MEGA RARITY: Brünnich's Guillemot in Portland Harbour!

While settling into a nice, calm Boxing Day morning, I decided to check Bird News Extra, just to make sure I wasn't missing anything special on this sunny day. I was missing something. A Brünnich's Guillemot (first for Dorset- actually first for Britain south of Lancashire and fourth for England) had been found off Osprey Quay. Within forty minutes, we were standing at Osprey Quay enjoying great (if rather distant) views of this mega rare Arctic vagrant as it swum among the boats:

Brünnich's Guillemot, Portland Harbour, 26/12/13

What a great first time to use my new camera that I got for Christmas. Nearby, the Black Guillemot was still off Portland Castle (but sadly still too distant for photography) and two Black-throated Divers and one Great Northern Diver were there too. Feeling very much content, we then headed to Hamm Beach, where two more Black-throated Divers and a Red-necked Grebe were present. What a winter Portland Harbour is having!

As if the day could get any better, we decided to stop off at the Weymouth Glossy Ibis, my second in the UK, showing very well in a flooded football field near Radipole Lake:

Glossy Ibis, Weymouth, 26/12/13

What a great day!

Black Guillemot, Portland Harbour

In atrocious weather, we headed to Portland Harbour yesterday morning in pursuit of a first-winter Black Guillemot that had spent the previous two days off Portland Castle. We arrived at first light, and I immediately found the bird distantly off the castle, only for it to disappear underwater and resurface several minutes later further away. This was a new species for me, a very rare one in Dorset, but a common breeder much further north in this country. While they are jet black in summer, with stunningly red feet, at this time of year, they take on a white plumage, with the small black speckles covering their body simply reminders of their more respledent summer coat. The bird was far too distant for any photography, and the violent wind howling into our faces made viewing difficult, but I was still very pleased with seeing this great species. Also in Portland Harbour, we found two Great Northern Divers and a Black-necked Grebe.

Meanwhile, I heard of the tragic and untimely death of Cameron Bespolka in a skiing accident in Austria. I was at school with Cameron for a brief period of time and we spent many hours talking to each other about birding. He was immensely passionate about birds, and had a great knowledge of them, particularly for someone so young. He died at the age of sixteen, having had a very bright future lying in front of him. Rest in peace Cameron, and sincere condolences to all of the Bespolka family.

Common Cranes at Cheselbourne

                                

Common Cranes, Cheselbourne, Dorset 7/12/13

These two magnificent birds were feeding in a roadside field, on the weeds and small plants they favour at this time of year (in summer, their diet changes to one of large insects, reptiles, rodents and small birds). The species is widespread across Europe and Asia, mainly wintering in north east Africa and Southern Asia, though many spend the winter in Europe and approximately 50 do so in England (all of which, other than these two, are in East Anglia). They became extinct as a breeding bird in Britain in the 17th Century due to persecution and habitat destruction, however a small population has now returned to the Norfolk Broads, and a reintroduction scheme is underway in Somerset. Hopefully this stately bird, standing at over one metre tall and with a remarakble two metre wingspan, will return as a regular breeding species in Britain again at some point in the future.

These two birds probably originated in Eastern Europe, though it is impossible to know for sure. We watched them for some time, before they disappeared over the brow of the hill, and then treated us to the resplendent sight of seeing their great wings carrying them into the distance. Watching this breathtaking bird fly over the English countryside felt like we had stepped back 500 years. What a privilege it is to have such a magical species gracing our countryside.