MAIDEN CASTLE, DORCHESTER - FERRYBRIDGE MUDFLATS - PORTLAND - PORTLAND BIRD OBSERVATORY - PORTLAND BILL - - REAP LANE OLD BARN, WEST CLIFFS -EAST WEARE CLIFFS
WEATHER: wall to wall sunshine, moderate easterly, cold wind.
I met the Spragge family just after 8am in the car park at Maiden Castle, Dorchester. Charles, Louise, Frances and Verity joined me for a day trip in Dorset, it was Frances who had organised the day trip for her father Charles, a Christmas gift.
It was only 10C with a wind chill factor bringing the temperature down a few more notches. After quick introductions we were soon looking at our main target bird, the Corn Bunting, we watched one singing from the nearest fence and we could hear a couple more delivering their 'jangling keys' song nearby.
The Corn Bunting - our first target bird, in the bag! Several were singing nearby.
We also saw and heard Skylarks galore, a couple of pairs of Stonechats, a few Meadow Pipits and small flocks of Linnets. A pair of Ravens flew over 'cronking' as they passed by. Other species seen were: Barn Swallows, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw.
a record shot of a Skylark
Driving into Weymouth was a little tedious with a build up of traffic due to roadworks in a couple of places. We arrived at Ferrybridge mudflats just before 9:30am. In and around the car park we saw Pied Wagtails, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. We sought out shelter from the wind, offered by the vistitor's centre building, from there we scanned the exposed mudflats and surrounding grassy areas on Chesil Bank. We quickly found Common Ringed Plover (8) and a much closer pair of Little Ringed Plovers, two or three Oystercatchers and some distant Red-breasted Mergansers.
The Little Egret at Ferrybridge
Scanning the grassy bank we located two Northern Wheatears, they were quite distant, flushed further away by a couple of 'brid-watchers', a few Linnets flew over us. A Little Egret dropped in close by and began feeding in the stream and a Redshank was seen out on the distant shoreline feeding next to the Oystercatchers.
We moved onto to Portland driving directly to the Bird Observatory at the Old Lower Lighthouse. Martin Cade, the Obs Warden and chief ringer, showed us a Chiffchaff 'in the hand' and gave us a comprehensive talk on bird migration, my companions were very interested and full of good questions, Martin had to lie down in darkened room after such a bombardment of queries from Frances and Verity.
A chiffchaff shown by Martin Cade to Charles, Lousie, Frances and Verity.
The centre of attention - a healthy looking Chiffchaff
A short walk around the rocky shoreline at the Portland Bill Lighthouse gave us more new sightings for our list. We saw Razorbills, Guillemots, Cormorants and Shags out on the water, with some very distant Gannets flying past. We searched for Rock Pipits around the lighthouse and eventually it was Verity who found the first one which was singing as it performed its display flight. We went on to see a few more Rock Pipits, also Starlings, Jackdaws, House Sparrows and Herring Gulls.
here we have a bunch of Razorbills with a single Guillemot, can you pick out the Guillemot?
We returned to the Terraces at the Bird Observatory where we ate our picnic lunch whilst watching Goldfinches and Wood Pigeons.
A vist to the horse paddocks in Reap Lane produced new species such as for Dunnock, Robin and lots of House Sparrows. We did see more Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails, a Kestrel hovered over the fields. Sand and House Martins dashed along the West Cliffs with more Barn Swallows, all heading northward to thier summer residences. As we walked back towards the car we found another Northern Wheatear in a ploughed field, a much closer specimen.
a view from the East Weare on Portland, looking across Weymouth Bay to St Alban's Head
Our last walk as taken along the old railway track along the East Weare, we found Chaffinch and Chiffchaff, Great Tit Wren and Goldficnhes as we made our way northwards. The coastal path was very busy with walkers and on the cliffs there were many rock climbers.
We made our way to the high cliffs that sat below the Grove Young Offenders Prison, how nice! Towering high above us we searched the nooks and crannies for Fulmars, finding only a single bird which was fast asleep on a ledge. We located a nest site of a pair of Ravens and then our star sighting appeared. The mighty Peregrine Falcon. We had a fantastic flying display from a pair of them, chasing one another with effortless ease, they 'stooped' and swooped and rose vertically without flappaing their wings at all! It was a grand finale for our day and provided great excitement for my companions, a fitting end to a lovely day out.
a record shot of the female Peregrine Falcon. She was resting after an energetic display put on for us.
On the way back we saw Kestrel, Great Black-backed Gull and Common Buzzard, the latter two being the last additions to our collection of species for the day. We had recorded 47 species during the day.
I was home before 5pm, with plenty of time to settled down and watch my football team, Aston Villa, they won once more, It had been great day with a second grand finale, if that is possible!