Ferry Bridge Visit - Rough Weather

Visiting Ferry Bridge waters Weymouth is not the best place to be when the wind is blowing sea spray over the pebble bank at speeds up to 50mph. However at this time of year you do find a good number of waders and geese of one kind or another feeding as the tide subsides.

There were six Bar-tailed Godwit standing fairly motionless at the edge of the water. 

Sleep was the only thing on their minds at this time.

Two Dunlin were observed feeding in the same area.

A small flock of Brent Geese were grazing on the bank between the Ferry Bridge waters and the Sea.

Occasionally they would get disturbed by people out for a windy walk.

Brent Geese found the conditions rough and swimming in the wind blown water wasn't easy.

The two Dunlin aside (already mentioned), there was a large flock of Dunlin that frequented two edges of the reseeding tide. About every few minutes they would take to the air, fly around and either land in the same area or at the other preferred area. 

This presented some distant flight shots, when it was possible to stand up against the wind that is.

At one stage a car on the main road back fired and everything took to the air..........

.............only to land again.

Boxing Day Scenes - A Variation

A Boxing Day walk that produced very little in the way of birds or wildlife. 

I was able to find a few scenes with a telephoto lens set at 200mm.

The scenes are actually all taken of one field with sheep grazing.

Portland Bill and Lodmoor Visit

Yet another really dull miserable day to watch nature. 

When are we going to see some sun?

I intended to visit Portland Bill to look specifically for Purple Sandpipers.

 Not seen any this Winter yet at this location, which is unusual.

iPhone Image

There were the usual Gulls (Greater and Lesser Black-backed) and a few Rock Pipits.

A lonely Dunnock

A  Cormorant at low level over the sea.

Having been blown around and getting cold I then moved on to Lodmoor in Weymouth.

A view from the Southern end of Lodmoor.

It is a common and regular sight for various birds to get airborne and then land again not always for an obvious reason.

Starlings

Over two hundred Lapwings were located around the Reserve.

Most of them suddenly got airborne when I was half way along the side path.

There is one Black-tailed Godwit amongst this flock that also decided to join in.

There are three Dunlin amongst this flock of Lapwings.

You can also see two Dublin in this flock.

The Grey Heron is quite non-plus about the activity preferring to hide in the lieu of this bush away from the wind.

This was the cause of the sudden leap to the air by Lapwing etc.

One of two Marsh Harriers.

They flew up the centre of the Reserve and was about 400 metres from my position and flying away from me.

Another gull we see plenty of is the Mediterranean Gull.

Two were observed amongst a flock of the Black-headed variety.

A sight always worth seeing is Canada Geese flying over the reserve from one point to another.

More sensible birds here sheltering from the cold wind.
Male and female Shovelers and  more Lapwing.

Starlings are always around somewhere and constantly fly short distances.

Below are typical views of the bird life on the Reserve.

You may be able to pick out the Common Sandpiper.

Shelduck are resident on the Reserve at this time of year.

 

There are always plenty of Teal Duck around.

A Coot 'grazing' amongst the grass on one of many small islands.