Portland

The Moors

Have decided to abandon the photographic yearlist, there are just too many birds and not enough time at the moment, perhaps a more planned one next year.

Couple of Greenshank heading for the Wareham Channel

4 Hobbies hunting this afternoon

Portland 29th Apr + 1st May

Pretty quiet really but some migration going on. Best bird probably the Short-eared Owl that flew over the obs patio first thing

Grey Plover went over a little later on

Linnet for year

Quite a few Greenland type Wheatears about.

Flock of 28 Barwit which came over land from the north before heading off east. (Zoomed in part inset)

Immature Shag East Cliffs

Western Subalpine Warbler The Nothe

This one was rather unusually arboreal, making it very difficult to photograph. After spending a couple of hours the day before checking all the likely low lying bushes this bird was located the next day after being heard singing from the treetops (Thanks Mo)

Quite saturated all the way down, probably more so than suggested by the photos

This was a bonus lurking quietly in the canopy that would never have been spotted in a million years if we hadnt been straining for over an hour to get a decent photo of the subalp.

Day 6 Corsica

Last day today. First chance to get a photo of the flighty Goldfinches that have been hanging around the villa. These are of the race tschusii being slightly smaller than the nominate bird with darker more duller earth brown on upperparts as well as a few other things.

Now getting the hang of photographing the other local flighty finch.

A bit of a meandering drive around the area today. Quite a few Cirl Bunting around

One of the targets of the trip at last photographically caught up with, Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler. Initially heard singing whilst driving. Certainly different to the Western and Eastern in song with a much more Serin like jangling quality for me

More washed out underparts obvious here

Have already mentioned this but the scenery was stunning

Another one from the car. Had been trying all week to get a decent shot of an Italian Sparrow being surprisingly shy. This one was on a wall opposite whilst we were sat at some roadwork traffic lights.

Had another drive up the treacherous Verghello valley to get once last rush from driving along a potholed single lane road with a 300 foot drop on one side! Also to try and get better shots of the Nuthatch and Crossbills.

On the way up Crag Martins were investigating some crags

Found another one of those upside down birds at the top of the valley

and got a shot I can be pretty happy with

A few Tree Creepers up here also. Another island race corsa endemic to Corsica apparently with a song slightly different from nominate although falling within the boundaries of variation whatever they are. Didnt actually hear one sing unfortunately. Other things that cant be seen from this photograph are its more strongly streaked upperparts, and the longest wing and bill length of any of the races.

This Swallowtail looks settled but it was far from it. This shot was a complete fluke as I just fired away at it as it jinked about. None of the other shots got even close!

Catching up with this rather showy Marmora's Warbler was a great way to round off the trip although my suspicions were that it was having a nice siesta until I got my tape out!

Corsica day 5

Had been hearing Wrynecks singing each morning around the villa but not seen them. This morning they were showing quite well with up to 3 birds around.

Citril Finches getting a bit closer

Some sort of Lizard. Lots of these basking on the early morning east facing wall

Follow this road for 30km and you can get to Haut-Asco, another alpine area. Then its the 30km back down again! Think I'll give it a miss this time.

Instead we headed for the Aitone Forest apparently very good for Crossbills which I was keen to photograph. Unfortunately didnt find any although did spot a soaring 2nd cy Golden Eagle.

Island race Great Tit, again not really a great deal of difference. Upper parts duller and more greyish-olive than nominate major with nape in particular less yellowish, modelled here by this rather obliging bird.