongst the 100's of Ringed Plovers and Dunlins feeding along the shoreline. And I was having some good views of it until my binoculars fell apart. At least I had my camera and was able to pick it up quite easily, not only because of its very light colouration, but in the fact that it never stopped moving in amongst the other waders.

Also here were 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Black-bellied Brent Goose, plus a fly-by Sandwich Tern and a 8 Swallows heading towards Portland.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

The immature Kentish Plover is just behind a Ringed Plover and.......

.........for once keeping still for another record shot.

I even got another photo. I need a bigger lens though.

When it was on the move it was very busy searching for for marine worms and small crustaceans etc.

Kentish Plovers once bred in the UK with the last known breeding pair at Gibraltar Point back in 1979. Sadly they are very much a rare migrant to our shores. There is an interesting article on BirdGuides Here

One of the hundreds of Ringed Plovers here this morning. At 10:30am there were 68. Thirty minutes later and that number had easily doubled.

This Ringed Plover looks a bit confused as to which way to go next.

One of the many Dunlin on the sand-flats

Birds Recorded: 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Kestrel, 5 Oystercatcher, 150+ Ringed Plover, 1 Kentish Plover, 1 Grey Plover, 80+ Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeons, 8 Swallow, and Carrion Crow.

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017

Today's Sightings Here.

1 Oct 20

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Broadcroft Pools

Another sunny start to the day, but by the afternoon it did start to cloud over. Main highlights today were 3 Stonechats in the Butterfly Reserve, but this time the West Reserve. Definitely a male and 2 female. Also here were 6 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler. The latter singing!!

Also about were 50+ Meadow Pipits in the horse paddock, whilst flying over head there were 70+ Linnet heading south. The latter doubt heading for the Crown Estate Fields. Two Siskins seen and heard flying north

Around the pool area there were singles of Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

Much fewer butterflies, bees and hoverflies about.

Here are a few images from today:

In the butterfly reserve I came across this male Stonechat having a good munch on this green caterpillar.

I'm not sure if its the same Stonechat I came across a couple of days ago. That one and a female were on the Butterfly Reserve to the east.

Today though there were 2 females. This one and..........

...........the second bird not far away.

It was pretty windy, so not the best of hand held videos.

So many Meadow Pipits

This one is being extra cautious as 2 Kestrels pass over head.

These pipits are in good nick and just look at those orange legs.

If they aren't on the ground feeding, then they are usually up on the wire fences.

One of the local Herrings sat on top of a Portland Stone Cutter.

With Storm Alex just about to hit our shores, I wonder if this Pampas Grass will still be standing after the next few days.

Panic as Ted realises I have walked on and left him.

Yep he's spotted me

Birds Recorded: 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 50+ Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 3 Stonechat, Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 70+ Linnet, 2 Siskin and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and a Common Blue

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) and Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)

Hoverflies Recorded: Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

Ships Today

This is the Vehicles Carrier "Glovis Clipper" flying the flag of the Bahamas. It is on its way from Antwerp (Belgium) to Port Said (Egypt). More on this vessel Here.

This is the Danish Tanker "Bro Designer" just off The Bill. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cypriot Container ship "BG Sapphire" on its way from Rotterdam to Cork. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Maltese Tanker "Monjasa Provider" on its way from Brest (France) to Portland. More on this vessel Here.

On the right is the Italian Tug "Carlo Martello". It appears to be.....................

 It appears to be towing a rig of some sort on a barge. Unfortunately there are no details of the barge. 

More on this Tug Here.

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.