Portland

Bit windier than I thought it was going to be so headed for the Pulpit rock to see what was passing. Not a lot in the end for the hour or so I was there. A few Gannets came in quite close

Very quiet on the land also, this was at the Hump

Sunnyside Farm

Up to 9 Wheatears together in the field south of the screen this evening. Didnt really have time to look at them properly but there were at least 3 typically coloured Greenland birds, with other more intermediate perhaps Icelandic birds and others paler again. To me however they looked very similar in size.

I read somewhere that Greenland birds have this habit of perching up on branches. ID solved!

Small pony with even smaller one

Portland Sunday

Up with the Larks at 5am full of anticipation as I was met with some drizzly rain.

First stop the west cliffs. Parked at the top of the hill opposite Fathom and Blues. As I got out of the car I could hear 3 separate Grasshopper Warblers singing, this surely was the fall I had been hoping for. Alas it was not to be as these ended up being only birds of note for some time until I eventually got to Culverwell. Met John Lucas who pointed me out a Wood Warbler. Straight out with the camera however the light was terrible and the shutter speed very low producing a real record shot. After this photo the bird stayed for a few more seconds before moving off north.

Shaun was ringing in Culverwell where one of the best birds was this female Pied Fly

Later had another quick look around Waycroft quarries where this Redstart was feeding

Portland

Went with Matt to the (very as it turned out) small 'fair' held at the Heights Hotel to help sell some Sound Approach books.

It was a bit slow so he let me get off early and I was able to have a look around the north end of the island for a change.

Not too much around although it was quiet everywhere apparently

Did run into a Fox with her cubs, although they decided to go off and play so only got one half decent shot. The mother however remained resolutely on guard duty although it did look half asleep

Sparrowhawk with victim

The lure of the Bill was soon too much so had a wander around the Top fields

A Curlew heading north was the only oddity so had to settle for a few shots of the local birds

Durlston etc

Another early morning visit which ended up deteriorating into just a photographic outing.

This place is so hard to work, you are either walking uphill or down and there is loads of cover. The best I could muster was a Lesser Whitethroat and a flyover Redpoll. Also of interest 4 adult looking Rooks were watched heading south east out to sea, god knows what they were up to.

In true Petrel style this bird is having a fair bit of trouble alighting.

Local Yellowhammer

Dont ask me why I even considered taking a photo of a Wood Pigeon, probably because it was sunny, anyway I only took one as it took off and was pretty happy with the outcome

A quick look around my now local area produced this late Merlin in the Cattle Egret fields west of the Wareham by-pass

Next stop Sunnyside Farm where there was a surprise visit by 6 Whimbrel

An evening visit to The Moors was a bit quiet

Stork still here

Up and about bright and early to try and relocate the Stork from last night which looked like it was going to roost somewhere close.

Went to my nearest viewing point a few hundred yards up Nutcrack lane to have a scan and there it was, although very distant, feeding in what looked like the eastern end of Bestwall. A few early morning phonecalls and I was off to get better views.

Went into the Ridge boatyard and up the hill where it was showing pretty well. Was soon joined by some other bleary eyed admirers.

Later in the day had a call from Jol to say it was in the air over his house so went out again for some more pics. These were at Arne Moors

Also there was an immature Spoonbill and a couple of Little Egrets to add to the Mediterranean scene. Perhaps a scene of the future.

Red letter day

Singing Willow Warbler at Hartland Moor

These two were in the middle of the road. The female is keen but the male doesnt quite get the job done on this occasion.

Decided late on to go and have a look at Arne Moors, by the time I got there it was already 7.45 and I wasnt expecting too much. I had only been there a couple of minutes when I spotted this rather distant unidentified flying object coming toward me with wide wings and fingers splayed! Wow, it was clearly going to be something very interesting! Rather than look with the bins I just got the camera out and followed it as it got nearer. It didnt take long to figure out it was a White Stork.

It flew in quite low, obviously looking for somewhere to land, however it didnt stop and I lost sight of it over the wood going west.

Parkstone Bay

Around 30 odd non breeding Carrion Crows now hanging around Parkstone Bay.

Most of them seem to be first year birds which are already adept at dropping the shells onto the tarmac to break them.

This one is trying the more traditional methods but it cant seem to get in there.

Herring Gull plunge diving for something.

1st summer Black-head with partial hood

Durlston

With drizzle and light northerlies forecast decided to have a look at Durlston. As I made my way to the globe the rain stopped and the sun started to appear and with it a Gannet lingering quite close in, so out came the camera. I ended up getting a bit carried away with taking photos of the local sea birds and not leaving enough time to properly look for migrants. There was a bit of vis mig here with at least 25 Siskins north in 3 flocks and a few mipits and wagtails.

View of Peveril Point and Old Harry from Durlston Head

Looks like sinensis are now joining carbo on the cliffs aswell