Last weekend I paid a quick trip to Portland, staying overnight in Weymouth. Good to be back in Dorset with the possibility of a few rarities coming off the channel.
I arrived in Weymouth in glorious sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. 7 miles further on and on to the Isle I drove into dense fog. So much so that from the Obelisk at The Bill you couldn't see the sea, never mind birds that may be passing some 400 yards out. I headed to the Bird Observatory for a chat before deciding that RSPB Lodmoor nearWeymouth was a better option. Usual fare here with waterfowl, terns and gulls. Chiffchaffs, blackcaps and whitethroats abounded in the dense vegetation. I checked the view over Portland harbour and it seemed the fog had cleared, so back to The Bill.
A sea watch here gave up gannets, common terns and gull species whilst on the land more regular birds already logged. However, around the Admiralty compound there were reports of a Rosy starling. Far away, in the middle of the compound a flock of 50+ starlings roosted occasionally on a wooden fence, here, a single rosy starling, full adult plumage as you would expect in June.
I checked the west cliffs where razorbill, shag, kittiwake and guillemots were recorded along with a single flyby fulmar.
I headed back to the b and b and enjoyed a tasty Indian.
Following morning was bright so a return for a sea watch. A manx shearwater passed along with numerous gannets. A check for the rosy starling came up trumps as I noted a second bird. 2 had been seen around The Bill but this was the first time they had obviously found each other. Still distant for poor quality record shots. A raven perched nearby.
I checked several less recorded areas around the Isle but didn't come up with any year listers. I headed home only to find out that later in the day a red backed shrike had been found in one of the quarries I had not checked. Nice male, too!
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| Fog grounded Herring gull |
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| 2 very distant rosy starlings! |
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| Found them? |
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| Raven |
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| Razorbill |
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| 2 razorbill |
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| Razorbill in flight over 3 guillemot |
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| Same raven |
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