Birding The Nothe

Diary 2003

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31 July: Return passage gained momentum today with a light fall of six Willow Warblers in the overcast conditions first thing. A Whimbrel was on the shore along with one of the Redshanks - the latter an unusual long-stayer and especially encouraging that the new walkway isn't causing disturbance. An imm. Peregrine was flying low around the fort, possibly settling for a short time - now that would be a good resident to have - while offshore were two Gannets, two Common Scoter and a very close Guillemot. The fishermen were having a field day with many Mackerel and a Garfish on the end of the lines.

28 July: More about again this morning, with Green Woodpecker a typical post-breeding dispersal record, and two Redshank on the south rocks an excellent year-tick. These are the first for nearly two years and only the second multiple record. More fish apparently about now, attracting Gannets fishing in the bay, and an intriguing report of a 'Baby Dolphin' off the pier. Year list to 93 spp.

22 July: A smidgin of bird movement today, with two Whimbrel in the morning, and a juv. Mediterranean Gull reported at lunchtime, the latter being the first year-tick for over a month and bringing the year total to 92 spp.

I take it all back about the recently-cut slopes by the fort, though - the regrowth of nettles here is now covered with Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock caterpillars - the first breeding records for both.

18 July: Damp and drizzly, but still no movement, and despite the promising low tide lacking in waders. A Peregrine passing low over the shore line as I arrived might also have had something to do with that. The first juv. Sandwich Tern was calling in Newton's Cove, now with its walkway open - so back to the circuit I used to walk up till a year ago.

13 July: Quiet again, but a chance to go on the new so-Jurassic southern shore-walk gave lots of new weed records from the backfilled topsoil including Shaggy Soldier, Corn Spurrey, Apple of Peru and enough Fat Hen to make me think about having some for Sunday lunch.

11 July: Still quiet on the bird front, but a good sunny morning for butterflies and other insects. The first skippers of the year included two Small Skippers, only the second record, while there was a record max 18 Marbled Whites and joint record max 9 Ringlets. Good to see both of these thriving in their core area on the south slopes, especially as, sadly, the grass slopes by the fort are now being mown to create a butterfly-free zone. On the positive side, the 'underslope' (not quite an undercliff!) by the south-east rocks is looking better and better - this was where the skippers were, and also held several Cinnabar moths. An early Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria was on the north-east sycamores.

8 July: Birds predictably quiet this morning, but a good range of butterflies included Marbled White, Ringlet and the earliest ever Gatekeepers. Offshore, no sign of the Rhizostoma jellyfish reported terrorising Weymouth bathers yesterday, but three Spiny Spider Crabs off the pier were the first for a couple of years. Normally found much lower down, these monster crustaceans emerge from the depths during some summers. One well-grown Herring Gull chick remains on the nest.

21 June: Two chicks in the Herring Gulls' nest popping up this morning - the first breeding record. Three feeding Little Tern were a good record this late.

16 June: Warm even early this morning, and, at a quiet time of year, a surprising number of notable records. After at least a year of hanging about, the Herring Gulls are finally nesting on the Coastguard Cottage chimneys - if successful, this will be the first breeding record for the site. Coal Tit juvs were about and calling, in a repeat of last years influx, and the 91st sp. for the year. A Chiffchaff was singing, as they do sporadically during the summer, but proof of breeding will be hard to get.

10 May: Light rain failed to bring in any migrants, with just a singing Chiffchaff of note - will it stay to breed? A Common Sandpiper was the first this year, the year's 90th sp.

4 May: Sunny, clear, and birdless, but with a yaffling Green Woodpecker in the Montereys a useful year tick, and the first one noted 'singing' here for over two years. Two Spotted Flycatchers made this the best spring for three years for this species already. Year list to 89 spp.

3 May: A group of three Garden Warblers joined a Spotted Flycatcher in the Liddell Hut garden to take the year list to 88 spp.

2 May: Patiently waiting in the pier shelter for the rain to stop certainly paid off this morning. As soon as it cleared, a remarkable procession of seabirds suddenly appeared in Weymouth Bay, mostly heading south or south-west into the wind.

