Perfect timing

About once a week I need my car for work, otherwise preferring to travel by train. Sometimes on these days I sling my camera in the boot in the hope that something interesting might turn up during the day and I can go to see it on the way home. Once in a blue moon, something interesting does turn up, usually on Portland, but nine times out of ten it is gone by the time I get there. So the chances of seeing something good on the way home after work are actually pretty slim. Yesterday, however, the stars aligned and it all came together beautifully: a Spectacled Warbler, the first record for Dorset and only the 9th for the UK, was found at the Bill in the late afternoon, and a couple of hours later I was watching it with a small crowd of appreciative observers.

Spectacled Warbler, Portland Bill

Compared to the much commoner Whitethroat, the Spectacled Warbler is smaller, with black lores...

...more extensively dull pink underparts and a shorter primary projection

There was much wing-flicking and the occasional rattlesnake call from the warbler

Wing-flicking from the other angle. Charming!

Note the clear demarcation between white throat and pinkish underparts

A very smart male

Portland is not the easiest place to get to from outside Dorset, and I guess given the late hour of the bird's discovery that not too many people would have made it down from out of county to see it. It was found by a visiting birder on the first day of a five day stay so he will be most welcome to come again! The warbler was not seen today so it was a fortunate and exclusive group which got to enjoy it yesterday. A quick stop at the Ferrybridge car park on the way home as dusk approached found it crawling with migrants, part of yet another handsome fall which has been a feature of Portland this spring: Wheatears appeared to be on every rock, a couple of Whinchats were present, including a startlingly bright male, and an equally startling male Redstart was also hopping around the rocks. All against a carpet of pink thrift. A magical end to the day.

A small but happy band at the Bill

Wheatear at Ferrybridge

Whinchat against a backdrop of thrift

Looking south from Ferrybridge at the back of Chesil Beach to Portland beyond

How to get a bad back in 10 easy steps

1. Rise in wee small hours of the morning.
2. Leave home shortly after.
3. Drive to Norfolk, stopping only briefly for fuel and unhealthy snacks.
4. Load up with heavy optics. Bins, scope and camera as a minimum.
5. Yomp 2 miles up sea wall to see a Spectacled Warbler singing and setting up shop in the forlorn hope of attracting a passing female.
6. Return to car to find exhaust pipe swinging in the wind.
7. Pull muscles in the process of clambering under car to fashion a makeshift sling to stop it dragging on the road.
8. Limp to Brancaster garage to have day rescued by Mark the mechanic with a quick patch-welding job (cheers Mark).
9. Return home via heavily trafficked M25.
10. Follow up with a family camping trip.

Simple! In my next post: 10 things I hate about camping.