Dorset - Weymouth and Portland - Tour of The Towns!

I took the opportunity to escape “The Smoke” and visit my friends in Dorset. Life is more serene in this neck of the woods no one huffing and puffing jumping into hedges or between parked cars if you venture within 100m of them! Just an exchange of pleasantries and safe passage for all concerned!

(Manx Shearwater)

I even jammed into a twitch at Portland Bill where a good candidate for a Yelkouan Shearwater had been spotted off the lighthouse. I did not see this bird but it was reported during my time on watch at the lighthouse.

 I bumped into fellow Beddington Farmer Nick Gardner and his son “Gripper” AKA Russell. There has been more deviousness on the part of Viridor and I bet Sutton Council will play their part too.

In between the movement of gulls and Shearwaters who were feeding intermittently on the stocks hidden below I kept myself amused with a few year-ticks.

There was good passage of regular sea birds a few Gannet, Razorbill and Guillemot whizzed past the point.

Earlier on that morning oblivious to the above birding frenzy I visited RSPB Radipole, eBird list here and then moved onto Ferrybridge eBird list here to catch a glimpse of the incoming tide. I spied a Knot which was feeding amongst Dunlin as the water advanced towards the Visitor Centre.

Oystercatcher and a mix of gulls were scattered in the area. This is one of several reliable spots in Dorset to see Mediterranean Gull.

After participating in the twitch I visited Lodmoor RSPB eBird list here. where Sandwich Tern, Black Tailed Godwit more Med Gulls and a colony of noisy Common Terns were present. I missed the Arctic Tern but have since heard a review of photographs has ruled out this species. Fair play to the observer for circulating the update!