Best, and near the start, were a couple of pale-phase Pomarine Skuas, the first multiple record, and the earliest. These came close enough to see the tail spoons quite clearly - an exciting moment. Do two together constitute a pom-pom? Later another two (or just possibly the same pompom going round again?) went past further out. Also new for the year was a stream of Gannets, a record max 61 in an hour of watching. Three Great Northern Divers included one on the sea, while three Little Terns were the first this year, as were 37 Kittiwakes in small flocks. A record eight Fulmar included two taking a keen interest in the fort walls.

Despite the weather, a Willow Warbler and two Whitethroat were around the Tavern lawns. Four year-ticks push the year list to a more respectable 87 spp.

1 May: The Year of the Quiet Spring continues, and on what should be one of the busiest days of the year, there was hardly a migrant to be found. But a Lesser Whitethroat singing from the Tavern clump was only the second spring record, and the earliest by over two weeks! The only other interesting arrival was the white Professor Molchanov steaming into Portland Harbour fresh from the Antarctic.

The Lesser Whitethroat was also reported on 29 Apr, with a Spotted Flycatcher on 30 Apr, both the earliest records. Year list to 83 spp.

29 April: Three phylloscs today - but just one each of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, and a Wood Warbler singing in the same place as last year, the Tavern sycamores. Year list to 81spp. Chiffchaff is odd for this time of year, as usually the main passage has gone through by now.

23 April: A Swift going into the easterly (again!) wind low over the fort was the earliest record by a fair way - previous earliest 3 May 1975! Later a House Martin went the same way, also the earliest record (previously 27 Apr 2000), and the year's 80th sp., this milestone two days earlier than last year. Two Wheatear, the first for over a week, were on the south rocks and fort, while the Grey Plover was still on the south rocks along with four Whimbrel.

22 April: A lovely calm morning with a hazy sunrise. Not much on the land, but a low tide produced the first three Whimbrel of the year on the south rockpools, and, better still, a lone Grey Plover. This is quite a choice species here, usually noted in winter - this one is the latest recorded in spring, and the first record since 1996. Two Shelduck were also on the rock pools, while in Newton's Cove, Common Terns were displaying and calling - the sound of summer here. Year list to 78 spp.

21 April: A nice, classic, damp and cloudy spring morning for Easter Monday with, at last, an end to the relentless easterly winds. First year-tick was a Grasshopper Warbler singing from the Liddell Hut garden - only the fifth record, but the third year running I've recorded this in spring here. Next a gang of 10 Common Terns over the pier, then a typically mercurial but fine male Redstart zipping round the top lawns. Finally a briefly visible Whitethroat in the Tavern clump brought the year list to a more respectable 76 spp. Also notable was a Fulmar around the fort, a good count of 14 Willow Warblers and six Swallows going through.

19 April: All quiet still in a stiff NE wind, with just a few Goldfinches going over as a sign of any movement. Received an interesting report of a Hoopoe about a week ago in nearby gardens at Bincleaves - with a previous record from nearby Sandsfoot Castle, it is surely only a matter of time before we get one....

17 April: Another warm quiet morning, with just a single Sand Martin going through new for the year. Year list to 72 spp.

15 April: Still virtually no migrants - just two Willow Warblers - but a morning of oddities nonetheless. Three Brown Rats were a new, not altogether welcome, max scurrying after the birdfood dropped on the path near CEFAS. Three Long-tailed Tit were a good spring record, but in an odd location - flying alongside the pier! They went out to sea, thought better of it, then headed back to feed in the maples below the north side of the fort.

But a Rose-ringed Parakeet flying over towards town, calling, was the most unusual thing - a first record in fact! There have been several parrot escapes here, and this might have been one, but, having bred its way on to the British List, it qualifies as the 189th bird species to be recorded on the site. My Nothe list moves up to 154 spp, with the year list to 71 spp.

14 April: Just two Swallows going through were new for the year, but a bit warmer this morning, and a sign of spring in the form of two Mallard ducklings. These must be a special var. elasticus, having to survive a 30ft-drop off the fort walls as they leave the nest, never mind the attentions of gulls and crows. Year list struggles to 70 spp.

