Ladybird - Tears For Fears

While I get little or no joy from visiting Lodmoor these days, there has been something of a controversial Wading Bird in attendance there recently which was thought worthy of a look this morning. Under a sun filled blue sky and rapidly warming day I joined about 20 others also looking for the bird which was reported as having just disappeared into the reeds.

A small flock of BLACK-TAILED GODWIT kept us entertained during the vigil

along with a few REED WARBLERs (archive), Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap and Reed Bunting.

One of our company decided to try viewing from a different part of the west path and soon re-located what is said to be a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, only the second ever to grace Great British soil. This photograph is also from the archive, for illustration, taken in the Yukon, Canada alongside a PECTORAL SANDPIPER to the right of picture.

A difficult bird to identify, easily confused with close relative the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (for comparison), but whoever found it, it is nice to know there are other 'meer mortals' around like myself who struggle to identify rare Waders. Decent views were had during my brief stay, but in a nutshell rather 'underwhelming' so ever onward!

Novel to note what may well be Passion Fruits growing on a wall nearby

and on the way to Portland a new arrival alongside the Coaling Pier that looks every bit like a Stena Lines Car Ferry?
At the Bill there were lots of Swallows heading to seaward, while on the ground and likely to follow shortly were good numbers of Wheatear and Pied Wagtails.

c2 YELLOW WAGTAILs flew by as I neared the Trinity House Obelisk, but the highlight of today's walk were the people that I met. A couple from Northampton engaged me in stimulating conversation, while it was also a treat to meet 3 the ladies along the coast and latter at the Observatory.

Before arrival there, a LITTLE OWL was showing well at a usual spot from which it has been absent, at least for me, for a number of days now, wile at the Obs there were a few familiar faces that turn up year after year.

These strange looking creatures were thought to be Larvae of the HARLEQUIN LADYBIRD, while the only new arrival that could be found among last nights Moths was this

MULLEIN WAVE.

The final encounter, albeit brief, of the day was of the first returning FIRECREST of the Autumn to the Obs garden

and thought well worthy of a couple of images again from the archive. I'm sure most would agree that this is one of (if not 'the') smartest of British Birds. Looking forward to more tomorrow!