Just back from a few days away in Dorset, staying at one of our favourite places on the Studland peninsular. Only away a couple of nights, so not a great deal of time to do any proper birding and we also caught the tail end of Storm Doris on Thursday 23rd Feb. Despite a lovely day of blue skies and sunshine, the wind was a real pain and so I didn’t even try looking for Dartford Warbler and Woodlark. Instead I spent some time photographing the many Mediterranean Gulls that were sheltering in Studland Bay off Middle Beach and watching Ring-necked Parakeets flying over our hotel gardens, uttering their loud screeching call and looking just like Green Arrows. I did manage an hour or so birding on Thursday afternoon and on the beach and in the bay and surrounding area, the highlights were a single Rock Pipit, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Black-necked Grebe, 3 distant divers which I presumed were Red-throated Diver, at least 70 Mediterranean Gull, 6 Little Egret, many Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Shelduck and small numbers of Pintail. Waders were represented by Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit.
On the journey back home yesterday (24th February), I decided to divert via Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire to see the overwintering Blue Rock Thrush. The bird has been frequenting gardens on a housing estate for several months now and as I was passing the area, it seemed to make sense to call in and have a look at it. Well, it took me a good half to three quarters of an hour to find it. Obviously very few birders visiting the site now and the bird seems to be moving around a much larger area of the estate. I was about to give up and head back to the car, when I heard a short sharp, single flutey call note, uttered twice, then suddenly the Blue Rock Thrush was perched on top of a roof right opposite me. It showed well in the sunshine for several minutes, before flying off over roof tops to a distant tree. Job done, time to head back home after a lovely few days away. So a few year ticks taking my Year List on to 148.
Blue Rock Thrush – above 3 images – adult male – Stow-on-the-Wold – Tony Davison©
Mediterranean Gull – above 2 same bird – 1st winter – Middle Beach, Studland, Dorset – Tony Davison©
Mediterranean Gull – different 1st winter – Middle Beach, Studland, Dorset – Tony Davison©
Mediterranean Gull – Adult nearly moulted into full summer – Middle Beach, Studland, Dorset – Tony Davison©
Mediterranean Gull – Another adult nearly in summer plumage – Middle Beach, Studland, Dorset – Tony Davison©
Mediterranean Gull – 2nd winter – Middle Beach, Studland, Dorset – Tony Davison©
Mediterranean Gull – Above 4 images – same 1st winter – Middle Beach, Studland, Dorset – Tony Davison© – Shame about the Darvic Ring but I liked the flight poses.
