On the 3rd of April, I set off on a grey, damp late morning in search of the Garganey recently spotted at Woodsford Bridge. A drake and hen had been seen on the gravel quarry ponds there. Since I’d never visited the area before, I asked about parking and was told there was a small layby nearby. With directions from BirdGuides and Google Maps, I headed out late morning. Finding the spot was easy, and I parked in the small layby before scanning the pools with my binoculars, spotting only two Gadwall at first. Then, two Kestrels appeared over the field, calling and interacting, a pleasant distraction. A family with a dog began walking toward the ponds, and I worried they might scare the birds. Just then, a Red Kite flew overhead, catching my attention, and when I looked back at the pond, I saw the drake and hen Garganey in the middle. I quickly retrieved my scope from the car for a better view.
The Garganey seen I decided to head off to Portland with the hope of seeing some sea birds.
I arrived at Portland at approximately 12pm and found a parking space and walked to the bill lighthouse It was very windy and when I got to Pulpit Rock I could see the see was very rough with waves crashing on to the rocks below. I soon noticed a large flock of gull off west cliffs and among some Gannets, Fulmars and Kittiwake. On the sea I could make out Guillemots bobbing up and out of view among the waves.
Watching the Gannets fly by, I soon spotted two Manx Shearwaters riding the waves, turning this way and that, disappearing behind one swell and reappearing on the crest of another. Unfortunately, they were far off and best viewed through the telescope, and my attempt at photographing them was dismal at best. I watched as they headed further out to sea with the outgoing tide, likely following fish.
I moved on to search for the Little Owl and perhaps a Wheatear near the Obs quarry. Luckily, just before a family walked down the path toward the quarry, I spotted the Little Owl tucked into one of the crags. However, the owl noticed the group and quickly retreated to safety among the rocks. Making my way back along the path, I scanned the many House Sparrows, hoping to spot a Tree Sparrow. A small bird lifted from the grass meadow, flashing a white rump, and I instantly thought “Wheatear.” The bird landed on one of the house aerials, so I focused the scope on it, and sure enough, it was a male Wheatear. With that, I decided it was time to head home.
