Tuesday, 22 December 2020

Like the Curate's Egg, Not All Bad - Part II

 It was always going to be High Water when reaching Ferrybridge, Portland so expectations were never like the tide - HIGH! However, not to write things off there were but c2

BRENT GEESE
but not, it should be pointed out, those shown.
The low profile of a
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER
amid the choppy waves was enough to claim a sighting
but had it been a First in My Life it would not have cut the mustard.
Reaching a completely deserted
PORTLAND BILL
(Lighthouse and Trinity House Obalisk right)
it was a chance worth taking to park on the mini roundabout and
Look to Seaward across the notorious
Portland Race dashing over the Shambles Bank
(Shambles being, the same as the narrow thorougfare in York, a Slaughter House)
Most of what Birds were seen were numerous but unclickable 
such as
CORMORANT
in just about equal numbers to
GANNET
but only a single discernable
SHAG
There was no way we were going to even attempt the walk to the cliff edge
where there was a likelihood of
PURPLE SANDPIPER
on the ledges but from the lee of the Lighthouse wall did manage a few
GUILEMOTs
skimming the turbulance of the Race along with just a sole
RAZORBILL
No attempt was made either at the Bill Quarry to find the
BLACK REDSTART
but poor views of a
LITTLE OWL
in the Obs Quary via the camera zoom but left the
Lower Light
PORTLAND BIRD OBSERVATORY
until another day given the worsening virus situation.
Some further effort was put into trying to find maybe a
RED-THROATED DIVER
as well, but no such luck!
Despite the foul weather and the Headline an enjoyable day was had as always good to be back in
This Part of Dorset!