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

Much of the day was taken up with dealing with my faulty PC, eventually diagnosed as a defunct hard drive.

I did manage a mid morning trip to Stanpit to see a Red-breasted Goose. Although this species probably occurs annually in the UK, this is a very rare vagrant to Dorset and some previous records may have involved escapes from captivity. Being a first year bird and arriving with Dark-bellied Brent Geese from their shared breeding grounds on the Taimyr Peninsula, this bird fulfills all the criteria for a wild bird.

This is a rare goose in world terms with a global population of under 40,000. The majority fly south from the Taimyr to a staging post on the Caspian Sea before heading to the Black Sea coasts of Romania and Bulgaria.

Wintering Red-breasted Geese - Bulgaria. Photo from the internet.

Red-breasted Goose, Stanpit

 

Red-breasted Goose - Stanpit

 

 

Also on show was a Dartford Warbler on Crouch Hill, whilst a Peregrine put all the waders to flight.

Dartford Warbler - Stanpit. Severely depleted after last winter, Dartford Warbler numbers may be increasing after this years warm, dry spring.

Peregrine - Stanpit