An hour with some Purple Sandpipers

Today took a visit after filling up the feeders on patch to have a look around Lyme Regis, given the wind had died down a tad. Still a bit breezy around the Cobb wall, no sign of the drake Eider but a nice little flock of 6 Purple Sandpipers feeding close to the aquarium on the rocky beach was great to watch as they feed close to me while I sat on the beach in the afternoon sunlight!

Always a joy to watch Purple Sandpipers at close quarters, especially when they can be so confiding of peoples presence which makes the moment more enjoyable.

It was fascinating to watch them pick small morsels of crustaceans and molluscs from under the small pebbles and rocks as they foraged along the receding shoreline as tourists, dog walkers and every day people passed by.  A few images below of some of the birds taken in the afternoon sun.

Other observations include dozen Rock Pipits, 10 Turnstones, 2 Ringed Plover on Monmouth Beach and female Black Redstart briefly on rooftop of the Bowling Club.

Weymouth RSPB

A super days birding with Hannah around Weymouth and Portland Harbour during the week. First stop-off was to Radipole RSPB where we had great views of Bearded Reedlings, Mediterranean Gulls, Pochard, Tufted Ducks and several Marsh Harriers. Nice to see a adult winter Sandwich Tern in the car park. Over to RSPB Lodmoor and a little windy but nice views of Marsh Harriers, the resident Avocet, 100+ Lapwing, calling Water Rail, Pochards and an escaped Black Swan.

Portland Harbour proved quite productive in the prevailing winds with several Great Northern Divers and Red-breasted Mergansers close in off Osprey Quay. A great days birding despite the poor weather 😊

Bearded Reedling

An escaped Black Swan

Great Northern Diver sheltering in Portland Harbour by the Castle/Osprey Quay

Mediterranean Gull-Coming into summer plumage with black hood forming

Marsh Harrier

Robin

Sandwich Tern

Shelduck

Drake Shoveler

Angry looking Tufted Duck

A sleeping drake Teal