7 April: Even quieter! Just two Mute Swans going past an unusual spring record.

4 April: Still quiet - three Willow Warblers and two Blackcaps, all singing in the sunshine. Linnets reached double figures for the first time this year.

31 March: Just two Willow Warblers and a Blackcap, all singing on a clear fine morning.

29 March: Misty, damp and calm conditions switched attention to the sea this morning, with a Fulmar giving the fort a once-over for the first time this year. A Common Scoter and two Sandwich Terns flew past, the Red-breasted Merganser drake was again on the rocks off the pier - the latest spring record - and a Red-throated Diver was in Newton's Cove. A steady passage of Mipits was going overhead - there has been a pretty steady trickle for a couple of weeks, unlike the usual heavy passage in one or two days - but apart from two Chiffchaffs land migration was still in the doldrums. Year list to 69 spp - last year the list got to 65 spp by the end of March, so slightly ahead.

28 March: A few spots of rain failed to bring down any migrants to speak of, with two male Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff the only sign of movement.

25 March: A foggy start with at last a bit of movement.At least two Willow Warblers,a Chiffchaff and two Blackcaps, the latter new for the year, were joined all-too-briefly by two Bullfinches in the northern trees. I saw the female in a treetop, but could only hear what presumably was the male lower down on the harbour slope - only the fourth record, and the first since Oct 2000. Noisiest bird of the morning award has to go to Oystercatcher, with a record flock of 14 piping on the south shore making a remarkable racket.

In the warm sunshine of the afternoon, an Osprey was reported going over east - an excellent second record. Year list jumps to 68 spp.

24 March: When a Magpie is the most exciting bird on site, you know it's a quiet day - but it was carrying a twig into some cypresses, and may produce the first breeding record.

23 March: Three Little Egrets on the south shore were both new for the year and a personal max., but the site max is still four seen on 17 Apr 1970! Also new for the year was a Rook flying north bringing the year list to 65 spp. A big female Sparrowhawk was causing consternation amongst the Woodpigeons, and the first fledgling Robins of the year were reported.

22 March: A late-morning visit produced the first butterflies of the year - two Small Tortoiseshell - enjoying the sunshine, and the first Sandwich Tern of the spring, which, unusually, was not the first this year with the early records in January.

21 March: A misty, promising start revealed few migrants, but, appropriately for the first official day of spring, a Willow Warbler, the earliest on record, slipped through to the Liddell Hut sycamores first thing.. A pair of Long-tailed Tit were the first since early January - will they find somewhere on site to nest? Year list to 63 spp.

20 March: A White Wagtail on the top lawns was the earliest spring record. The drake Red-breasted Merganser was on rocks on the harbour side of the pier - the first record of this species on the land here. Two Chiffchaffs and three Goldcrests were hopefully harbingers of things to come.

19 March: Another fine spring morning, but with few migrants. A few Meadow Pipits were going over, and Collared Doves flying around in small flocks pushed the count to a new record max of 13.

18 March: A Guillemot close in to the pier was the only notable on a dull, cold morning.

17 March: A beautiful bright spring morning with, for once, light easterly winds, produced the first ever spring record of Great Spotted Woodpecker - a female - along the Newton's Cove Montereys. The third year running for this scarce species here. Two Shelduck flew past the pier, while the Black Redstart and Red-throated Diver were still present. Year list to 62 spp.

15 March : A bit of passage evident today in the spring sunshine, with a few Meadow Pipits and Lesser Black-backed Gulls over with seven Jackdaws, and a few Goldfinches together with the year's first Linnet.Year list to 61 spp.

14 March: The first spring migrant Chiffchaff was enjoying the sunshine this afternoon at the Tavern clump, with the Black Redstart still on the sheltered west side of the fort, and the Red-throated Diver in the harbour.

13 March: Hot on the heels of yesterday's Raven, two Peregrine flew over this morning, only the second multiple record, and another new species for the year. The Red-throated Diver was again in the harbour sheltering from the unpleasant easterly wind. Year list to 60 spp.

