Sunday 15 January 2017

Man about town

Urban birding has become something of a habit lately, and we are fortunate in Dorset to have a number of good options in this regard. Last weekend saw me pottering around a few more of the county's birding hotspots between Portland and Dorchester. First stop was Fortuneswell and Chesil Cove at the southern end of Chesil Beach, where a pair of Black Redstarts were flitting on the rocks - same time, same place as a pair last year. A trio of Eider Duck were the highlight of a quick scan of Portland Harbour before lunch with the ducks and gulls at Radipole Lake in Weymouth. There was just time to twitch a first winter male Rose-Coloured Starling on the rooftops of suburban Dorchester before heading back to Purbeck to see about 10,000 of its more familiar cousin, the Common Starling, come in to a spectacular roost at Studland's South Haven.
Male Black Redstart, Chesil Cove
Black Redstart, Chesil Cove
Female Black Redstart, Chesil Cove
Rock Pipit, Chesil Cove
Meadow Pipit, Ferrybridge
Eiders in Portland Harbour
Bearded Tit, Radipole Lake
Blackbird, Radipole Lake
Carrion Crow, Chesil Cove
Dunnock, Radipole Lake
Shelduck, Radipole Lake
Black-headed Gull, Radipole Lake
Common Gull, Radipole Lake
Mediterranean Gull, Radipole Lake
Med Gull with Black-headed Gull above
The drake Hooded Merganser still displaying at Radipole
Always a show-off

Male Marsh Harrier at Radipole
Moorhen, Radipole Lake
Feral Pigeon, Radiploe Lake
Rose-coloured Starling, Dorchester
Not looking so good after a bath
Starling murmuration at Studland

2 comments:

  1. Amazing that the Radipole hoody is still there! Wonder how many still have it on their lists?

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    1. Yes he's certainly growing old disgracefully, trying it on with the Tufties...

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