Portland Weekend

Time for our eagerly awaited Portland trip and after a lunchtime pick up by Jono we made it to Portland for late afternoon.

All had been quiet in the Bird Obs so we went for a walk around the Bill.

The most noticeable bird (apart from the many gulls) were Wheatear which I have never seen in such numbers.

Most were female but in striking condition.

A rather showy and again beautifully conditioned Pipit gave us some discussion but we reluctantly decided it was just a Meadow Pipit. We added a Whinchat to the list on a fence near the Obs.

After checking in to our guest house we made the most of the Weymouth pubs and had a rather bland Indian. Later to bed than planned and an early start the next day feeling a tad tired!

On our way to Portland we stopped at Ferrybridge and very little was about wader wise so we headed to the Obs. It was extremely misty so sea watching was pointless and we had been informed that there had been a Hooded Crow at Admiralty Quarry. We did not find it and even went back for a second try later in the day to no avail.

We decided on a quick jaunt to Radipole Lake with highlights being Bearded Tits, large numbers of Cetti's Warblers and a lone Kingfisher.

However, Jono's contact Shaun (a local postman) had Tweeted a Black Guillemot in the sea near Portland Castle. Though it was murky and misty, Shaun arrived and pointed us to the distant bird. Lifer for me so well chuffed though any photos were virtually impossible even with digiscoping on the maximum setting. The photo below is a record shot.

Back up to the bill and the fog had lifted.

A report of a Wryneck on a nearby track saw us quickly walking up the hill opposite the Obs.

A very confiding Kestrel and a distant Buzzard were duly seen before the Wrymeck landed on a nearby barbed wire fence to give us unbelievable close us views.

We walked around the Bill and by now it was very hot and glorious sunshine.

The cliffs gave decent views of Shag and Great Black Backed Gulls.

Although our guest house landlord had made us a small pack lunch we were starving so a delicious crab sandwich at the cafe was a welcome break. We managed some excellent views of Rock Pipit.

A walk back via the Bird Obs quarry gave us the resident Little Owl too.

After a bit of chilling in the room we went out for further libation and a considerably better curry. Not so late to bed and we were up and out at 6.30.

It was cooler and windier but a sunny morning and the Bird Obs was busy.

Sea watching gave Gannet and Jono spotted a Great Skua which was actually a lifer for me when I checked my records!

The Obs Garden and the Quarry were buzzing with birds - loads of Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Spotted Flycatchers. An elusive Yellow Browed Warbler was fleetingly seen.

We popped up to see Joe, the assistant warden, who was riinging birds at Culverwell woods a short walk away. Perfect timing as he had just caught a Tree Pipit and another lifer for me!

A last walk around the Bill gave decent views of Raven and numerous Wheatear and lovely views of the sea and the Bird Obs.

A quick stop at Ferrybridge before our journey home gave a decent number of waders to add to the list.

A number of year listers for Jono and three lifers for me was a brilliant birding trip and. as always, any trip with Jono's company means a very enjoyable time.

Carlsberg day in North Norfolk!

After a 5am start and a quick coffee stop, Jono and I arrived at Titchwell just after 7am.

We decided to go straight to the beach for some sea watching.

We immediately saw two families of Eider not too distant though poor light and the sea swell made photos almost impossible as you can see below!

There were a number of Common and Sandwich Terns and amongst them I found a Black Tern. However, the best was to come when Jono found a Roseate Tern which was a lifer for me in the UK! There were Oystercatchers and Sanderling on the beach.

Passerines were a bit thin on the ground though on the way to the beach we did see a Whinchat and a very posey Meadow Pipit.

From Parrinder Hide there were the normal array of ducks and waders with large flocks of Black Tailed Godwits, Avocets, Lapwing, Ruff and Dunlin. However, Jono and I had noticed a slightly different wader which had a very strong white supercillum with predominantly white underneath. We gave up on ID at the time but when we both investigated on our return. It was later confirmed to be a White Rumped Sandpiper - lifer number two!

As we headed back to the visitor centre for a coffee we saw a pristine Painted Lady which was to be first of some decent butterflies.

We made our way to Burnham Overy which is always lovely but it is around two miles to get to the dunes and Gun Hill. Although there were a few hedgerow birds the only birds of note were Wheatear and, on a small pool a lone Wood Sandpiper.

Again though a distant Clouded Yellow and Wall Brown butterfly added extra interest.

After eating our rolls and enjoying the reliably delicious cappucino at the Cley visitor centre we decided to make our way round to Winterton Dunes. This is a vast area of dunes and adjacent scrub either side of a car park. There had been reports of Greenish Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Wryneck and Red Backed Shrike.

Jono had been given some advice about location and we made our way to the totem pole area where the Wryneck had been seen. Although there were a number of birders none of them had actually found it so we carried on to see if we could get a look at the Shrike.

It was a good two mile walk and apart from a lone Whinchat we saw no other birds for the whole of the walk!

Eventually we arrived to find two photographers and a stunning male Red Backed Shrike posing happily on a nearby bush. A few photos later and my third UK lifer of the day - fantastic!

Our walk back was equally birdless though a very showy Yellowhammer did give good views.

We had a cursory look at the South Dunes but although we could see birders it would have been another long walk to find the other birds. I was knackered by now and Jono had a curry booked with Her Wendiness so we made our way home.

A terrific day and some marvellous birds. Roll on our two night trip to Portland in a couple of weeks!