The farm has been relatively quiet of late and I guess that is no surprise as we enter the birding doldrums! There are still birds moving around but to chance over something special is a game of extreme patience!
It was time to take a break and venture further afield to catch up on the spectacle of the local coastal breeding bird colonies along the Dorset coastline at Dancing Ledge! The best views are obtained via a boat trip run by City Cruises which was packed to the rafters with enthusiasts and tourists. The weather was perfect for the trip although the disappearing sun did pose a few challenges for the many photographers on board!
The prize attraction and aim of the trip was to get unrivalled views of Puffin who are present during the breeding season before moving out to sea. The trip did not disappoint with excellent views of several Puffin both on the cliffs and on the sea.
Shag was also noted in flight and along small ledges along the cliff face.
The biggest colony was Guillemot who’s constant “chatter” rivaled the excitement on the boat as they huddled together precariously along several stretches of the rock face. Razorbill were also present but in small numbers.
During our Puffin watch I did spy a distant Gannett which I managed to get some of the folk onto!
A very good trip which I would recommend! It beats sitting it out at the ledge wondering if the Puffins will oblige by making an appearance!
