Dorset - Portland - Plenty Happening on Portland!

A tour which began last Thursday ending Saturday afternoon was loaded with different fortunes. I experienced some of the worst rain I have seen in England. It reminded me of my time spent in Paraguay where storms would close the area down for days at a time!

(Baird's Sandpiper photograph by Peter Coe)

The prize on the tour if your from the UK was a Baird’s Sandpiper that had dropped into Ferrybridge during the Friday evening. Peter Coe was photographing birds on the mud and secured some excellent pictures of the bird which would have been lost if I had relied on my photographic skills! I am very grateful for his presence and permission to use his photos on my websites. Summary of trip report here at Dorset Bird Tours .

I returned to Portland yesterday following a movement of around 700 Great Shearwaters off the bill in an hour the previous day! The birds are known to return along the channel on the French or the English side! Having staked out Portland Bill with Roly we could only muster a couple of Arctic Skua with Manx and a couple of Balearic Shearwater during our vigil.

I returned to the Portland Bird Observatory noting a small gathering outside the entrance and it transpired a Pallid Harrier had been seen earlier in the morning. The bird having been spotted by Charlie over Chesil Cove! The observers were increased by two with Roly soon called out “Ive got it!”. The bird flew low over the houses and down towards The Pulpit Inn and was not seen again! There are many better pictures out there which indicate the bird is a second calendar year male!

An Ortolan Bunting put in a brief appearance perched up on a bush by the small pond in the Crown Estate field. The bird was heard in the field during the afternoon but did not put in another appearance despite a search of the area.

Autumn migration is definitely gaining speed! I wonder what will be next on Portland! I will be back soon!