Monday 29th August – Portland Bill

Monday 29th August – Portland Bill Leave a comment

Portland Bill is probably my favourite place for birding. Sticking some seven miles out into the Channel, it is an excellent place for rare vagrants, seeing a wide range of common migrants and seawatching i.e. observing passing migrant seabirds. In addition the Bird Observatory forms a focal point where birders gather to exchange news and gossip, observe birds in the hand or browse the substantial natural history bookshop. They have an excellent website at: http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/

Portland Bill lighthouse - open to the public but not on Bank Holiday Monday!

The Old Lower Light seen from the Common

Portland Bird Observatory

After multiple early starts in recent days, today was more of a family outing than a serious birding trip.

Portland Bill. The view north towards the Admiralty enclosure

The girls were having a great time climbing on the rocks. By the time Margaret and I had debated whether to allow them to climb Pulpit Rock they were standing on the top.

Pulpit Rock

Its a long drop on the seaward side!

There were only a few migrants about, but Wheatears and Swallows showed well

Swallows were outnumbered by Sand Martins today

Whilst waiting for an invisible Wryneck at the Obs Quarry this Sparrowhawk shot in and caught prey.

On the way back we stopped at the famous viewpoint over Fortuneswell and Portland Harbour, where several hang-gliders hung in the wind.

The moment of truth for this hang glider

In June 2002 Margaret sailed her yacht into Portland Harbour and made her first landfall in the UK at Wyke Regis. Interestingly in the same month 654 years earlier the Black Death entered England at exactly the same place!

gryllosblog Gryllo's (aka Ian Lewis') blog. All things to do with travel, wildlife especially birds, history, architecture and anything else that interests me.