Portland - Searching for Yellow Brows

After not really getting out last October and almost doing nothing in the famous October of 2016, I made sure that I went somewhere this year. And since I hadn't been to Portland yet in the year, I decided to go there.

Unfortunately, the bird obs was full, so I once again stayed in the bunkhouse, as I had last September. It is fine as a hostel for a couple of nights, but the atmosphere isn't as interesting as most of the people tend to be rock climbing university students, who would speak loudly until 2am...

I did manage to get some sleep though, and got up just after sunrise on Saturday morning. On previous trips to Portland, I have spent the full day at the observatory, without looking around much, so this year I tried to spend the whole day walking around the island.

I started by walking to the obs garden, where a crest species appeared briefly in the trees, but disappeared just as fast. I walked up to Southwell, then to Easton, visiting quarries along the way.

The first quarry held a few Blackcaps and a large flock of Goldfinches, with the same in the next. The winds were strong in the morning, but died down pretty quickly.

In a small quarry, there was a lot of bird activity, so I waited here for a while. It wasn't long before I heard the distinctive call of a Yellow-Browed Warbler which sent me in to a run around the quarry. I did not, unfortunately, manage to see it, as it typically stopped calling as soon as I worked out its location. There was possibly a second bird too, but it could have just been the wind blowing the noise of the original bird around.

After stopping at Tesco for food, I tried to find the way to Suckthumb Quarry, and on the way saw a pair of both Stonechats and Peregrines. Upon reaching the quarry, I heard Chiffchaffs calling (and singing) and Blackcaps 'tacking'.

Along the path there was a Clouded Yellow, a new butterfly species for me, which settled in one of the fields.

Clouded Yellow

However, the rest of the day was quiet for birds, so I headed to the nearby reserve of Radipole Lake, where there had been a Lesser Yellowlegs for some time. I didn't know how easy it would be though, and could actually see it from the car park!

Lesser Yellowlegs - so close even I could get an identifiable photo of it

I enjoyed great views, as it was just on the spit in front of the visitor centre, along with a Dunlin, a Snipe and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls.

I then went back to the bunkhouse, very tired as I had walked about 15 miles, but worth it for the birds...

The next day the forecast looked really bad, and getting up in the morning didn't really fill me with hope - it was raining heavily. Today, a half day, I was going to stay around the observatory area to try and get views of Yellow-Browed Warbler.

I sheltered under the trees, where there was a Chiffchaff, which would prove to be more numerous than the previous day. Ravens flew over and called and a huge flock of linnets was flying around in the fields by the road.

Soon, the rain began to stop, and I stood in the front garden, where I watched a Merlin hunt a small passerine. Lucky for the pipit(?) the Merlin wasn't very accurate, and eventually gave up. I heard Yellow-Browed Warbler call a few times in the garden but failed to catch sight of one - while I was looking in the trees someone came to report to me that they were watching Yellow-Brows from the kitchen window! I failed to see them unfortunately.

There were a few more migrants around, with some flocks of Siskins landing in the trees and flying over.

The moth trap was then brought in from the garden, which was very interesting, although I struggled to remember all the names of the moths (the next subject I need to learn about). I remember a Large Yellow Underwing, a medium sized moth that really did have a yellow underwing.

A Chiffchaff was caught and found to already be ringed, apparently caught during the spring, and was on its way back from its breeding grounds.

Later in the day however, one of the ringers came with news that they had trapped and ringed a Yellow-Browed Warbler. It is always great to study birds close up, and this Yellow-Brow was no exception. It was released in the back garden, where it flew off to continue feeding.

Yellow-Browed Warbler

Unfortunately, soon after this, I had to leave, but checked the field full of gulls on the way. Here I saw a Yellow-Legged Gull - I don't claim to be an expect on gull ID, but all the features added up - narrow edges to tertials, white head and breast, dark eye smudge, advanced moult, brown coverts, greater coverts with a dark bar and becoming less barred towards the wing bend, and the slightly squarer head and thicker bill.

Yellow-Legged Gull

On the way back - I stopped off at Radipole again, where the Yellowlegs had moved, but I saw Mediterranean Gull and common ducks.

I try to get to Portland every year, as it is great for birding and everyone there is helpful and friendly - I highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking of going. However, during the Saturday, when I covered 15 miles, I saw no other birders in the many quarries. This was interesting because there could be anything lurking at Portland, it just doesn't get as much coverage as other places.