A spritely sprint

My last post was a bit of a downbeat reflection on the relatively poor returns for significant investments of time and energy put into the non-motorised year list last weekend. A bit self-pitying it may have been, but it seems someone was listening with a more balanced reward-effort ratio achieved this past couple of days. 

Pallas's Warbler, Durlston

Sitting around waiting for news is rarely a good strategy for seeing new birds but after an intense working week it was all I could manage on Saturday morning. I had no real plans and set about tidying the house which had been so neglected the previous weekend. By about midday I had the downstairs at least looking respectable, and as I sat down to contemplate lunch, news broke of a Pallas's Warbler at Durlston Country Park, scene of my recent successful Snow Bunting twitch.

Note the lemon yellow rump

Lunch was quickly forgotten, panniers were packed and pedals were soon being pushed in the direction of Swanage. I eschewed the usual scenic back route to Corfe Castle and hit the main road, as the A351 between home and there is more direct and has a hard shoulder wide enough to cycle in. After that, the stretch from Corfe to Harman's Cross would normally also be fine but was made less so on this occasion by the occasional idiot passing too close. I deal with my fear on such occasion by hurling curses at the backs of their vehicles, a quite therapeutic if pointless activity, and no doubt slightly disturbing for any innocent resident standing in a roadside garden wondering if the passing cyclist has Tourette's.

This bird had a couple of mis-placed feathers on the right shoulder

I kept up a pacy 14mph average speed as far as the outskirts of Swanage but this dropped to 12mph as I climbed the steep hill out of town south towards Durlston. James Leaver had overtaken me somewhere near Corfe, and as I hit the first speed bump at the entrance to the Country Park, Jol Mitchell did likewise. Both James and Jol have been regular sources of encouragement throughout my year list quest, as have Steve Smith, Rob Johnson and Phil Saunders who were already on site, and it was good to know these 10 sharp eyes would be looking for the bird by the time I arrived. In fact it was just 8 as I overtook Jol fumbling with change for the car parking ticket machine - but a phone call from Steve just before had already confirmed the continued presence of the Pallas's Warbler.

Sometimes known affectionately as the 'seven-striped sprite' - 3 on the head and 4 on the wings

The original finder of the bird had moved on but it had been re-found not long before by Rob. I joined him and the others and as we watched from the bridge just below the Castle, Phil alerted us to its presence a bit further down the slope. We enjoyed exceptional views as the energetic sprite fidgeted constantly around a Sycamore, on occasion being joined by Chiffchaff, Firecrest and Goldcrest. 

My 2nd of this species at Durlston and 5th in Dorset - but the first by bike

It had been a triumphant twitch and there was enough daylight to set a more leisurely pace for the journey home. As I hit the A351 news came through of a Little Auk in Weymouth and while I momentarily considered going for it, I quickly ruled it out having remembered that it was no longer British Summer Time and it would be dark at least an hour before I got there!

The highlight of 27.5 miles cycled on Saturday

I toyed with the idea of an early start on Sunday to make the 18 mile journey to Weymouth for the Auk, but the Swanage sprint must have taken a bit out of me and by the time I rose it was already light. A stroll around Swineham seemed like a better option but produced not much to write home about so I returned to the house to drag children out of bed and force them to honour the two minute silence at 1100. 

Pallas's Warbler, Durlston

After an early lunch, a foray into Rempstone Forest seemed to offer as good a chance as any to try to add Redpoll to the yearlist. As I lingered in a spot where James had seen a small flock recently, I thought I could hear the flight call of a distant Redpoll but before I could tune into it a phone call from Paul Morton brought exciting news of a Red-necked Grebe in the mouth of Poole Harbour at Studland. I was almost half-way there already and with plenty of daylight left there was no question about not going for it. I tore through the forest, pushing even harder than the previous day's sprint to Durlston, and completed the 6 mile journey in less than 30 minutes.

A Firecrest was sharing the same Sycamore as the Pallas's Warbler 

I was travelling light without a scope but fortunately Steve came to the rescue again and his was trained on the Grebe as I arrived at South Haven and we enjoyed decent views, later catching up with James. Being well placed in Rempstone I had got there before most of the locals and before Jol had even managed to relay the news! Just before starting the 11 mile journey home Steve alerted me to the fact that the Little Auk had been relocated in Weymouth, but again it was too late to contemplate an attempt at this highly desirable species. I didn't mind though, it had been an excellent weekend in good company with 53 miles cycled, 2 high quality additions to the year list and, best of all, zero punctures.

Red-necked Grebe, Studland, 14th November - 212 on the non-motorised year list

February...

The second monthly instalment in my look back at 2016 comes, logically enough, from February. The most fruitful part of the month for wildlife photography was a few days half-term break in Cornwall. Our cottage near Marazion was only a short drive from the undoubted birding highlight of the month, a close encounter with a 1st winter Hudsonian Whimbrel near Perranruthroe. This bird, which first arrived the previous autumn on the Isles of Scilly in first winter plumage, made its way to the mainland and was still being reported within the last few days. Running a close second for photographic highlights was a very entertaining Pallas's Warbler, another long stayer, which spent some time near the Dorset village of Portesham. Six of the best photos from February:

This picture of the Hudsonian Whimbrel at Boat Cove in Cornwall was selected as Birdguides 'Picture of the Week' 

I think this is my favourite photo of it though, for the rocks and the background as much as the bird: my photo of the month and bird of the month for February

This Glaucous Gull in Newlyn Harbour was another highlight of February half-term in Cornwall

Back at home in Poole Harbour, Water Pipits in Lytchett Bay brightened up a few dull February mornings 

Running the Hudsonian Whimbrel a close second for bird of the month was this long-staying Pallas's Warbler

The Goldeneye in Poole Park were very photogenic in February - this the male...

