Stormy weather

We interrupt this recent series of posts about Scottish mega-fauna to bring you a bit of news from closer to home in Dorset - this evening I added Storm Petrel to my county list, not just one but a dozen birds feeding reasonably close inshore at Hengistbury Head in poor weather. Sheltered by a groyne near the beach huts, I managed a few pictures of these tiny and extraordinarily resilient birds before beating a windswept and damp retreat.

Storm Petrel - note the diagnostic broad white band on the underwing...

...the plainer upperwing and white rump

Storm Petrels patter on the water...

...interrupting an otherwise fast, fluttering flight

Legs extended for another patter on the water

The Storm Petrels were feeding around and often inshore of a line of lobster pots