Atonement

Since my last 50+ mile bike ride (to Portland for a Rose-coloured Starling) on 19th September, I've been in danger of becoming what can only be described as a proper lardass. In the intervening month I sat in the back of my friend Bradders' car to go on a gastro-birding holiday to Shetland; I sat in the front of my own car with said friend and 2 others to get to Cornwall en route to the Isles of Scilly; and I lay down for countless uncomfortable hours on ships to get to and from both. All punctuated by consuming an unhealthy amount of pie. 

Barred Warbler, West Bay, 22nd October

The low-carbon birding halo would have slipped down around my ankles had it not got stuck on my paunch, and by Friday night I felt that if I didn't do something dramatic to atone I might never again be able to hoist myself onto the bike. Fortunately, a long-staying Barred Warbler on the cliffs above the coastal town of West Bay provided a good reason to roll off the couch and load up the velo. 

An acrobatic bird

The Warbler had been unearthed thanks to diligent patch-watching by Gavin Haig and kept tabs on by Tom Brereton, whose assiduous recording of the birds of the area have added a number of desirable species to the local list. I contacted both on Friday evening for site directions and to ask if they would be kind enough to relay any news should they receive it while I was en route on Saturday morning.

It was a bit dark at West Bay with thick cloud overhead

Getting to West Bay - some 34 miles west of my starting point in Wareham - at a decent hour would require an early start and with the bike packed the night before I was away shortly before 0600. The first hour or so would have to be completed in the dark, the lowlight of which was at least a dozen frogs or toads (I'm afraid I didn't stop to study them) - squished on the tarmac of the Puddletown Road.

A chunky bird lumbering around the scrub

The sun was rising behind me as I approached Dorchester and was above the horizon by the time I passed King Charles's suburb at Poundbury, after which I rolled down into Martinstown and steeled myself for the daunting 2 mile climb up to the Hardy Monument. At the junction for the Monument, however, a road closed sign caused some consternation, especially when I realised that the detour would redirect me to the A35. 

Barred Warbler

The PTSD from the last time I cycled on the A35 hasn't quite gone, so I ignored the closure sign and hoped that there would at least be enough room to get the bike through. Indeed there was, and as I pressed on and approached the crest of the South Dorset Ridgeway, news came through from Tom that the Barred Warbler was still present. I knew the worst was behind me at this point and topped 35mph as I hurtled down into the Bride Valley, dodging pheasants as I went. From there it was mostly downhill to the coast via national cycle route 2 but for the short climb up out of Burton Bradstock before rolling into West Bay. 

A Ring Ouzel was in the same area as the Barred Warbler

The Barred Warbler was in a patch of coastal scrub half a mile west and a few hundred feet in elevation above West Bay. Gavin had recommended an inland route on tarmac before turning south to the coast but being an idiot I ignored this sensible advice and pushed the bike up the muddy coast path. I was pretty bushed after 3 hours of cycling and the slippery conditions underfoot almost saw me slide back down to West Bay. But I persevered, shimmied the bike through the kissing gate at the clifftop, and was soon at the right spot, marked by Tom and his bike, Steve Carey and his long lens and a couple of others. 

If there is a heaven, it will definitely have one of these: the milkshake vending machine at Martinstown

The Warbler hadn't been seen for 10 minutes but a Ring Ouzel entertained us as we watched. Tom had to leave but Steph and Rob Murphy, over the border from Devon, joined us and Rob soon picked up the Barred Warbler high in the scrub near the cliff top. It eventually made its way towards us as it foraged acrobatically around Elders and Ivy.

A young Hobby at Swineham, 23rd October

After a couple of hours I had enjoyed good views and managed a few photos. In keeping with the theme of the previous month, my thoughts then turned to food. Before long I was checking out the kiosks of West Bay and procuring brunch from one which said 'Biker's Welcome'. I'm not sure a muddy pushbike is what they had in mind but I was made very welcome anyway. Sheltered in the lee of the cabin to finish a cup of life-giving tea, I looked forward to adding Barred Warbler as the 212th species on my 2022 non-motorised year list - and number 254 on my non-motorised life list. Before doing so, however, I would need to complete the journey home under my own steam, without mechanical or medical failure getting in the way!

Hobby, Swineham

I took it easy on the way back, aided by a following breeze, but hit 'the wall' around Martinstown, no doubt daunted by the incline back up to Dorchester. As luck would have it, this dip in energy coincided with the discovery of the Eweleaze Dairy's milk/cheese/ice cream roadside vending machine emporium. 

Hobby feeding on the wing

I'd noticed the machine previously but assumed it was just for plain old milk, and nothing as outrageous as milkshake. A litre of Stawberry-flavoured nectar later and I was positively bounding back onto the bike, buzzing at the novelty of the vending machine as much as the sugar rush I think. From there the off-road route via national route 2 took me to Maiden Castle, before directing me to the southern suburbs of Dorchester.

Brambling, 23rd October - another good bird for Swineham

A small flock of Pink-footed and a Barnacle Geese have arrived in Dorset recently - either of which would be good species for the year list - so I took a few minor detours through the goosier bits of the Frome Valley on the way home, but without success. However, today's warm down saw me hobbling around the much-neglected Swineham patch where an unfamiliar yapping call drew my attention to a lone Barnacle Goose distantly over the Point, bringing the year list to 213. With 70 miles exactly on the clock from Saturday's effort, perhaps I'd earnt the luck!

Barnacle Goose at Swineham - #213 on the non-motorised year list