Bridge of Sighs - Robin Trower

After the 'purple' finish to last month (Wryneck, Tree Sparrow, Brent Goose and Sabine's Gull) it was always likely there would be a dip to start September. There was, but under an overcast sky and continuing chill north east breeze, I made an early start for Portland. At Barleycrates the tone of the walk was set with just 4 dozen Swallows, c8 Wheatear, c5 Sand Martin along with 2 each of Raven and Peregrine. Things did brighten a little as I flushed a Grasshopper Warbler from the weed field close to the Privet Hedge and 'heard' another (a 'hat trick') in the Sun Flower field opposite the Observatory. My joy was short lived as announcing to all and sundry at the Obs and making note on the daily record sheet of the Warblers to find that the song was coming from a 'tape lure' and not a Gropper!

Little in the Moth Traps as well,with just this poor shot of a ROSY RUSTIC, so to cut my losses it was hot foot to Ferry Bridge for the turn of the high tide.

On the way there was a Yellow Wagtail at Southwell, while at the Bridge the first signs of Zostra (Eel) Grass had been washed up on the foreshore which should be of benefit to the 'hundreds' of Brent Geese that will be arriving here all too soon.

The Paralympic Sailing started today,so no surprise to see the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Team patrolling the Fleet, but the ebb was about to begin so time time to take up station at the high water mark.

Already there were a number of MEDITERRANEAN GULLs there

 including a couple of young birds along with

a few BLACK-HEADED GULLs.

Shortly a SANDWICH TERN joined the throng while a further c2 passed over the Chesil Beach and into West Bay.

Having tripped over the laptop lead and severed the connection yesterday evening (sober I might add) and now reduced to the 'tablet', it was just easier to download all the photographs after editing, hence the array.

Small Waders started to arrive, including c5 SANDERLING about 100 Ringed Plover

andlikely as many DUNLIN

in varying stages of plumage and stance.

 

Some still maintain traces of summer plumage,

while others have lost much of their black bellies.

That's when another Tern dropped in, this time what looks like a juvenile COMMON TERN.

and finally at the Bridge there was a fly past by one of the adult MEDITERRANEAN GULLs also in winter attire.

and here are the Stats after another good month.

