A Portland Kestrel

This female Kestrel was photographed at Portland Bill where it is most likely to be a permanent resident. Usually observed hovering or flying around the immediate area, I found it on this particular morning resting on a bramble bush and taking in the sun.

Portrait of a Stonechat

This Male Stonechat was observed at Portland Bill.

 

Autumnal Signs - A Country Walk

I had not been on the my local country walk for a couple of weeks. What I noticed as I strolled along was the signs of Autumn that were not there before. We have had such summery weather that it was suddenly quite noticeable.

Autumn of course means Blackberries, as this Great Tit was taking full advantage of.

I would still expect to see the Comma butterfly about and here is the first I found on the walk. 

They can be found throughout the year.

Fern

This Holly Tree was full of berries, a sight to warm the hearts of the Winter visiting birds such as Fieldfare and Redwing.

Acorns. A favourite of the Jay.

I have not seen a Treecreeper since moving to the area. 

I only briefly caught sight of this one before it shot up the tree.

The tinge of brown on the Oak and in the hedgerow is another sign.

The Barley fields are bare, but show some colour.

Hawberries. 

The Winter visiting birds won't turn their beaks up at these ether.

Wheatears are present for a little while longer.

Black Bryony berries. 

The winter visiting birds will definitely not eat these as they are poisonous.

Blackberries

Woodpigeons will often loose a wing feather as if disturbed, they will crash out of dense tree branches.

There are a lot of the White varieties of butterflies on the wing this year.

Large White (female)

On some of the land I walk over on this route is a permanent sign celebrating the life of a now deceased Farmer who farmed that land some years ago.

 A sign of the type of farming he did was this post that had corrugated sheeting over the top. This was to keep the rain off and preserve the post longer.

Horse Chestnut leaves turning.

Seeds of the Ash tree.

Seeds from Cow Parsley

The old Oak Tree.

The subject of many photographs.

Bar-tailed Godwit

This Bar-tailed Godwit has been located at Ferry Bridge Waters Weymouth for some three days now and is taking advantage of the plentiful food supply.

It is a Winter visitor to UK shores and there is always a chance to find one or more at Ferry Bridge.

It breeds in the Artic region of Scandinavia and Siberia.

I observed this one for about an hour and it never stopped feeding, dibbing its long beak into the mud exposed from the receding tide.

A Few Birds

A variety of bird images taken on my latest visit to Ferry Bridge Weymouth.

Unfortunately there was nothing suitable for photographs of Waders so it is small land based birds that I observed mostly along side the Fleet Lagoon.

A small flock of Linnets moved about the low vegetation,

perched mainly on Glasswort and Seablite plants.

This female Kestrel remained on the ground for a while.

It is quite normal to see Skylarks on the land area feeding on the ground.

At this time just prior to their long flights South to Africa, one of my favourites the Wheatear, can be found ground feeding here and on most areas of the adjacent Portland.