The Year's Best Two Dozen + 4

The plan was to end a great year of 'Dorset Birding' with a flourish, but on the final day it just didn't happen. Regular readers will doubtless recognise these images of Lyme Regis, in my home county of Dorset, a place I have very much rediscovered and enjoyed this year. The word on the street is that the Spotted Sandpiper has shown itself again here, and as an absentee from my Dorset December List (yes I know) it was something of a priority.

A search was made of all the likely places including the Harbour,

all Harbour Walls and Sea Defences

up to and including The Cob and Rocks beyond. There was no sign of any Black Redstart, Grey Wagtail or Dippers up on a huge up side I did meet a group of 3 people, one from Bulgaria and the others from Poland, which was a great kick. There was time to stop and chat and once again, if you are reading this, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The year may still end with a flurry of bird-life, and while there are still 10 days to go, these will not be spent at home. On the strength of all of that I think we can happily sub the year up with what for me have been the 28 best photographs of the year. It is hoped to publish a look-back at the year overall on New Years Eve.

A great start to the year as this Long-billed Dowitcher stayed over from 2010, and although ranging far and wide it was remarkably confiding particularly in Poole Park.

Later in January we were blessed with an influx of Waxwing sticking around long enough for most people to see them.

During the second month there were a good number of Bewick's Swan at their traditional wintering quarters at Ibsley, Hampshire always worth the drive, and

by this time a Ring-billed Gull had also arrived in Poole Park where it stayed for a number of days.

The first good bird for March, a Rufous (Oriental) Turtle Dove, (archive photo from South Korea) required a 'twitch' to Oxfordshire and was well worth the drive for a GB first for me.

Red-throated Diver was at last photographed in Dorset during the same month,

and before March was over a Hoopoe at Portland was added to the Year List.

On the 2nd of April the counties second Red-flanked Bluetail arrived to the delight of many, but for Dave Tissington and I this was followed by a flight to Aberdeen, Scotland.

Red Grouse are usually easy enough to see, but given what they describe as the Glorious First (August when the shooting season starts) it's no wonder they are a little difficult to approach.

Before April was over, it was a case of 'right time, right place' as this Sub-Alpine Warbler obligingly got tangled in an Observatory mist net.

On the 20th May I was also close at hand for the Radipole Black-winged Stilt, coinciding with my own urge to migrate.

It was California Baja, Mexico for Yellow-footed Gull one of the final 3 Gulls in the world I had not yet seen.

Hawaii was next and very successful seeing for the first time, Fairy Tern, then

Laysan Albatross plus the endemic

Hawaiian Duck. Other favorites included

Tufted Puffin

Red-legged Kittiwake (my 'Bird of the Year').

Rock Sandpiper

Australian King Parrot

Bald Eagle


Long-tailed Skua

Pigeon Guillemot

Red-necked Phalarope

Scrub Jay

Don't They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid

We start with a late item from Monday, late as all I had the wit for was to post the Blog. My friend Lesley Brown (right) had kindly invited me to lunch, with my suggestion to meet at the house of mutual friends Michael & Wendy Honebon. My reasoning was that as I had promised to share a good wine with them before Lesley and I departed in separate directions for the holiday this presented an ideal moment.

The wine, a Charley Herring Spotwood Shiraz (the bottle is already empty) was very good, but it was unanimously agreed that a second bottle would not go amiss. Well, you know how sometimes one thing can lead to another, it was a further 3 bottles later that we decided to send for a Chinese Take Away which we ate with a further 3 bottles. Lesley and I never did get to the Riverside Pub for lunch but had a darn good laugh these impromptu parties often being the best, I was poured into a taxi about 20:30, hence the late post last night - Hic!

The morning started on a real bright note as I sat first thing enjoying a coffee and watching the BBC News, when all of a sudden there in front of me was one of the most sort after birds in the world. The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is one of the most critically endangered creatures on the planet, and like its predecessor the Ne Ne or Hawaiian Goose there have been a number of eggs taken from their nests on the Russian Steppe and taken to the Wildlife & Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire.

We can only hope that the result for them will be the same as the Goose which was plucked, if that's the right word, from the edge of extinction.