	Num	Perc.	Country Name
	69887	71.54%	United Kingdom
	7351	7.53%	United States
	1295	1.33%	Canada
	1107	1.13%	Australia
	1038	1.06%	Germany
	961	0.98%	Estonia
	943	0.97%	France
	908	0.93%	Japan
	894	0.92%	Netherlands
	757	0.77%	Italy
	685	0.70%	India
	655	0.67%	New Zealand
	625	0.64%	Spain
	600	0.61%	Philippines
	524	0.54%	Taiwan
	484	0.50%	Brazil
	442	0.45%	Korea, Republic Of
	386	0.40%	Sweden
	369	0.38%	Poland
	353	0.36%	Thailand
	329	0.34%	Belgium
	303	0.31%	Russian Federation
	298	0.31%	Norway
	236	0.24%	Romania
	232	0.24%	Ireland
	229	0.23%	Switzerland
	228	0.23%	South Africa
	218	0.22%	Malaysia
	210	0.21%	Mexico
	207	0.21%	Turkey
	199	0.20%	Finland
	194	0.20%	Peru
	190	0.19%	Indonesia
	160	0.16%	Portugal
	160	0.16%	Greece
	160	0.16%	Czech Republic
	158	0.16%	Argentina
	151	0.15%	Denmark
	149	0.15%	Colombia
	139	0.14%	Hungary
	133	0.14%	Sri Lanka
	133	0.14%	Israel
	131	0.13%	Pakistan
	129	0.13%	Singapore
	128	0.13%	Saudi Arabia
	113	0.12%	Ukraine
	112	0.11%	Bulgaria
	109	0.11%	United Arab Emirates
	105	0.11%	Hong Kong
	104	0.11%	Vietnam
	87	0.09%	Croatia
	85	0.09%	Slovakia
	82	0.08%	Chile
	76	0.08%	Austria
	75	0.08%	Oman
	68	0.07%	Anonymous Proxy
	66	0.07%	Serbia
	63	0.06%	Costa Rica
	59	0.06%	Venezuela
	56	0.06%	Malta
	54	0.06%	Europe
	54	0.06%	Lithuania
	51	0.05%	Egypt
	46	0.05%	Madagascar
	46	0.05%	Ecuador
	44	0.05%	Qatar
	41	0.04%	Bangladesh
	37	0.04%	Asia/pacific Region
	35	0.04%	Palestinian Territory
	34	0.03%	El Salvador
	33	0.03%	Slovenia
	33	0.03%	Luxembourg
	32	0.03%
	26	0.03%	Guatemala
	26	0.03%	Trinidad And Tobago
	26	0.03%	Morocco
	26	0.03%	Iraq
	25	0.03%	Satellite Provider
	25	0.03%	Georgia
	23	0.02%	Guernsey
	23	0.02%	Lebanon
	23	0.02%	Mongolia
	22	0.02%	Dominican Republic
	21	0.02%	Latvia
	20	0.02%	Jamaica
	20	0.02%	Yemen
	20	0.02%	Lao People's Democratic Republic
	19	0.02%	Kuwait
	19	0.02%	Belarus
	18	0.02%	Cyprus
	18	0.02%	Macedonia
	17	0.02%	Kenya
	15	0.02%	Isle Of Man
	15	0.02%	Jersey
	14	0.01%	Belize
	12	0.01%	Maldives
	12	0.01%	Jordan
	11	0.01%	Armenia
	11	0.01%	Algeria
	11	0.01%	Montenegro
	11	0.01%	Gibraltar
	11	0.01%	Bermuda
	10	0.01%	Moldova, Republic Of
	10	0.01%	Tunisia
	10	0.01%	Azerbaijan
	9	0.01%	Cambodia
	9	0.01%	Nigeria
	9	0.01%	Bahrain
	9	0.01%	Reunion
	9	0.01%	Panama
	8	0.01%	China
	8	0.01%	Virgin Island, U.s.
	8	0.01%	Uruguay
	7	0.01%	Iceland
	7	0.01%	Puerto Rico
	7	0.01%	Zimbabwe
	7	0.01%	Bosnia And Herzegovina
	7	0.01%	Aruba
	7	0.01%	Namibia
	7	0.01%	Nepal
	6	0.01%	Netherlands Antilles
	6	0.01%	New Caledonia
	6	0.01%	Brunei Darussalam
	6	0.01%	Tanzania, United Republic Of
	6	0.01%	Honduras
	5	0.01%	Ethiopia
	5	0.01%	Bhutan
	5	0.01%	Mauritius
	5	0.01%	Albania
	5	0.01%	Barbados
	4	0.00%	Bahamas
	4	0.00%	Syrian Arab Republic
	3	0.00%	Guyana
	3	0.00%	Zambia
	3	0.00%	Dominica
	3	0.00%	Bolivia
	3	0.00%	Virgin Islands, British
	3	0.00%	Cameroon
	3	0.00%	Faroe Islands
	3	0.00%	Gambia
	3	0.00%	Sudan
	2	0.00%	Macao
	2	0.00%	Seychelles
	2	0.00%	Uganda
	2	0.00%	Botswana
	2	0.00%	Ghana
	2	0.00%	Andorra
	2	0.00%	Guam
	2	0.00%	Grenada
	2	0.00%	Gabon
	2	0.00%	Iran, Islamic Republic Of
	2	0.00%	Fiji
	1	0.00%	Afghanistan
	1	0.00%	Malawi
	1	0.00%	Haiti
	1	0.00%	French Polynesia
	1	0.00%	Uzbekistan
	1	0.00%	Falkland Islands (malvinas)
	1	0.00%	Suriname
	1	0.00%	Cote D'ivoire
	1	0.00%	Vanuatu
	1	0.00%	Saint Lucia
	1	0.00%	Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
	1	0.00%	Swaziland
	1	0.00%	Turks And Caicos Islands
	1	0.00%	Cayman Islands
	1	0.00%	Kazakhstan
	1	0.00%	Martinique

Bird In The Hand - Ice Cube

The early morning 'Mackerel' sky and unseasonable chilly wind quickly gave way to the bright sunshine as the day wore on and even before leaving the house I was in for a treat or two. A neighbour had given me a Yucca plant some time ago, and while that is doing very well the 'self set' Buddleia that has grown beside it is outstripping it in size. I had attempted to pull it up but very pleased not to have had the strength as there on the path was this fine

PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY

which quickly decided that the blooms would be far favourable than the concrete. Racing indoors to collect both camera and binoculars I returned to hear something of an unusual 'chirruping' from above

 

recognisable as a TREE SPARROW. The bird was in fact seen but would have been of no use had it remained mute, so what is an excellent record in Dorset these days was immediately entered in the log. Archive photo. In the cemetery there was a family party of Coal Tit, confirming breeding there this year, along with more Insects than probably the total seen during the rest of the year?

 Diptera, the FLIES, is not a subject I'm at all familiar with although they intrigue me, so consulting the Field Guide this specimen is thought to be Sarcophaga carnaria, sounds a bit too technical to me!

This would appear to be the Hoverfly Volucella inanis

along with maybe another Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii.

