Tuesday 1 September 2009

Roses Are Rosy - and so, sometimes, are Starlings

It was destined to be a dull day, as for a kick-off I had to go to Dorchester on 'domestic duties'. I did squeeze Radipole and Lodmoor in first with 6 over-flying Yellow Wagtail and a singing Chiffchaff at the former, and 9 Black-tailed Godwit, 25 Dunlin, 4 Little Egret, who knows how many vocal Water Rail and a Common Sandpiper at the latter. The 'mundane' completed I arrived home at the same time as a text from 'Bomber' announcing Rose-coloured Starling at Weston Road - not to be missed! It was a bit flighty when I re-located it at Pound Piece and was soon on the Royal Manor School sports field, then the accompanying flock fragmented and I didn't see it again. I'm sure there will be better photographs at other sites before the day is out, but for me this was the first Dorset image of this species, plus a 'year tick'. So it wasn't that dull after all was it?

Rose-coloured Starling - Weston, Portland

Little Grebe - Radipole Lake, Weymouth (couldn't resist this smart looking bird)

Waders Continued - a few more to keep you going, I particularly like the Stint, but did you ever see a Dunlin quite like that. There are suggestions, so I am told by those in the know, that this Alaskan alpina could be split?

Red-necked Stint - Barrow, Alaska

Dunlin - Barrow Alaska

Great Knot - East Point, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Grey-tailed Tattler - Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei