JANUARY 2ND 2014 - PORTLAND HARBOUR, DORSET

PORTLAND HARBOUR BIRDING HIGHLIGHTS:

ALL FIVE SPECIES OF BRITISH GREBE AND TWO DIVERS (LOONS).

BLACK GUILLEMOT

VELVET SCOTER

(NO SIGN OF THE BRUNNICH'S GUILLEMOT)

After yesterday's atrocious weather it was a pleasant surprise to find a clear sky this morning. The wind and rain has subsided, it was peaceful and calm outside and the bird feeders were busy.

My first birds for 2014 were:

1. Dunnock
2. European Robin
3. common blackbird
4. Common Chaffinch
5. Blue Tit
6. Great Tit
7. Wood Pigeon
8. Collared Dove
9. European Greenfinch
10. Common Starling
11. House Sparrow
12. Eurasian Jackdaw

After some deliberation with Dawn we decided to go shopping to Weymouth, Dorset. However I convinced Dawn that she would get more done without me and it would be a great idea if she took my credit card whilst I went birding to Portland Harbour!! Smashing.....but expensive?

The weather deteriorated, it clouded over and the wind picked up, but I still enjoyed 4 hours birding around the harbour. I stopped at Ferrybrdige, Portland Castle, The Royal Yachting Centre, Osprey Road and Sandsfoot Castle.

The harbour looking from Portland castle towards Weymouth

birds in the harbour:

1. Black-headed Gull
2. Meditteranean Gull (50+)
3. Great Black-backed Gull
4. Herring Gull
5. Lesser Black-backed Gull
6. Kittewake
7. Northern Gannet
8. Common Scoter
9. Velvet Scoter (1 female)
10. Black Guillemot(1st winter)
11. Common Guillemot
12. Razorbill
13. Great Cormorant
15. European Shag
16. Red-breasted Merganser
17. Eider duck (1 female)
18. Little Grebe (2)
19. Black-necked Grebe (19)
20. Slavonian Grebe (6)
21. Red-necked Grebe (1)
22. Great-crested Grebe (8)
23. Great Northern Diver (9 - ther have been up to 17 in recent days)
24. Black-throated Diver (2 - first winter)
25. Grey Heron
26. Oystercatcher
27. Brent Geese
28. Bar-tailed Godwit
29. Peregrine Falcon
30.Common Kingfisher

Male - Red-breasted Merganser

My first Shag of 2014 - hopefully many more to follow!

Birds seen from the car during the journey:

Common Pheasant, Common Gull, Common Coot, Common Moorhen, Common Pochard, Common Buzzard, Red-legged Partridge, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck.

Great (billed) Black-backed Gull

Great (Mouthed) - Black-backed Gull

So my 2014 list has started with 51 species!