Sunday 06 October – Portland Bill: Leader Jane Cumming

Half a dozen people met at Ferrybridge on a bright sunny day with a brisk south-westerly wind. Unfortunately, that describes the least productive conditions at Portland where the birding tends to be much better in a howling easterly or poor weather – fog or rain – to bring seabirds and migrants into the Bill. The birding today was, not surprisingly, a bit rubbish. We checked out the tideline at Ferrybridge, finding two Little Egrets, 43 Oystercatchers, a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits and more Mediterranean Gulls (55) than Black-headed. Ten Skylarks were foraging on a thinly vegetated stony area. On to Portland Bill for a sea watch, where Gannets, Shags and a handful of Razorbills were passing to and fro unconcerned by the wind, and the leader claimed two Arctic Skuas which were dots on the horizon identified largely by process of elimination. Eight Swallows and seven Wheatears reminded us that passage migration was still going on, but the bushes were pretty much devoid of migrants.
We went up to Southwell for lunch, got discouraged by mud and puddles around the barns, and drove over to Lodmoor where a few interesting species had been reported recently. The Great White Egret thrilled the locals more than us, spoilt as we are by lots at Chew Lake. The Little Gull was nowhere to be seen and the Grey Phalarope kept being seen in whichever part of the reserve we had just vacated! The best bird was probably a partial albino Ruff, presumably the same very striking male that spent last winter at this site. We upped the species list a bit with Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Gadwall and Teal, a Snipe, 19 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Lapwings. There were more Little Egrets and Mediterranean Gulls. A House Martin and a Cetti’s Warbler were the only other species of note. It was a pleasant day’s birding but hardly Portland at its best. (Thanks to Jane for leading.) Jane Cumming