Sub-standard Goose

I've decided to do a separate post for yesterdays seawatching, as it would have made this one far too long!

Update for 26th April to 4th May.  There was a bit of a lack of birding during what should be peak-time, mainly due to having to work in Bridport for several days. 

26th + 27th

I spent a very enjoyable weekend back at my old patch of Tice's Meadow for their 24 hour event.

Water levels were as high as they've been, but it still looks so promising!

I was eventually able to hear the sites first Nightingale singing away, though it wasn't as vocal as it had been.  We also probably heard a second calling.  A female?  Hope so.

The other main ornithological highlight was at least 2 Arctic Tern dropping in, one staying all of Sunday.  Also my first few Swift of the year.

This big Grass Snake was a great spot by Keith Kerr, right out in the open on The Meadow.

In the end, we managed 66 species, which is way down on last year, largely down to the strong wind, and lack of luck with the likes of waders.  Still a fantastic time was had!

 

29th

 

Just my usual circuit of mid-island, which just produced singles of the likes of Redstart, Tree Pipit, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat (at Suckthumb), Grasshopper Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler (at Barleycrates), and at least 10 Whinchat.  It was a struggle to photograph them though!

 

 



Best though was a female Merlin, which whizzed through Suckthumb and on to Barleycrates.

 

On the way back, I bumped into this mating pair of Holly Blue.  I managed to take a snap, just as an intruder came in to investigate. 

 

I also saw my first Orange-tip on Portland, near the Windmills.  Surprised it's here at all, as I have yet to find any Cuckoo-flower, and only a tiny amount of Garlic-mustard, it's other food plant.
 

30th

 

After work in Bridport, I decided to try and twitch a Collared Pratincole in Bideford, north Devon, as I was effectively already 25 miles into the journey.

 

It had been seen in the morning, but after a few hours of trudging round the golf course at Northam Burrows, I gave up.  The bird was never seen again.

 

1st

 

The perfect tonic to a couple of rubbish work days, was a locally available lifer.  On arrival at Top Fields late afternoon, the stonking male Eastern Subalpine Warbler was showing.

 

 

It continued to show well throughout, very obligingly feeding in the tops of the Blackthorn hedges.

 

2nd

 

I put plenty of time in today, but was largely unrewarded.  Ferrybridge had a few snippets of interest first thing, including a close Whimbrel, but the awful light played havoc with my photo setup!

 

 

The lightest smattering of migrants on the land included, finally, my first Portland Swift of the year.  A visible migration session at the West Cliffs produced a few of these, as well as only a trickle of Swallow.

 

4th

 

Conditions weren't ideal, but I thought it might be worth a little seawatch from Chesil Beach.  There was a good passage of 175 Common Scoter in a couple of hours, but otherwise little else moving.  In fact, the highlight was a pair of Shoveler sneaking past with a flock of 60 Scoter!  Also a Great Skua passed over at great height, before going cross-harbour.  I wonder how many are missed like that!

 

On the mud-flats was a nice selection of waders, which included only my second Grey Plover of the year there.

The only highlight of a little round of mid-island was a very male Honey Buzzard-like pale Common Buzzard.  Not an individual I'd seen before.  A huge trap for the unwary!
 

In the afternoon, I took my first ever visit to the Abbotsbury Swannery, as I met up with my mum and step-dad down from Surrey.

 

It's amazing how rare Mute Swan is on Portland (I've never seen one, for instance), given this little lot are only 10 miles away...

 

 

It's a fabulous place, and I hadn't realised how good a birding spot it was.  As, in this short visit I saw at least one Arctic Tern, several Whimbrel, as well as a surprise female Scaup.



 

 

 

 As for the Swans, their eggs were very close to hatching.

Meanwhile, others had.

Among the non-avian highlights, was this stunning female Adela reaumurella longhorn-moth.

 



 

Also interloping with the Swans were 2 Black Swan and a single Bar-headed Goose (the Swannery does not keep any pinioned wildfowl).

 

After a nice meal in Weymouth, I was driving back along the Beach Road, when I suddenly noticed a large pale wildfowl species flying along parallel with me.  A Shelduck?  No, it was a Bar-headed Goose!  Very likely to be the bird I had seen earlier.  I think I would have been pretty stumped as to its identity had I not just seen one!  Whatever its origins, it's a true Portland rarity!

On the (Cross)bill

For the rest of the week, I shall be working in Weymouth.  A bit of a pain in terms of travelling (I'm attempting to cycle it - exhausting doing Fortuneswell hill!), but it means that I may be able to visit Ferrybridge and the Weymouth RSPB reserves on the way there and back, depending on the time. 

Today, I stopped off at Ferrybridge first, where I bumped into Pete Saunders, the Portland photographer general!  He hadn't seen much, and neither did I, apart from a few Mediterranean Gull and 6 Dunlin.  Then, as I was continuing my journey just over the bridge itself, a single Sanderling flew over the road, towards the mudflats.

On arrival in Weymouth I noticed I still had plenty of time, so I decided to do the quick Radipole trail, up to the Buddleiha Loop and back.  No sign of the Hooded Merganser (isn't it time it was given a name?), but no doubt it was still around somewhere.  This juvenile Reed Warbler showed well (phone-bined shot!).

 

I continued round the Buddleiha Loop, stopping to get brilliant views of a couple of juvenile Bearded Tits which were feeding in the reeds right next to the path.  I attempted to get a shot of them, but failed miserably!  Not quite in the same league I realise, but this rather scruffy Coot was more confiding (only the best for this blog ;-).

 

 

At the viewpoint, I failed to find the Red-crested Pochard of recently (though I didn't have the time nor the optics to do a proper search, so it could well still be about), but did see a Common Sandpiper and a few normal Pochard.  I hadn't been here for a few years, and I was really impressed with the quality of the place.  Love the new viewing platforms!

 



Whilst on my round at Wyke Regis, I had the fortune to hear a small flock of Crossbill flying over south.  I couldn't locate them, but I was hoping they may have got picked up at Ferrybridge or Portland, as I assume that's where they were heading, but apparently not.

 

On the way home past Ferrybridge, I noticed a Whimbrel on the far side, attempting to avoid the holidaymakers.  There has been one reported there for several days.  The same bird? 



I couldn't help noticing the great success Joe Stockwell had with Lulworth Skippers the other day, so decided the area behind the Pulpit Inn would be my afternoon excursion. 

On the way, I made the customary flying visit to the obs moth traps.  Not a great deal notable in there (though a lot had no doubt got away since this morning), but there was a Herald, as well as the impossible to pronounce Ptocheuusa paupella.

 

Plus, I took the oppurtunity to (poorly) photograph Kent Black Arches, which appear to be pretty common here.

 

 

 

 The grassland of the base of Bill Hill was alive with butterflies, as you would expect on a day like this.  I initially had a little trouble locating my quarry.  But eventually I got my eye in, and I think I got used to picking out the Lulworth Skippers, mostly by their smaller size (even compared to Small/Essex).  Photographing them was a real pain, particularly due to their habit of landing amongst tall grass.  Not only is it a struggle to get into position, but you've then got the problem of grass stems causing shadows!  In the end, even my best shot had this.  Never mind, I'll settle for it.  Beautiful insects!



On the way back over the Top Fields, I found the new plant of Scented Mayweed.  They really do smell lovely!

Back to Weymouth tomorrow, and maybe a Garganey at Radipole?  Would be nice.