Bony's back

Bonaparte's Gull, named for the Emperor's nephew rather than the great man himself, is an American species which, until 2015, had been a very rare visitor to Dorset. A long-staying bird in Weymouth that year started a run of records which has seen at least one occur in the county every year since.

Bonaparte's Gull, Longham Lakes on 15 April

Note partial Ashy-grey hood, dark bill and pink legs

A shade smaller than the local Black-headed Gulls

The bird came in really close to feed on some bait thrown out by a fisherman

Dip-feeding and pattering on the surface, reminiscent of a Storm Petrel

The Bonaparte's (bottom right) was getting some hassle from Black-headed Gulls but held its own in the melee

Last year I managed to catch up with a first summer Bonaparte's Gull at Longham Lakes, and what is presumed to be the same bird reappeared there earlier in 2018. When first relocated in March just a few flecks of dark feathering could be seen on the head as it moulted into second summer plumage. I first hooked up with it a few weekends ago when these flecks had developed into a mottled, ashy grey hood. This had developed further still by the time I last saw it on 22 April. Quite amazing to study the photographic records which show that particular plumage feature advancing on a daily basis.

Bonaparte's Gull, Longham Lakes on 22 April

A little more distant on this occasion - but still very smart

A view of the upperwing...

...and the paler underwing (compared to Black-headed Gull)

Compare the key features in this shot with....

The more familiar Black-headed Gull

As if often the case, Longham Lakes had a good supporting cast for the Bonaparte's Gull - a smart drake Scaup was present on one of my visits, Great Crested Grebes were in their breeding finery and the first Reed Warblers of the spring gave themselves away with their scratchy song in the reedbeds.

Drake Scaup with Tufted Duck

Great Crested Grebes

Great Crested Grebe

Reed Warbler

Reed Warbler

Reed Warbler

Bonaparte's Gull

Migrants!

The fine forecast for Bank Holiday Monday presented me with a choice: flog around the patch scraping the barrel for migrants; or head for the bright light-houses of Portland and guaranteed new arrivals falling from the skies. It was my last day before returning to work, and I am weak, so I headed west. News soon filtered through of the first decent fall of spring with 400+ Willow Warblers going through early on. While I missed the main event, plenty were still lingering around the Obs garden when I arrived, some singing con gusto, some half-heartedly, others not at all. But with birds seemingly everywhere there was plenty to photograph.

Redstart, Avalanche Road - first of the spring on Portland (#141)

A first summer male

Willow Warbler at the Bill (#142)

One of many ringed at the Obs on Monday morning

Also bearing a leg-iron was this Firecrest (#143)

Feeding energetically but not always very visibly among the blossom

Next stop was the Bill itself where the resident auks were back on their breeding cliffs and buzzing back and forth on fishing forays. No Puffins though, which were probably feeding out at sea on the falling tide, or perhaps just avoiding the attentions of a Peregrine which was perched uncomfortably close to some Razorbills on the cliffs and eating one of their congeners. Walking back to the car I flushed my first Tree Pipit of the year which flew off with a hoarse call.

Guillemot (#144)

Razorbill (#145)

Razorbills trying to look small and unpalatable as a Peregrine plucks one of their pals

Chiffchaff

Meadow Pipit

Wheatear

As an eventful morning drew to a close, with a family bike ride to Arne planned for mid-afternoon, it was time to head home - but not before a quick canter around Radipole Lake and Lodmoor hoping for some reedbed birds for the photo year list - unsuccessfully as it turned out, but there were a few other goodies to snap to make up for it. Here and elsewhere Spring seemed to announce its arrival conclusively on Monday. And very welcome back it is too.

Well, I was in the area...

...possibly the only angle I haven't yet photographed the Bonaparte's Gull from

Great Crested Grebe, Radipole Lake

Pochard, Lodmoor

Brimstone at Arne

And a leucistic Sika Deer stag at Arne to end the Bank Holiday



Springy

I'm suffering a bit with what I hope is the last cold of the winter, but forced myself out for an hour this morning to Longham Lakes (conveniently en route to the Mother's Day present emporium known as Haskins Garden Centre). It's definitely starting to feel like Spring there with my first Sand Martins of the year and a beautiful pair of breeding plumage Black-necked Grebes on passage. Certainly more spring-like than last weekend, most of which I spent chasing around Chesil Beach after a Bonparte's Gull, a real Dorset rarity. I did manage to catch up with it in Portland Harbour but it flew over Chesil Beach before I could get close enough for a photo - very frustrating in this, my photo yearlist year. Still, I was able to add a few more easy species to the list during those long hours in the field.

Black-necked Grebe, Longham Lakes, Dorset

The best pictures I have managed of this species in breeding plumage

The golden ear-tufts explain the American name for this species, Eared Grebe

Sitting lower in the water in this view...

...but more typically showing a puffed up rear end

Several Med Gulls also at Longham...

...along with the first Sand Martins of the year (#124)...

...and a long-staying female Scaup (#125)

Tufted Duck, Longham Lakes

Believe it or not, we haven't had a Great Crested Grebe this year yet (#126)

...or a Turnstone (Portland Harbour, #127)

This littoralis Rock Pipit was hanging around near the Bonaparte's Gull close to Chesil Centre last weekend - unfortunately the Gull had gone by the time I got there

 

Lake dipping

No sign of yesterday's Black-winged Stilt at Radipole Lake before work this morning - my second dip on this species at the same site in consecutive years - though plenty of other willing subjects to photograph including a long-staying Glossy Ibis by the main path just out from the visitor centre.

Glossy Ibis

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Gadwall - male

Gadwall - female

Bearded Tits - 2 of 7 seen in total, these 2 males flying high over the reedbed