Damsels & Damselflies

The weather had turned very much for the better this morning, and walking through the cemetery listening to Goldcrests in the Pines, a text from the Observatory alerted me to a Golden Oriole that had been caught there at 05:50. The sun was already warm as I crossed on to Radipole and with the wind edging nearer to southerly

this Great Crested Grebe also seemed to be basking in the conditions.

There was also Bearded Tit activity in 3 of the reed-beds, but this presumed juvenile was the only one to show. At Lodmoor I met up with Daragh who had been waiting for the

Arctic Tern to appear, which it did at the same time as me. With news that the

Savi's Warbler was also showing well, having been here for 2 weeks now,

we headed off to Beachdown Way where I was able to secure a few distant photographs, the first ever of this species anywhere. Close inspection shows a ring on the left leg!

Parting company, I now wandered the west path to find this predated Mallard egg

which looked every bit as if it had been taken by a Corvid, Carrion Crow?, Magpie?

On the dried out mud there were a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and further along

the Honeysuckle was seen to be in full bloom while the members of the

Common Tern colony all took to the wing at the same time and for no apparent reason.

The final sighting on, or perhaps I should say 'above' was this para-glider making the most of the thermals.

At Portland, once again I took a look at the Curtis puddle and noted today that it wasn't just House Martins utilising the water and the mud, but a Swallow had joined in collecting building material,

while a number of House Sparrows indulged in a little bathing and

a few Linnets, including this male,

where enjoying a much needed drink. Apart from the now 'long gone' Golden Oriole, there was little to hold me at the Bird Observatory for long, and with a drink date with 2 lovely ladies pending there was just time to capture these

Azure Damselfly and

Large Red Damselfly

Leslie Brown, Myself and Val Watts enjoyed a splendid lunchtime drink together which was supposed to be a Bon Voyage tot before my departure next week. I just keep getting the feeling there may be 2 or 3 more of these before I actually leave? Great to share your company ladies!