...and this the female

More on wintering warblers

At one point on Saturday the Portesham Pallas's Warbler appeared to be associating with a small group of Chiffchaffs, plenty of which have been over-wintering in our mild climate this year. In truth, I think it was just that they were all gorging on insects in the same area during the sunniest part of the day, as when the sun went in, the Pallas's become more elusive, and when it did reappear it was very much on its own. I say 'Chiffchaff', but with recent DNA test results suggesting that the colybitta, tristis and abietinus sub-species Chiffchaffs were all present in Ireland this time last year, the possibilities seem increasingly endless. But we don't want to spark another Chiff-off between those fractious boffins, do we, so let's just make the altogether more straightforward comparison between Chiffchaff and Pallas's Warbler instead. You know, like one of those ID articles in the magazines. Or a not very challenging 'Challenge ID' piece.

Chiffchaff - no wingbars, a narrow supercilium, and sullied, yellow-washed underparts

Pallas's Warbler - two wingbars (one hidden here), a strong supercilium with matching crown stripe, and pure white underparts

Chiffchaff - very plain wings

Pallas's Warbler - a riot of wingbars and brightly tipped tertials, not to mention a 'cycle helmet' head stripe pattern

Chiffchaff feeding on a bee - a substantial meal

Pallas's Warbler - not feeding on a bee

Chiffchaff dipping its tail to reveal a plain rump

And you won't see a rump like that on a Chiffy! Ok, I admit it, it wasn't an ID post after all, but a thinly veiled excuse to post more photos of that Pallas's Warbler. Can you really blame me?

Earning my stripes

I was fortunate enough to see three Pallas's Warblers in Dorset last autumn. But this is one good thing you can't have too much of, so I had no hesitation in heading off to Portesham early today in the hope of seeing another seven-striped sprite which was found mid-week. A long, cold wait produced nothing more than a few Chiffchaffs, but when the sun came out late morning, so did the Pallas's Warbler, to give exceptional views.

 

Another Purbeck Pallas's

Purbeck's Winspit Valley held two Pallas's Warblers yesterday so I headed there when the rain stopped this morning. I had barely left the village and started down the footpath to the valley when the bright yellow rump of a Pallas's Warbler buzzed down the track in front of me and ducked into the hedge. This was no doubt the same bird as that found yesterday by Andrew Lawson, brother of fellow Swineham regular Marcus. Down at the bottom end of the valley I could find nothing rarer than a Firecrest and a few Blackcaps, but with large numbers of Goldcrests present, the valley held a sense of promise at least.

Pallas's Warbler - my 3rd in Dorset in 2 days

Not perfect photos (taken at ISO 3200 in very low light) but an intimate view at least

Blackcap at Winspit

One of many Goldcrests in the valley

Goldcrest

The seaward end of Winspit Valley

A late male Southern Hawker at Winspit

Brambling in the car park at Arne RSPB to end the day

Castles and Palaces

A tale of two castles today - Durlston and Portland - and two Palaces - or should I say Pallas's. Pallas's Warbler that is, a delightful, rare beast from the east which brightens up late autumn birding in Britain. The day started with a report of one at Durlston, so I headed there unshaven and breathless in the hope of catching up with it. Walking slowly up the hedgerow it was seen in, I was joined by finder Warren Clayton who re-found it after a short while. I grabbed some photos, we watched it for less than a minute, heard it call a few times and then it was gone. A good start to the day.

Pallas's Warbler, Durlston (#232)

A sliver of the lemon yellow rump can be seen here as it drops onto a lower branch

Out of focus unfortunately but included just to show the bright yellow rump

Red Admiral enjoying the sunshine

A big twitch, Purbeck style - Hamish, former head ranger at Durlston, Warren, finder of the Pallas's, and Gryllo, who has been ringing Goldcrests in huge numbers all week at the Country Park

The rest of the family fancied a trip to the Weymouth Sealife Centre this afternoon to make the most of their annual passes. Due to a tragic procurement oversight, I don't have one, so was 'forced' to stay outside and do a bit of birding in the local area. I headed to the second castle of the day, Portland Castle, where my English Heritage membership card gives me free entry to the gardens which serve as an excellent migrant trap at the base of the Isle of Portland.

This Redstart caused a bit of a stir yesterday when it was thought to be a possible Ehrenberg's from Turkey and the Caucasus

This picture shows the pale wing panel which set pulses racing before the bird was resolved to be 'just' a Common Redstart

Still an attractive bird though

A few Black Redstarts were also in the Portland Castle area

Rock Pipit

Just as I was preparing to head back to the Sealife Centre, another Pallas's Warbler was reported at Southwell - in a brief visit, I could do no more than catch a glimpse of a snowy white underside in deep cover. It turned out this was one of a small influx of the Asian migrant into Dorset today with at least four birds seen.

HMS Somerset entering Portland Harbour with the Osmington White Horse in the background