This appears to be the same Insect but is posted more for 'artistic content' due to the leaf. The 'full moon' is upon us at present, making for and early (07:00) high tide so directly to Portland Bill on the bus rather than Ferry Bridge. Ain't it always the way, as from the bus window I spotted what for me at least was the first

 

BRENT GOOSE of the year and the first I have ever seen in the month of August - only just! Archive photo.
There was certainly some action at the Bill as within minutes a good number of Hirundines were recorded, mostly Swallows but at least 6 Sand Martins along with a couple of House Martins. Around Pulpit Rock and the Common Wheatears too were in good numbers as were Pied Wagtail and Rock Pipits both of which seemed to be favouring the rock ledges.

At the Bird Observatory there was news of a Nightjar which had been seen twice, but for me there was the pleasure of the first returning BLACKCAP of the Autumn, a male,

 

and this ROBIN. With little in the Moth Traps to keep me Culverwell was to be the next stop as that was the direction the Nightjar was last seen flying.

 

The COASTGUARD HELICOPTER passed low overhead as I reached the bushes, but there was no sign of the target bird. Instead I got lucky with

c2 COMMON WHITETHROAT,

 

a single LESSER WHITETHROAT,

lots of GOLDFINCH, a few Greenfinch

and a single RAVEN. The Whitethroat photos are from the archive for illustration. There was to be a final bonus before I left for home, by was of a Grasshopper Warbler which, bearing no 'ring' was not the one caught at the Obs earlier in the day.

Back at home the Buddleia was now awash with Butterflies as the presumed Painted Lady had stayed there to be joined by c5

RED ADMIRALS and

c8 SMALL TORTOISESHELLS - makes me glad I didn't pull it up!

Seagull - Bad Company

 Seagull, you fly across the horizon
Into the misty morning sun.
Nobody asks you where you are going,
Nobody knows where you're from.

Paul Rogers - Seagull

A peek out of the window at 05:00 and the town was once again shrouded in threatening black clouds looking every bit like a continuation of yesterday's wet weather. Hanging on for the turn of the high spring tide proved beneficial as I missed the only shower of the day and also caught up with this fine looking

LITTLE GREBE at Westham Bridge.

Whether keeping a low profile during the breeding season or just simply absent, this is the first I have seen for a number of weeks.

 

The bus to Ferry Bridge and already there was a strip of sand exposed at the southern edge holding a few small Waders, but they would have to wait until I had investigated what this HERRING GULL hand caught.

Its distinctive plumage showed that it is an individual that has taken up residence close to the bridge in recent month and had caught a PIPEFISH. A species that frequents the shallows and not difficult to catch I would suspect, but for a Gull devouring it would be quite another challenge. Narrow, long and bony makes it a bit of a bill full, but they are also strong, pound for pound, have a leathery skin so frequently found stranded and abandoned - bon appetite. 

Not all of the Waders further on were small as c2 Curlew, a Whimbrel and an Oystercatcher were among 100 or so each of Dunlin and Ringed Plover, as were c7 Sanderling, c2 Turnstone and what was likely 'the' Knot of recent days. All else of note was a Little Egret in the margins until the mobile phone crackled into life, "a rare bird at Portland Bill"!

Paralympic Sailing starts over the weekend so already 'security' has been beefed up. HMS Bulwark deploying Merlin Helicopter with regularity, Dorset Police following suit, few more officers on the ground and as shown here the Met Water Division patrolling local sea area.

 

Continuing with Olympic business, I had chance today to serve a long outstanding apology to this gentleman. I have known Dave Derby since the early 70's but always thought his surname was Allan. In the Royal Navy, all with such name are affectionately referred to as 'Derby' Allan and I have always called him this. It wasn't until he was a Torch Bearer at the Bill that I realised his proper name so had chance to redress the matter this morning. All the best to you and Mrs Derby again David.

I think secretly that Secret is becoming a secret 'twitcher' and likes to know what is going on in the 'birding' world, so passed this mornings message on to him en route to the Bill. We met up in Southwell village and as we arrived were met by John and Morwellan Down and told that the 'rare bird' was still in sight and not too far away - can you see it yet??

Those already in attendance gave us a clue, so we headed for the group consisting of from left Keith Pritchard, Peter Coe, Martin Cade (Warden PBO), Ken Parker, Neil Arnold, JW (Williamson), Neil's partner Chris plus AN Other and there it was.

 

A splendid adult SABINE'S GULL

 

which I circled at a distance to bring you every angle possible.

A bird of Northern climes, it would be more suited to areas within the Arctic Circle right now than here in Dorset - but who's complaining?

On the approach of a local dog walker with her 3 dogs, I kindly requested she gave the bird a 'wide berth' which she duly did. Whether it was the presence of the animals or not, the Gull soon took to the wing, gained good altitude and disappeared to the west.

The Sabine's gull is named after the British general and scientist Sir Edward Sabine, who discovered the species in 1818 on the west coast of Greenland.

Having photographed all but 3 of the world's 54 Gull species, these images taken in the Pribilof Islands last year were the best achieved thus far of Sabine's.

Today's bird provided a much sort after closer view and shot than previously.