Portland 26th Oct 2016

Portland & Weymouth 26th Oct 2016 06.00am-13.30pm

Ferrybridge: BLACK BRANT with 500+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese !!! 20 Bar-tailed Godwit, 50 Med Gull, 16 Grey Plover, 20 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, 2 Kestrel, 2 Raven and 1 Rock Pipit.

Portland Castle: 3 Black Redstart, 2 Chiffchaff & 4 Goldcrest.

Reap Lane: TURTLE DOVE, 2 Lapland Bunting, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin and 20+ Redwing

Portland Bill: PINE BUNTING!!, 1 female Hen Harrier, 1 Black Redstart, 2 Yellowhammer, 1 Wheatear and 20+ Redwing.

Few pictures below of the very showy Turtle Dove on Reap Lane giving amazing close up views down to 2 feet at times!!! A very special birding highlight of the year. Best ever views of such a rare bird these days. My 5th only Turtle Dove.!! First British record during Norfolk trip 2014.

Turtle Dove:Reap Lane, Showing extremely well down to 2 feet

Smashing views of such a rare bird today!!

Spurn 2016

Spurn 17-18th Oct 2016:

Back from 2 day trip to Spurn, East Yorkshire, Highlight of the trip SIBERIAN ACCENTOR, ISABELLINE WHEATEAR, Siberian Stonechat, 2 Dusky Warbler, Pallas's Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Barred Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Shore Lark, Lapland Bunting, Ring Ouzel, Little Bunting, 100's of autumn migrants including 1000's of Redwing, Fieldfare, 200+ Blackbird, Song Thrush and 400+ Robin. Loads of  Goldcrest, Siskin, Redpoll, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Reed Bunting on passage.

Siberian Accentor-Easington 18th Oct 2016

SIBERIAN ACCENTOR-Easington Gas Terminal 

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR-Easington Boatyard

Shore Lark- Kilnsea

Ring Ouzel- One of 16+ at Sammy's Point

Reed Bunting

Siskin

Northern Wheatear

"Continental" Song Thrush-Note much greyer plumage

"Ringtail" Hen Harrier-Sammy's Point

Siberian Chiffchaff- Kilnsea

Song Thrush "European race"

Mixed Thrush flock including Ring Ouzel

Lodmoor Rosy Starling

Started the day off fantastic with some ringing & birding at Durlston 06.30-10.30am. Highlights of the morning include 6 Ring Ouzel, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Merlin, 2 Peregrine, 2 Firecrest, 40+ each of Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Long-tailed Tit & Goldcrest. Nice site records of Great spotted Woodpecker, Whinchat and a single male Wheatear.
Overhead passage of 100's of Goldfinch, 27 Siskin, 2 Greenfinch, 50 Chaffinch, 60 Skylark, 134 Meadow Pipit, 15 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird,4  Pied Wagtail, 3 Jay and 8 Swallow.

One of many Chiffchaff seen along the coastline

On route back to Charmouth, I called in to Lodmoor RSPB reserve to have a look for the juvenile ROSE-COLOURED STARLING which was frequenting a small hedgerow opposite Southdown Avenue housing estate, with 20+ Starlings. Once I arrived the Rosy Starling was showing very well and feeding on hawthorn berries before fkying to some nearby garden feeders. It showed well slightly concealed in the bushes for most of the time before flying off over the estate at 14.30pm with the flock out of view. My 2nd British Rosy Starling and great to see two this year!! 

ROSE-COLOURED STARLING-Lodmoor

Stonebarrow Hill: Charmouth 16.15-18.15pm, 2 Firecrest, 6 Bullfinch, 2 Jay, 3 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Wheatear, 100+ House Martin, 30+ Chiffchaff and decent numbers of Long-tailed Tit & Goldcrest flocks roving near visitor centre.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Found 2 YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER this evening with approx count of 70+ Chiffchaff moving through Hawthorn and Sycamore hedgeline along Public Footpatch near A35 underpass leading into Charmouth Village.

Good Visible Migration today with steady flocks of Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackbird & 2 Mistle Thrish moving through. Lovely site record of Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer also on site here at Wood farm early this morning. Notable numbers of Robins also moving about, estimate count on site 30+ birds with some clear signs of several together with Blackcaps in the brambles, most likely migrants on passage!!

Vis Migration and migrants on the move

5th Oct 2016
Great mornings birding around Seaton & Beer Head.
Vis Mig @ Beer Head 7.30am-8.50am, 178 Meadow Pipit, 126 Swallow, 14 House Martin, 8 Pied Wagtail, 15 Linnet, 27 Goldfinch, 3 Wheatear but No Warblers!! After a look a Seaton Marshes and sewage works produced 2 Spotty Fly, 2 Firecrest, female Redstart, 12 Goldcrest, 5 B'cap, 30+ Chiff, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Gropper 10am-12pm.

3rd Oct 2016
Great vis migration around Beer Head and Seaton with Good numbers of Wheatear, 200+ of Meadow Pipit, 15+ Chiffchaff. Other highlights include Ring Ouzel, Whinchat, Garden Warbler, Whitethroats, White Wagtail, Rock Pipit. Constant Swallow passage of 100+ per hour flying southeast towards Portland.

Few pics below from recent birding.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Doing some ringing lately in East Dorset with local ringing group, we trapped & ringed this fantastic Yellow-browed Warbler along with 40+ Chiffchaff,several 3 Blackcap, 4 Goldcrest, 1 Kingfisher and mixture of other common garden species yesterday morning.
So far this autumn Yellow-browed Warblers have been present in massive numbers across the UK (650+ latest count). This year I've seen 3 near Upton Country Park at Poole and at least 2 birds around Charmouth in recent weeks. Hoping for more Yellow-browed Warblers to pass through along the south coast here in the coming days and hopefully bring a nice Pallas's or some other Rarer warblers along with them......Watch this space.......