Raptor round your finger

I've been up and down to Portland this week like the number 1 bus, chasing shadows mainly - specifically the shadows of a male Red-flanked Bluetail and a female Pine Bunting. Both of these major rarities were trapped at the Bill in recent days - see here for stunning photos of them wrapped around the fingers of Martin Cade - and while the chances of either sticking around seemed slim, with a few days off work this week it would have been rude not to head down in the hope of seeing them. In the end I saw neither but there were some photogenic fowl to be enjoyed nonetheless. Raptors put on a particularly fine display with six species seen. Photographic highlights below.

 

This female Hen Harrier has been around Portland Bill for over a week

I bumped into it on several occasions on recent visits

It was often mobbed by corvids - though gave as good as it got on this occasion

Against the sea off the Bill

Banking in response to another corvid attack

Rare to see this species so well...

...though difficult to photograph without the clutter of fence lines...

...gates...

...or vegetation in shot

Well that's almost artistic

Hen Harrier

This Buzzard was also attracting attention from corvids - here with a Raven 

Male Kestrel hanging in the breeze off the West Cliffs this morning

Kestrel

This Peregrine cast a bulky shadow

The classic flying anchor shape

This juvenile Peregrine has a colour-ring - will be interesting to see where that comes from

Finally form Portland a very distant record shot of a Merlin

 

Sparrowhawk was also on Portland though this one was photographed at Durlston earlier in the week

And to close the raptor theme, this Marsh Harrier was at Swineham before my visit was so rudely interrupted by news of a Pine Bunting on Portland!

Buzzing around Norfolk

After a short break in Suffolk last week we made our way up to North Norfolk for a day before heading home to Dorset. I thought Pink-footed Goose would be a shoe-in for the photo list here but while quite a few were seen they were all too far off to photograph unfortunately, even at the normally reliable Lady Anne's Drive. I would surely have found some closer had I driven around the back lanes but after the long journey from Suffolk I feared a revolting family family revolt had I done so. So it was a stroll on the beach at Holkham followed by cake and coffee at Titchwell instead. En route from Holkham to Thornham (for the Twite) though we did stumble across a nice, close pair of Egyptian Goose. Non-native, but tickable.

Egyptian Goose, near Holkham, Norfolk (#113th species photographed in 2015)

Norfolk is a stronghold of this introduced species

Little Grebe on Holkham Park Lake (#114)

Muntjac Deer near Holkham

Earlier in the week when we were still in Suffolk I also nipped over the border to Norfolk look for a Rough-legged Buzzard which has been wintering on Halvergate Marshes. I had not been to this area before but thanks to some gen from James Lowen I found the right viewpoint. After a couple of hours I had seen nothing more exciting than a Marsh Harrier, and being on a deadline I was considering knocking it on the head when one last scan with the telescope revealed a large hovering raptor in the extreme distance. It dropped out of sight but it was enough to persuade me to stick around a while longer and not long after it re-appeared close enough for a few record shots.

Rough-legged Buzzard, Halvergate Marshes, Norfolk (#115)

Rough-legged Buzzard shows a white band across the tail

This bird caused me a bit of confusion when it flew over shortly afterwards - it was motoring on so not really in typical Buzzard/Rough-leg mode, and with a pale head and much white in the closed tail my initial impression was of Rough-leg...

...but on sharing the photos with more expert birders the conclusion is juvenile Common Buzzard. Note the dark 'comma' in the forewing, compared to the dark carpal patch on the Rough-leg, and the longer winged, more Harrier like appearance of the Rough-leg.

So that's the East Anglian trip wrapped up then: five nights, two Counties, and 21 species added to the photo year-list, including some potentially tricky ones - Rough-legged Buzzard, Waxwing, Hawfinch, Twite - all of which I could easily go the year in Dorset without seeing.

 

Binge birding continued...

This post is the final hangover from a weekend of binge birding around Poole Harbour. Holes Bay certainly provided the highlights on Sunday - as well as the Spoonbill, waiting patiently by the PC World drain outflow provided ample opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of other good birds.

This Buzzard was one of two scanning for prey from lampposts on the dual carriageway around Holes Bay. Buzzard has already appeared on my blog this year but the photo was taken in 2014 so this is officially an addition to the photo year list (#79). I know, mad isn't it!

This Common Sandpiper was one of two present. I walked most of the length of the bay without seeing one but when I sat by the outflow both dropped in.

Another addition to the photo year list (#80). Bang it in!



Cormorant also graced the outflow (#81)...

...while I had to walk further up the drain to find Grey Wagtail (#82)...

...and Kingfisher (#83)

Spotted Redshank, one of my favourite birds, can give close views around the edge of the Bay

Spotted Redshank

On Sunday morning I also paid what felt like my first visit of the year to Swineham. Yes, my allegiance to patch has become that degenerate. I was rewarded for my efforts: as in, not much effort, not much reward. It did at least add a few ropey ticks to the photo year list:


Goldfinch, making its first appearance this year (#84)

Great Tit (#85) - singing like it was spring

Redwing in the shadows in Lady St Mary Churchyard, Wareham

Male Reed Bunting at Swineham

Robin at Swineham

Shelduck at Swineham (#86)

Several Common Snipe flushed from the wet grass around Swineham (#87)

Stock Dove (#88) with Lapwing in the paddocks at North Bestwall

Snowdrops added a spring-like feel to Sunday morning

My last photo year tick of the weekend was a Coal Tit seen on a family walk around Wareham Forest (#89)

The Fellowship of the Ging, Wareham Forest



Little Egret showing off its plumes in Holes Bay



Sick, and tired

A bit poorly this weekend so no additions to the photo year list to report on account of spending the best part of 48 hours asleep or sneezing. Just about summoned up the energy to update my neglected website, the first time I have managed that in over a year. It's now looking a bit old hat design wise but I lack the time, technological know-how and courage to turn it off and create something better at the moment. As a result, it has developed haphazardly over the years like a badly extended house, with no particular plan or design. I know, I'm really selling it aren't I. It's also snowballed in size from a modest start to now getting on for 3,000 photos, including over 400 species of bird photographed in Britain, not all of them terribly well, all the British breeding butterflies and a variety of other critters. Check it out, anyway, just so I'm not the only one reminded of the times when I used to go outside and take pictures of things.

A bird: long time, no see

The energy crisis

No not that one, it's my own I'm talking about. Work is a bit manic; my social life is hectic by my anti-social standards; and the fine weather and (not-so-fine) hay-fever are all combining to make it all a bit, well, oppressive. I can barely summon up the energy to refresh these sunburnt pages. Just about managed to wave a white-hot lens in the general direction of some wildlife this weekend though, so perhaps I'll let the pictures do the talking.

This Buzzard made getting around look easy while I huffed and puffed and hid in the shade.

Willow Warbler at Morden Bog: a mixed singer, with bursts of Chiffchaff amid the normal song.

Keeled Skimmer, Morden Bog.

Four-spotted Chaser, Morden Bog.




Large Skipper, Morden Bog.

Silver-studded Blue, Morden Bog - many on the wing today.

Silver-studded Blue underside, Morden Bog.

A day at the beach yesterday was enlivened by a passing Mediterranean Gull, bringing its namesake climate with it.

Almost forgot about this one - Hooded Crow on Portland last weekend - an unexpected Dorset tick for high summer.

Broad-bodied Chase are also on the wing at the moment - this one at Swineham to which I was reminded I am particularly allergic at this time of year.