Portland strikes again!

There are some times as a birder that one has to give up everything to go and see a bird. Or several birds as the case may be. 

I was settling down to a solid day of revising for my AS levels, when one of those fantastic moments occurred. It really is one of the greatest things about this wonderful hobby.

The birds in question were Pomarine Skuas, one of the species I have wanted to see all my life. Though regular off Portland each May, I have never been able to see them- either we have been on holiday, or my lack of a telescope has rendered my search for them inevitably futile.

It seemed that today would have to be the day I finally saw this magnificent Arctic-breeder, which spends its winters in the world's southern oceans and graces Britain's waters in Spring and Autumn on its journey.

A large number had been reported passing Southern British coastal sites in the morning, so we hurried down to Chesil Cove. After half an hour, a flock of eight passed very distantly, but views were hardly satisfactory. Then, sometime three magnificent Pomarines bearing their resplendent 'spoon' tails (a feature only present in breeding plumage individuals) headed towards us. Soon seven more appeared and they were then joined by another twenty individuals. To make things even better, they then proceeded to land on the water directly in front of us, offering truly breath-taking views through my telescope. My attempt at photographing them was somewhat thwarted by being unable to find them through my minuscule camera lens. My tactic was to take photographs of random areas of sea approximately where they were. This was the result:

Pomarine Skuas, Chesil Cove, 5/5/14

Several Swallows, Fulmars, Gannets and 'Commic' Terns also passed, along with my first Arctic Skua at Portland.

Very much rushed for time, we decided to make a short (very short- approximately 100 metres) detour to Portland Castle, whose garden a male Wood Warbler had been frequenting for the morning.

Wood Warbler, Portland Castle, 5/5/14

I found it almost immediately, showing extremely well and calling regularly. This stunningly-bright Phylloscopus was a new for me in Britain (I have previously seen one in Italy), my second new warbler species at the Castle in the last week! It was certainly a nice bonus....

Sadly, we ran out of time to look for a Black-winged Stilt that was found earlier in the morning, but having seen so many of this beautiful species before, I could cope. Just.

As we headed home, we had a wonderful surprise as an Osprey swooped very low over us just two miles from Hilfield! We enjoyed superb views of it as it headed north-east. This really highlighted how birding can bring fantastic excitement and joy no matter where you are in the world. What a fantastic hobby it is.

Black Tern at Sutton Bingham

Black Tern, Sutton Bingham, 27/4/14

We made a very quick dash to the nearby Sutton Bingham Reservoir after seeing a report of a Black Tern feeding from the north causeway there this morning. We found it from that same causeway as soon as we arrived, as it hawked for insects in a magnificent hirundine-like manner, dancing beautifully on its light wings. The pouring rain had clearly forced this rather scarce passage migrant to Britain to stop-off at the reservoir, and it was fantastic to see a species I had never seen before so close to home, particularly such a stunning one that looked rather out of place fluttering above a relatively small lake on such a miserable English morning. There was also an Arctic Tern present, a species which seems to increasingly be taking an inland route on the journey to its northern breeding grounds from it Southern Hemisphere wintering quarters- a great bonus bird. It was certainly a very welcome distraction from my revision!

Portland 21st April

We had a fantastic morning at Portland today, with a great number of migrants seen on a superb sunny day.

We started at Portland Castle, where a Grasshopper Warbler had been reported earlier in the morning. We wandered around the Castle's gardens, which at first glance seemed rather uninspiring bird-wise, yet soon about a dozen Willow Warblers and several Chiffchaffs appeared. After some time, the resplendent reeling of the Grasshopper Warbler started to emanate out of a patch of stinging nettles. It really was unlike any bird I had ever heard before, like an incredibly loud Cricket or Grasshopper. The problem was trying to find the bird, after missing two the previous weekend at Portland and several more before that, I felt that this had to finally be the time. Thankfully it was, as the skulkin
g beast appeared at the back of a metal fence resting in the stinging nettles against the garden wall. It was brilliant to watch it for ten minutes or so, even though it only emerged into the open for a couple of seconds.

There is a Gropper somewhere in this picture....

The incredibly-skulking Grasshopper Warbler, Portland Castle

We then continued on to the Bill, where we found out at the Obs that an Osprey had flown over Portland Castle while we were watching the Gropper. Never mind! We parked next to the lighthouse, and as we wandered down to the Bill itself I caught sight of a Diver flying past. It looked very much like a Red-throated to me, but I couldn't be certain. Then, just as I began to feel frustrated that I had missed a potential new species for me, another flew past, very close, and it was confirmed as being a Red-throated Diver. This bird has been one that I have somehow missed on my numerous previous visits to Portland, so it was fantastic to finally see one. Large numbers of Fulmars, Gannets, Razorbills and Guillemots were passing the Bill as well. We then walked around the Top Fields, where there were large numbers of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, as well as an abundance of Linnets and Goldfinches. A resplendent male Common Redstart, along with a Whitethroat, three Wheatears and two Whinchats (in stunning breeding plumage) were seen just behind the Bird Observatory, and a further six Redstarts (three females and three males), along with more Wheatears were found further up in the fields. There was an astonishing number of hirundines migrating over the field, the majority of which were Swallows, while several House Martins and a single Sand Martin were also seen. 

