Thrill Me - Simply Red

Late Post? - Yes, I fell among Thieves (Good Friends)

Secret was a little late switching off the Moth Trap when the downpour started late yesterday evening so all that was found this morning was a bunch of soggy egg-trays and an inch of rain. Fortunately, others arrived at the Observatory bearing gifts of

SPRUCE CARPET

and the scarce CLANCY'S RUSTIC
by kind permission of Ricky Lambert.

L-ALBUM WAINSCOT
was in my own trap a couple of days ago but with fumbling fingers
it was allowed to escape before committing to the camera.
No matter, this one was in the Obs trap the following day.

All else where these 2 very interesting looking

FLIES

Most bizarrely the final thing to be plucked from the mist nets

was a short twig complete with leaf and clinging on was this

POPLAR HAWK-MOTH CATERPILLAR
However, that said there was potential of things a little more 

exciting on the horizon so to Sweethill to pick up Secret
and off to Ferry Bridge.

These day's we are all well used to seeing Kite Surfers in Portland Harbour but it looked like this one may have been a little 'off course' on the cusp of Chesil Beach. At the Bridge things remain pretty much as in recent days with c7 Bar-tailed Godwit, a couple of Sanderling, single Knot, c46 Mediterranean Gull and uncounted Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone. The only notable addition were over 200 Brent Geese including one Pale-bellied which we had reported to us but didn't see.

 

Bird 'ringing' is the key to discovery of so much information so the
birder is always on the lookout. Difficult to see ring details in the field,
the camera can often disclose this information.

While this ringed BLACK-HEADED GULL has still to be verified
it would seem, from those in the know, it origin's are likely
Radipole Lake and tagged by Luke Phillips.

Ever onward to the ARMY BRIDGING CAMP on the Fleet at Wyke Regis and in search of our 'target bird' for the day. West Bay (English Channel) can be seen in this image above the Chesil Beach with just a glimpse of The Fleet below that. This is where Secret spotted a hunting

SPARROWHAWK

which we soon located with 'prey'

and soon took off at our approach.

From the remains and the image above the 'prey species'
could not be determined.

When we finally arrived at the location described
it was in very short time that we made contact with the distant

RED-BACKED SHRIKE

that was found by fellow birder Paul Rendell yesterday. Despite the distance, it is always a Great Trill to see such a bird. It is also gratifying to report that this now extremely rare British Breeding Bird has successfully brought off 2 young this year in Devonshire.

A polite request was made to the 'Horse fraternity' for access to the field, but this was denied so the best shots available of this bird are above. The best from the archive is also shown.

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Picture This - Blondie

Nowhere near the number of migrant birds on the move as yesterday, so it was thought worthwhile to visit the north end of the Island and maybe a little further afield. The weather remains dank, misty, overcast with a fresh easterly breeze and an ever present threat of rain. Under such condition we might have hoped of a little more in the Moth Trap, but pickings were slim.

BEADED CHESTNUT
was about the best of the poor haul, but have to admit to a

growing fondness for the FLIES that are caught.
Don't worry I wont be getting into Diptera.

CRANEFLY

So, with little to please there I dragged kicking and screaming
my Great Friend

THE SECRET LEMONADE DRINKER
(aka Gary White)

out for a mornings birding firstly at Ferry Bridge.

DUNLIN

BAR-TAILED GODWIT with CURLEW

OYSTERCATCHER

BAR-TAILED GODWIT

OYSTERCATCHER

young GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

adult GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

MEDITERRANEAN GULL

BLACK-HEADED GULL

BAR-TAILED GODWIT

TURNSTONE
Then what qualifies as the Biggest Mistake of the Week
we had a wander round Radipole.

The 'good news' first with lots of Bearded Tit, c3 Water Rail, good numbers of vocal Cetti's Warbler and at long last the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has decided to re-thatch the Visitor's Centre roof with 'Radipole' reed!

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

HOPS

Now you may well ask how Hops got onto this Nature Reserve. After the Second World War all the rubble from bomb damaged buildings in Weymouth was carted off to Radipole to serve as hardcore for the proposed footpaths. Along with this came a quantity garden waste much of which rejuvenated such as Buddleia and a variety of flowers.

I'll make the excuses well in advance "the light was poor there and even worse when pointing the camera skyward" but nonetheless we did manage a few reasonable shots of c2

HOBBY

putting on a splendid aerial display

deftly catching Dragonflies and eating them 'on the wing'
(top picture).

Pictorial evidence, if indeed needed, of 2 birds.

 Then came the diabolical bit.

How in heaven's name can the RSPB justify erecting this
MONSTROSITY
in the middle of the most 'unique' of wild places.

These 'flourecent' paintings were done by local school children,
to whom I wish no disrespect, but surely they would be better
placed inside the Visitor's Centre or an Art Gallery. 

Add to that all the other out of place JUNK they have ditched
along the hedgerows (we have a perfectly adequate Sculpture Park
at Tout Quarry on Portland)

it beggars belief as to what they will do next.
KEEP RADIPOLE NATURALLY WILD YOU MORONS!!

After the excitement of the Hobby on our return to the Obs we
caught site of more birds of prey in the guise of MERLIN (above
archive), Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.

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