24 Nov 17

Broadcroft Quarry Lane, The Cuttings, Penn's Weare, Church Ope Cove, Rufus Castle and Bumpers Lane

I know I've said it before, but what a difference a day makes. After the gale force winds of yesterday it was back to a pleasant sunny afternoon on the island. The birds might not have put in an appearance yesterday, but they certainly did today, with 7 Firecrests, 2 Blackcaps and 2 Chiffchaffs sighted. Not only that the Little Owl was quite vocal again today from the small ravine just north of Bumpers Lane.

In fact this area around Bumpers was full of birds where I had 4 of the 7 Firecrests seen today, plus 8 Chaffinches, 2 Redwings and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

The other Firecrests were 1 below The Cuttings and 2 down the steps from Rufus Castle to Church Ope Cove. Also at the Cuttings were 2 Blackcaps, whilst at Church Ope Cove there was also a Grey Wagtail and a Clouded Yellow butterfly!

Here are few images from today:

Just north of Bumpers Lane this ravine seems to be home to a Little Owl. Yet to see it!!

The Little Owl calling again. This the second time in a week I have heard it calling from here.

On the way down to Church Ope Cove I came across this small snail. I think its a Two Toothed Door Snail (Clausilia bidentata). More on this snail here.

One of the 7 Firecrests seen today. This one was along the steps down to Church Ope Cove.

Also here a Chiffchaff.

This is the bay today

Very calm a complete contrast to yesterday........

.......this was the beach yesterday.

There were quite a few Blackbirds about this male was watching me at Church  Ope Cove.

The steps up to Rufus Castle. On both sides here were 2 Firecrests, 1 Chiffchaff, several Long-tailed Tits and a few Goldcrests.

On the south facing cliff here at Church Ope Cove............

........a Clouded Yellow. Its certainly mild here on Portland.

I had hoped that having soaked up the sun's rays this Clouded Yellow would take off. But I think it had other ideas and remained motionless. In the end I gave up waiting and carried on my walk.

On the way back home the resident young male Kestrel was on the look out over Bumpers Lane........

.......it's not surprising the Kestrel likes it here with so many small birds to prey on. Including this Firecrest......

.....which took off and was heading straight down the camera lens.

Here another Firecrest poses for the camera.

A very pretty bird.......

.......but just look at that black band across its face.

And what a contrast a Goldcrest.

Just yellow and black stripes running over the head.

And a "clear" eye in comparison to the Firecrests black & white eye stripe.

And this was the spot where there were 4 Firecrests, 3 Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Great Tits and 5 Chaffinches. It doesn't look any different than any other location along here, but the brambles and buddleia must have been loaded with insects. There was such a feeding frenzy the crests and tits seemed oblivious to me standing right next to them.

A Wren meanwhile was just happy enough to soak up the Autumn sun.

Birds Recorded were: 2 Gannet, Shag, Cormorant, 2 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Little Owl, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, 8+ Robin, 10+ Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 7 Firecrest, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, 15+ Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

Also 1 Clouded Yellow

23 Nov 17

Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Church Ope Cove

I had considered going sea fishing this morning, especially after I met a local chap yesterday called Robin, who informed me the best time to fish Church Ope Cove is when there is a bit of colour and a big swell in the bay here. Well it was certainly that this lunchtime, in fact too much so with huge rollers out to sea and some good 2 metre high waves thundering up the beach.

The rough conditions might not have been ideal for fishing but there were a lot of gulls just beyond the breakers, mainly Herring Gulls, a few Great Black-backed Gulls and 2 each of Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull and Kittiwake.

On the beach itself were 5 Rock Pipits and 2 Pied Wagtails.

Elsewhere it was very quiet with the main highlight being 7 Carrion Crows flying up from Penn's Weare and off up towards Wakeham. Also about 3 Long-tailed Tits in Pennsylvania Castle Wood and 1 Goldcrest. And over Broadcroft Quarry Lane a Sparrowhawk.

Here are few images and a video from today

A Kestrel over Church Ope Cove, struggling to keep still in the gale force wind..........

......eventually a rest break from all that hovering.

An adult Common Gull with 2 Herring Gulls in the background.

Not sure what its found, but there are a lot of pickings along here.

  

A Syrphus hoverfly sp.

A Common Drone Fly

A Marmalade hoverfly

The view across Weymouth Bay from The Cuttings, Penn's Weare

Durdle Door in the distance

The waves crashing onto the beach at Church Ope Cove

The view looking south along the beach at Church Ope Cove.

The view of Church Ope Cove from St Andrews Church

A bit of artistic licence. The waves on the rocks in Black & White.

Stormy seas at Church Ope Cove

Birds Recorded were: Shag, Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 2 Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 2 Kittiwake, Wood Pigeon, 5 Rock Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 3 Long-tailed Tit, Wren, 1 Goldcrest, 7 Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

Also 1 Marmalade Hoverfly, 1 Syrphus hoverfly sp., 2 Common Drone Fly and 5 Bluebottles.

22 Nov 17

The Bill

A very windy day, so it was off to the Bill to see if there were any good sea birds in close. Rough seas are pretty good for a sea watch but the waves and swell were such that it was almost impossible to see anything out to sea today. Highlights though were 20+ Gannet, 10 Kittiwake, 2 Guillemot and a 1st winter Mediterranean Gull.

Most of the action was close in with 1 Shag swallowing a Wrasse or was that a Gurnard!!, 3 Oystercatchers and 2 Purple Sandpipers making their way down to The Bill. Sadly the latter weren't seen again

Here are a few images from this afternoon:

A Kestrel on one of the posts in the Crown Estate Fields opposite the Portland Bird Observatory

One of 3 Oystercatchers feeding along the rocky shoreline.

Here's another.

A pair of Oystercatchers in flight. They are in the photo, honest!!

Rough seas crashing into the Bill.

A Shag with what I first thought was a Wrasse but could it actaully be a Gurnard

What ever the fish was its now consumed.

A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull

As above

And again.

A Great Black-backed Gull and a Kittiwake below.

 

Four Gannets make their way west around the Bill.

Slightly closer in.

A Guillemot in flight........

.........easily confused with the similar looking Razorbill, especially in the winter and at distance. Note long thin bill on this Guillemot.

Back on terra firma an adult winter Herring Gull

There's always something going on around Weymouth and Portland......

...today a practice sea rescue.

Exercise over and a tight turn......

......before heading off back inland.

A naval vessel. I know not what though!!

Birds recorded were: 20+ Gannet, Shag, Cormorant, 1 Kestrel, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Purple Sandpiper, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 10+  Kittiwake, 2 Razorbill, 1 Guillemot, Wood Pigeon, 5 Rock Pipit, 2 Dunnock, Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, Great Tit, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and 2 Greenfinch.