Tuesday 5 April 2011

Dorset in reverse part 2 _ _ _ Portland Migrants and one that got away!!!

We visited Portland Bill last Tuesday, I wanted to go as the day before a Firecrest and Hoopoe were reported.

The weather was good and bright and immediately on embarking from the car and walking towards a gully near the lighthouse a couple of birders told us that the distant group of birders were looking at three Black Redstart and a couple of Wheatears.

The B Redstart were always distant and I spent an age picturing them (over optimistic) hoping the would get nearer. The results are very much record shots, I then saw at least 5 Wheatears but no pictures.

Having walked up near the bird observatory we look for the Firecrest of the day before but no joy, I did manage Linnet, and Willow Warbler pictures.

The Hoopoe? Well we were told it was at a place called Grove on Portland, dropping into a car park near a playing field. We found the place and I was dispatched from the car by Pat amd sister Sue to have a look around.

I walked onto the small parking area for about 6 cars, these were birders cars (having spoken to some earlier) as I moved around the front edge of the first car the Hoopoe took flight from under a birders car down the adjacent path never to be seen again despite an hours searching, one day I will get a proper look at this brilliant visitor, but when! It's on my year list now a lifer too, but I want a proper sighting!!!

Female Black Redstart


Linnet

Willow Warbler

3 comments:

Roy said...

Shame about the Hoopoe Mike, but you did get a brief sighting and some good shots of other birds on the day. I only managed a brief sighting of a Wheatear whilst I was there, but no photo.

Chris said...

Hi Mike,
I hope you will get the hoopoe, definitively a bird to see and get pictures of. Meanwhile, you got fantastic shots of linnet, and black redstart... They are delicious!

Mike Randall Bird Photography said...

Thanks Roy & Chris, the chance of a Hoopoe will be rather limited although we had one in scarborough which I missed 2 years ago.
One of the birders on Portland said Hoopoe are everywhere in Egypt!