Portland 19/10/2024

Stunning forecast, which was accurate for a change, led me to Portland and Ferrybridge. Knowing that the waders are usually distant, a chance to try out the new lens, in good light. I pootled down about 07:30 ish... perfect timing... high tide at Ferrybridge, and nothing to see except a load of Brent Geese, so having thought of this scenario, I carried straight on to the Bill.

Straight out of the car park, I could hear tinkling... 

I wandered round to the western side of the Bill, where there are usually distant white blobs, or black blurs, as the auks travel to and from their ledges... again, naked eye... black and white blurs...

Well... who'd of thunk that's what they look like?! (Heavily cropped, but camera JPEGS, so will be interesting to see if the RAW files can be made better than these by my inexpert hand!)

An assortment of gulls were using the "breeze"

Not sure if that is damage to the wing feathers, or part of the moult, but a couple of them looked similar

Any thoughts what the Ravens are on, bearing in mind the paint cracking is visible when zoomed in?

Well here's a clue... the Starlings are on it too!

Jackdaw on the visitor centre roof... that chimney pot looks a popular perch!!

As is usual at the Bill, a selection of Wagtails, Meadow and Rock Pipits were amongst the boulders

A maturing Starling

A magnificent Raven flapped down to the cafe area, as the windows were being opened for trade... He no stoopid lol

I decided to make my way up to where the Little Owl lives, and then to head on to the Crown Estate where rumours of a Hen Harrier a couple of days previously whirled through my head... no such luck, but I did spot my first Redwing of the winter, and also photographed my 3rd ever Black Redstart

I was greeted by the usual array of Sparrows at the next field

With a couple of Dunnocks thrown in for good measure

There was no sign of the owls, but a delightful time was spent in the company of a very photogenic Kestrel as she patrolled the field looking for lunch (I'll stick a couple of pics here, there are more in the Kestrel thread I created earlier)

I thought the Kestrel was repositioning herself, but no, Sparrowhawk alert! I've only seen 3 before, once in each of two gardens, keeping a pigeon company on both occasions, and once in a tree in a wood in a storm!

Maggie was having a sip of something delectable

Three Robins were chasing each other around the Obs Quarry... this one seemed to come out on top!

I went on to the Estate fields, and was greeted by 3 large flocks of Linnets, that wheeled and settled, wheeled and settled

And a Great Tit was displeased in a tree

I made my way back towards the car, and a Stonechat made itself visible

I seem to have discovered the limit to the new lenses ability to create meaningful images... at about 250 yards lol... Marsh Harrier I think, (should have put the TC on lol)

A final encounter with Maggie set my on my way home

So off I set, on my merry way.... but what did I see? Low tide at Ferrybridge, and full of birds, so an immediate change of plan was called for, u-turn around the roundabout, and lunch later than planned!!

Herring Gull straight from the car park

The aforementioned Brent Geese were still present

A very rare Brentormorant

Bar Tailed Godwit

Turnstones a-plenty

And a few Oystercatchers were about

With a Godwit interloper... nice size comparison, surprised me Carrotbills are bigger!

There were a few Dunlin

I trundled over the other side of the road to have a look in the harbour for any errant divers or eiders, but there were neither as it was full of kite surfers! On land, another Stonechat was merrily clicking away

Heading back to the car I spied some Ringed Plover

another Godwit

and some more Dunlin

And so ended a rather good day!

Thanks for sticking with it, don't forget the Kestrel thread, and finally Stay Safe All