With Great Spotted Woodpeckers displaying and both Carrion Crow & Long-tailed Tit seen carrying nesting material during this month, it might be fair to say that it's down to some unseasonable weather.

No surprise then when this pair of Wood Pigeons were caught 'at it' at the exact spot that the Blackbird escaped the clutches of the Sparrowhawk.

Don't They Know It's Christmas?

Collared Dove on the Sparrowhawk ridge, a few Redwing (now becoming daily), a Black-tailed Godwit, ever present

Black-headed Gulls and a few Common Snipe were about all that were seen, so it was off to the seafront to catch the Portland Bill bus.

While waiting there was time to take a look at this Oil Tanker Mare Atlantic swinging to her anchor in Weymouth Roads, while there was a pleasant surprise when the bus arrived.

An early visitation from Father Christmas which rather please the Bus Pass Birder.

On the Bill Common and Car Park there was the usual gathering of Herring Gulls, while down at the Point

these Crab and Lobster Fishermen were already hard at work. There was a feeding frenzy of mostly mixed Gull and some Gannets much further out in the Tidal Race with the odd Guillemot and Razorbill flying through. In addition there was again a single Purple Sandpiper and while taking a coffee at the Bird Observatory I was lucky to see 2 of what had been over 30 Red-throated Divers.

Leaving to head home, this Car Transporter was chugging its way up Channel while

this Goldfinch, one of the UK's smartest looking small birds,

graced this roadside bush.

As far as Common Buzzards go this was quite close,

so when it perched on a dry stone wall

there was chance to capture a few more shots.

Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees

Still trailing by a day, so it's back to the second day of frost but otherwise another lovely day. Walk through the cemetery produced this winters first 'feeding'

Redwing, the very few others have all been fly-overs, and not surprisingly

in this apple tree closest to the house and outwith the graveyard wall. This tree must attract as many birds as all the others combined so always worth a long look. Chaffinches predominated here today with singing bids seeming to be perched in most of the trees.

This car was covered in ice that morning, but I'm sure readers living further north would be happy to swap weather conditions.

Have you ever seen a Blackbird looking 'sheepish'?

Well now you have, and one that was lucky to still be with us.

Feeding in a local garden it hadn't seen what I had, but all of that was about to change as the local

Sparrowhawk

launched itself from the ridge and gave chase, fortunately we can report

it made off empty taloned.

Over at Radipole water levels were back to their previous low, where what Common Snipe were present seemed to be flying in from further up the River Wey Valley.

Ice had also formed on the Buddleia Lagoon,

and also today the Cormorants were able to stand on the now exposed rock island.

As in the cemetery there were plenty of Chaffinches here as well a little bolder that usual now food is becoming harder to find.

On the car park I met Derrick the Duck Ringer along with Terry Coombs and his helpers Guy and Catherine. Unfortunately, the lovely photograph of the latter 3 was lost due to a 'technical error' (aka 'gross incompetence) leaving just this one of baiting the Ducks.

The target of this ringing exercise were Tufted Ducks, which on this occasion seemed to be keeping there distance. Even a bucket full of corn wasn't having the desire effect, luring everything including the Hooded Merganser and the Strange Duck. It may be of interest to some that I for one have never seen the Merganser take any human offered food, only ever seeing it feed on small Crabs, Eels and other small fish. That is not to say it is not 'hoovering' the bed of the lake for corn or bread, but there is a theory that it is attracted to the feeding station as are the fish and crabs.

However, the corn was attracting good numbers of Coot & Mute Swans.

Portland on the whole remains quiet except I did see, at great distance, one of a few Red-throated Divers picked up by the Sea Watchers but unfortunately not the Eider Duck.

Nevertheless, there are still the stalwarts that can be relied upon including the 2 Little Owls

One of at least 3 Common Kestrels

a Magpie

plus beautiful sunny views across Weymouth Bay and onward to the Purbeck Hills

and Southwell Village. Finally, a couple of shots from a little further afield, firstly from my friend

Patricia Shearing of this fine male Mandarin just 10 minutes walk from her home in the Thames Valley,

and a little closer to home from my mate Paul Harris who saw this Great Bustard fly over his house earlier this week and the next day found it feeding in a field at Buckland Ripers a small village just outside of Weymouth. Thank you both for a pair of stunning photographs.