Redstart, Top Fields, Portland, 21/1/14

We then visited Reap Lane, where there were very few birds of any notes, though approximately 20 Wheatears, a Blackcap, a Whitethroat and numerous Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were seen. At Barleycrates Lane, a Peregrine Falcon flew over and three female Redstarts, along with two more Wheatears were present. Hirundines were still very much in evidence, with an enormous number of Swallows and House Martins passing through at both sites.

Wheatear, Reap Lane, Portland, 21/4/14

This female Linnet at Barleycrate's Lane had collected some sheep wool for nesting material.

This morning's trip to Portland Bill was sadly rather uneventful from a bird perspective, though it was fantastic to escape my revision for a few hours.

We started at Suckthumb Quarry, where two Grasshopper Warblers had been reported early in the morning. This declining and secretive summer visitior is a bird that has always evaded me and one of my top targets before I emigrate. Inevitably, there I managed to miss it once more and birdlife overall in the area was very sparse, with just one Wheatear, several Swallows, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler seen.

We then headed down to the Bill, where the seabird colony was in full-flow, with many Razorbills, Guillemots, Fulmars and Shags present, but nothing else of any note passing through on the sea. Two Raven passed over and Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were singing everywhere. Another Wheatear was seen nearby. Unsurprisingly, another 'bogey bird' of mine- the Red-throated Diver (actually 4 of them) passed the Bill while we were stood there...

Then, it was off to Barleycrates Lane, where another Grasshopper Warbler had been seen in the morning. We stayed for some time, hoping for it to begin to reel, but sadly it did not do so. A resplendent male Common Redstart was seen briefly in the bushes next to the footpath, before flying off to some distance away (hence the poor picture quality!). Other than that, a Blackcap and good numbers of Swallows and House Martins were the only migrants in the area, while many Linnets were also present.

Feeling somewhat disappointed, we headed home, via Portland Harbour, where eight Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Crested Grebe were the only species of note, and Ferrybridge, whence we could see the first-winter Iceland Gull that has spent much of the last few months there. It was a nice end to a rather unsatisfactory morning of birding, but it was fantastic to get out.

Redstart, Barleycrates Lane, 13/4/14

Rock Pipit, Portland Bill, 13/4/14 

Meanwhile, at Hilfield, I have seen my first Willow Warbler, House Martin and, remarkably, Cuckoo- one flew over on the 7th.  I'm looking forward to Swifts and Hobbies coming soon!

Swallow!

My first Swallow of Spring flew over the garden at Hilfield this afternoon- the first I have ever had here in March. On top of that, I also saw my earliest ever Hilfield Blackcap on the 30th. What a Spring this has been so far!

Redstart in the garden!

Common Redstart, Hilfield, 29/3/14 

It was a really fantastic surprise to find a male Common Redstart in the garden this morning. A truly stunning bird to have here and a rather scarce one, particularly as late March is rather early for this species which winters in Sub-Saharan Africa to arrive in Britain. I hope it stays around for a while!

There are good numbers of Chiffchaffs singing in the garden right now, and there have been several Meadow Pipits flying over- Spring is certainly well and truly on its way. Hopefully Swallows will be coming soon....

Portland Bill 18th March

With my AS level exams to look forward to this summer, I have been unable to escape out for a morning's birding since returning from Morocco in January, until this morning, when we headed down to Portland. 

We weren't expecting to find anything of particular interest, but I fancied seeing my first spring migrants of the year and at Portland, one always feels that there is a great chance of finding something special.

The highlight of the morning was seeing my first ever Iceland Gull. A second year bird (presumably the one which has been in the Weymouth-Portland area for much of the winter) flew past just offshore. This stunningly-white Arctic species has arrived in Dorset in good numbers this year and it was great to find one for myself. A Sandwich Tern, technically my first summer migrant of the year, also passed the Bill, along with large numbers of the more regularly-occuring gulls, Guillemots and Fulmars.

Large numbers of Meadow Pipits and alba Wagtails were coming in off the sea, and many of both species were around on land. It took some time to find a Wheatear, but then we came across four (three males and a female) near the military compound.

It is certainly a sign of how busy I have been this year that my first birding outing has yielded my first summer migrants. 

Dozens of singing Skylarks added to this sense of spring, while seeing a Raven and several Kestrels; as well as Fulmars, Shags and Guillemots returning to their nests on the cliffs, all combined to create a rather idyllic scene. 

Meanwhile, spring has reached Hilfield, with the first Chiffchaffs of the year in song on the 18th, one of which I saw well. All is looking up after an extremely long and arduous winter.