Cirl Buntings

 When I set out on this challenge of trying to see 200 bird species in a year one of those birds I really hoped to see was Cirl Buntings. As only ever seeing one brief view of one a few years back at Labrador Bay in Devon. So when news broke of 8 seen in a crop field near Old Harry Rocks I thought I better go and see them at weekend. Though not really sure of the best parking location and were the crop field was located I asked on a local forum and Blusesky for directions and tips on locating the birds. In  the mean time I read a very good blog by themanchesterbirder.blogspot.com about  a trip to see a Eastern Black Redstart and some fieldcraft and how some folk have stopped asking for approximate locations. This got me thinking I am I one of those folk, because I do find myself asking for locations of birds just like above. And in reality I did know how to get to Old Harry having been in the past, so If I new the way why did I ask for help and location of the birds. When if I had just gone and searched the hedge I might of found something for myself who knows, I think the reason for asking is it makes it a little bit easier with knowledge of the location making me feel more at ease at knowing I am in the right spot.

Sunday morning I set off once again in the darn rain will it ever stop raining this year? I think I read somewhere ( probable on social media) we have had more rain in Dorset these past two months than we did between 1991and 2020? Driving along Ferry Road I  was trying to make my mind up whether to go straight for the Cirl Buntings. Or to carry on through Studland Village and down to Jerry's Point to look for the Red necked Grebe that had been hanging about for a few days. As I drove past the view point at the top of the hill that looks out over the bay and golf course my hart sank a little as it seemed everywhere was shrouded in mist. I mad my decision to carry on to Jerry's Point because I thought the higher ground would most likely be covered is sea mist.

Arriving at the pull in next to Jerry's Point I was sure glad that I had left my wellington boots in the car as the path down was very flooded and water logged.

Having reached the point I was pleased I was able to see over to Brownsea Island. I started scanning around the the grebe. Though the first few scans I only picked up Great Northern Diver 4 and Red breasted Mergansers, Great crested Grebes, followed by 4 Black necked Grebe as nice as it is to see these wonderful birds it was not what I was looking for, so with that I looked in to the small bay to my left and scanned the shore line. Here if found some Grey Plover and Dunlin new birds for year, then suddenly I noticed a grebe pop up to the surface followed by another and there in this small bay was the Red necked Grebe with a Great Crested Grebe giving a great comparison. After seeing this grebe I decided it was now time to go and see if I could get to see the Cirl Buntings.

So I made the short drive to South Beach car park, were I had to pay the exorbitant price of a ticket in the National Trust car park of £3 an hour. Lucky for me a local birder was still at the car park and came over to give me some pointers and the direction to take from the car park. So after grabbing my gear I made my way up the track to Old Harry Rocks, but instead of checking the hedge line I carried on to the spot were the birds were last seen. As I slowly walked to where I could view the field several birds lifted off the field and into the hedge. Shortly afterwards I had a very brief view of a male Cirl Bunting which popped up on top of the hedge and I thought great wonderful better get a picture only for it to disappear, and then what I thought was a female 1st w type bird appeared  which I managed to photograph.

This is what Old Harry looks like on a good day

There are a couple of legends about Old Harry, but the one I like the best is about is about a Poole pirate called Harry Paye. He supposable harassed the French and Spanish. Using the stacks as look out points and by hiding is ship behind the stack. 

 Female 1st/w type Cirl Bunting?

 I digressed a little with the pirate story.

  

Shortly after this brief sighting the birds disappeared with a flock of Chaffinch, I walked up to the next gap in the hedge with another birder as a group of ten were seen at this spot. Though having got there a large flock of finches were flying about and headed out in to the field. I made the decision to move back down to the gate and wait as finches were coming and going to the hedge that was running out in to the field. It was not long before some Chaffinch and a large flock of Linnet turned up which kept me on my toes scanning at any slight movement in the hope it was a mythical Cirl Bunting. Perseverance paid off in the end as four wonderful Cirl Bunting appeared on top and along the hedge line.

Male Cirl Buntings

It is wonderful to be able to see these birds in Dorset, and it is due I believe to the credit of Conservationist and the work the did down in Devon which as enabled this wonderful and charmful buntings to spread along the cost in to Dorset and hopefully set up more breeding territories.   

81# Grey Plover

82# Dunlin

83# Red-necked Grebe

84# Mediterranean Gull

85# Skylark

86# Cirl Bunting

87# Raven 

I do not know if it is but I feel perhaps my blog is a bit same old same stuff? 

I know it is supposed to be all about birds but I think sometimes other stuff that I am interested in just might creep in to the blog, like my new other challenge of 100 plants in 2026 which I signed up to at bsbi.org as I thought this was something I could do while out birding. As  I have had an interest in wildflowers and orchid for a while now and of course during the summer months some dragonflies and damselflies.