Saturday 28 September 2013

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding

Recuperate is too strong a word, but if you have sit around doing nothing for a couple of days then where better than the Portland Bird Observatory. It was pure coincidence that a 'group' booked to stay there had cancelled at short notice and seeing this on the Warden's web site Portland Bird Observatory I struck while the iron was hot! Time for a leisurely coffee while tending the Moth Trap, which contained
 DUSKY THORN
 a new addition to the Property List in the shape of
 SMALL WAINSCOT*
 
 and another
 All else amounted to what might be a SHIELDBUG
then time for the steady drive to Portland.
While I doubt much ground will be covered on foot, the intent will be to keep an ongoing list for the week back up by as many images as possible. In addition the trap will run at Sweethill, just a mile or so to the north of the Obs, in the hope of catching things a little different to here. Luckily, and with a little 'local knowledge', one can still park at various places at the northern edge of Poole Harbour so without leaving the comfort of the car get reasonable views of the bird life there.  First to show and in the same bush were
 BLUE TIT and
 GREAT TIT
 while on the water was found
BLACK-HEADED GULL,
 CANADA GOOSE,
 GREYLAG GOOSE,
 HERRING GULL,
 MUTE SWAN
 and COOT.
 FIELD MAPLE Sp??
 The Tits continued and were represented by
LONG-TAILED
 then back to the sea where a good number of both
BLACK-TAILED GODWIT
 
and WIGEON 
which now seem to have established themselves.
 LITTLE EGRET
were, as usual, numerous and all that was seen of
 DUNLIN
was this small flock heading at speed away from the observer.
 Finally on the photo front this
COMMON BUZZARD
put in a brief appearance, disappeared then returned
being mobbed by a couple of 
CARRION CROW.
During this period Jay, Magpie, Moorhen, Feral and Wood Pigeon, Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Shoveler, Redshank, Teal, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Greenshank, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Great Black-backed Gull, Pied Wagtail and c2 Kingfisher were recorded but escaped the lens. The continuation to Portland was punctuated by a visit to my ol' shipmate and mentor John (Ginger) Prince and his wife Val which turned into lunch and a session of 'swinging the lantern' - "oh for a life on the rolling sea"!
So, the List kicks off with a modest 36 - Watch This Space!
Entry          Pageviews
United Kingdom
               776
United States
               261
Russia
                 46
Germany
                 27
Canada
                 25
India
                 25
Estonia
                 16
China
                 12
France
                 12
Australia
                 10