Oh No.... PB Went Mad In Dorset

As I have frequently lamented recently, my days off have seemed to stop coinciding with semi decent weather.... until yesterday.

My initial thoughts were an inaugural trip to WWT Slimbridge, apparently Glossy Ibis is present, and also Water Rail and Drake Mandarin (3 birds on my "to see" list) amongst other things. However, I was put off by the thought of the long drive home at the end of a full day out.

I decided to stay semi local, and to see how the mood took me. To Durlston Country Park I thought, hopefully the Peregrine will be on the cliff face.....ohh.. hang on....that sign says Studland...that'll do to start, Durlston is only 15 minutes down the road....

Ohh, by the way.... this might be my longest tale yet... 

I pulled up, and as seem quite traditional, a Gull was highlighted by the dawning sun (check out the blue sky, whoop whoop)

I started making my way to the area I saw the Dartfords last time I was out, spooking some Teal as I trudged along

Not sure what the duck is on the right (the first of many queries I have today!) probably another Teal, but not sure

As I looked across the cove to the other shore, I saw the Oystercatchers, but not until I get home did I see the other birds.... query 2 lol

I moved along the track that leads to Jerry's Point, and the first Stonechat of the morning popped up

And looking into the cove, a Great Crested Grebe

I was obviously being pretty heavy of foot, because the next thing I knew, a Great White Egret was flying off into golden morning sunlight

There appeared little else to see so I retraced my steps, and crossed the road to the path to the naturist beach (I thought -3 in January... I'm pretty safe!) and almost immediately query 3 arrived... Unfortunately I didn't get a better shot

This side of the road there were at least two pairs of Stonechats

 The pathway to the beach (which I'd planned on looking for waders along, with the sun behind me) was flooded so I headed back the way I'd come. I'm fairly certain this is another Stonechat, but not 100%

This one I'm sure of...and I'm also sure he spotted me!

Something caught my eye....and ear..... and a quick scan of the gorse led me to...

And even in a bit of shade, the devil eye still shines

And "nearly" the shot I've been hankering over!!

The pathway to the road headed through a little bit of a wood, and a clattering caught my attention... sneaky little blighter

And now four in a row I think are Stonechats, but not 100% on (Have I mentioned recently how I hate winter/juvenile/non-breeding plumage??)

Ohh, it was only 3...the fourth isn't a Stonechat 

I walked up the road to the access point for the beach, and peering through the dark mysterious I spotted a pair of Shoveler, that didn't want to be snapped, and also a pair of Teal that weren't too keen either

I made it down to the waterside, and after a moment or two I spotted the first of the waders...a One Legged Carrotbill

And just offshore, a raft of Cormorant

As I crossed the car park, something black and white flew over my shoulder, to quick to see what it was, and landed in a tree a little way off. In best ninja mode I wandered up to it...

Apparently not a magpie!!

Disappointed with the lack of waders, I decided the next leg of my jolly should be to the Fleet, at Ferrybridge, with luck the tide would be in my favour, after all, the sky was blue and the sun was out!!

I pulled up in the car park, and on the verge

I walked around the back of the visitor centre and had my first sight of the tidal situation...Bingo! First shot, 3 for the price of one... Shelduck, Dunlin and Brent Goose

Normally I wander over the sands that are exposed by the low tide, but before I got to the sand the little waders were quite close... Dunlin

Ringed Plover

Share and share alike!

More Dunlin

In the scrubby greenery, between me and the water someone's hiding....do you know who it is, children?

That's right boys and girls... it's a Skylark (if it had stayed still, I never would have seen it!!)

You go that way, and I'll go this...we'll confuse his poor old addled brain

Now, this gull....is it something different as it looks so white, or is it just the way the sun's caught it?

A singular long billed wader ambled across my view... Bar Tailed Godwit?

One of the Brent Geese, I may be facing away from you, but eyes on the side of my head mean I can still see you....and I'm not sure I like the cut of your jib!

And then this poor harassed blighter swirling and diving to avoid the bullies

As well as the single Godwit, I spotted a single Turnstone

One of the Brent, with an impossibly smooth neck!

Now, this one.... Shag or Cormorant.... ? Looks a slender bill (with nothing to compare it to), not "normal" Cormorant colouring, steep forehead (from this angle) and white under the chin, with not much yellow around the base of the bill

The other side of the causeway....a more solid cormorant raft than the last one

Back on the harbour side of the causeway, three Red Breasted Merganser

With a distinctive call, an Oystercatcher did its best magpie impression as it flew by

And it came in to land, joining its friends in a cacophony of whistles, surprisingly loud for so small a number of so small a bird!

I was heading back to the car, pleased with the wader turn out when I suddenly thought... i wonder if the Kestrels are still here from when I was here back a-long.... and lo and behold, one popped up over the other side of the road.... Fair warning, I took 150 pictures of the Kestrel, but have narrowed it down to about 10 lol

I decided as I'd been properly lucky so far, to head down to Portland Bill, to see if the Little or Short Eared Owls were out, or if the reported Merlin was to be seen. I parked up and wandered to the lighthouse, and spotted a pipit or two

There's always one of them there corvids that won't put his best foot forward

A small flock of Starlings gathered atop the Lobster Pot cafe

I walked along the cliff top, and spotted a magnificent Raven

Who was soon joined by another, and they were more lovey-dovey than brazen raven!

On the seaward side another pipit frolicked

And another Wagtail flitted about

Bigfoot!

I moved away from the cliff top, heading towards the Portland Bird Observatory. On the top of one of the beach huts..... Another Kestrel I think (??)

It flew off from me, several times, and in the field beyond the huts...

And with that, I decided Wow! OMG! and all sorts of other exclamations of delight about my day out, and headed home!

I hope there weren't too many pictures, and I kept my waffle to a relative minimum and over all you enjoyed perusing my day out. I blame the weather, coz if it hadn't been so rubbish recently, I wouldn't have got so carried away 

Thanks, as always, for any ID's corrected or provided.

Stay Safe All