12 March: A Raven going over in the sunshine was the best of the morning and new for the year, while the male Black Redstart was showing well on the south rocks, sheltering from the stiff northerly wind. No sign today of the 1st-w Little Gull, also the first of the year, that has been in the harbour for the last two days. Year list to 59 spp.

A Black Brant reported in 'Newton's Cove, Weymouth' on 1 Mar was surely in fact in Newton's Bay, Poole Harbour, in the area where it was reported the previous week.

9 March: Much the same today with the most unusual sighting an imm. Cormorant walking about on the end of the pier stealing bait (or catches) from the rod-and-line brigade. The drake Red-breasted Merganser was back in Newton's Cove. The first Wheatear of the year - the earliest on record - was reported from the fort later in the day, with Great Northern Diver also present. Year list to 57 spp.

8 March: A five-gull day after the overnight near-gale westerlies, with Lesser Black-backed Gull new for the year. Two Goldcrest in the NE corner were the first since January and probably migrants, while Razorbill and Red-throated Diver were still off the pier.Year list at 56 spp.

6 March : The Black Redstart was still performing nicely on a fabulous calm and sunny spring morning. A Curlew heading north was an excellent year-tick - we get about one a year of these - and three Jackdaw circling overhead were also new for the year. The year list moves on to 55 spp.

3 March: A typical morning for the time of year, with a gathering of Mallard off and on the fort for the first time this year, a cracking male Black Redstart by the south rocks and much birdsong.

17 February: Still very cold, and with a biting easterly wind this morning. The odd wildfowl theme continues, with a drake Pochard sheltering in the harbour, the first record since Jan 1990. The drake Red-breasted Merganser was still in Newton's Cove, with Red-throated Diver faithful to the pier area.Year list to 53 spp.

16 February: Dull and gloomy, with a raw east wind - just the conditions, I thought, for a good winter record, maybe a goose flying past. A drake Red-breasted Merganser in Newton's Cove was a good start - a year-tick, but a predictable one. A pair has appeared late winter for the last three years at least - on 30 Jan, 18 Feb and 28 Feb, so this was bang on cue. But where was the female? In the harbour, sensibly sheltering. I was just watching her from the pier flying off to the east, when another bird caught my eye heading towards me from the Newton's Cove direction. With naked eye it appeared to have large contrasting white patches on the wing - the male, I thought. So I was somewhat gobsmacked when in bins, it turned out to be a redhead Goosander! Having just watched the redhead Merganser, the sharp demarkation between the larger, darker head and cleaner underparts than the latter was obvious, as was the contrasting, clean, undivided white wing-patch, and its generally bulkier appearance. Although the third record for Weymouth Bay, this was a Nothe tick for me, my 153rd species, and just a day later then the previous record, on 15 Feb 1997! The Red-throated Diver was still present in the harbour and showing well.

15 February: A cold east wind blasting into the bay and over the fort still keeping birds away today, with just a close-in Red-throated Diver in the harbour of note.

8 February: Four Shelduck bobbing about on the bay were most unusual for the winter, although not new for the year - two were driven off an icebound Lodmoor on 12 Jan. This is a locally increasing species that may well breed on the breakwater, or even on the fort itself one year. Five Grey Heron flying over were another unusual winter record (multiples usually occur in autumn), and a displaying pair of Herring Gull on the same cottage chimneypots, where presumably the same pair brought nesting material last year, may be the first sign of another new breeding species for the site.

7 February: Calm, dull conditions, ideal for scanning the bay this morning, with three Red-throated Diver - my first multiple record - and three Slavonian Grebe. Also worthy of mention was a record February count of 16 Blue Tit - maybe the high numbers from last summer and autumn have stayed around the area.

5 February: Still going through a quiet phase despite quite promising cold conditions. A male Black Redstart was on the sheltered south shore this morning.

2 February: An influx of six Razorbill round the pier and in the bay were enjoying the shelter from the westerly wind, and a fine drake Common Scoter was also new for the year. Year list reaches 50 spp.

25 January: Mild, and clearing, with a passing 1st-winter Sandwich Tern adding to the spring-like feel - the earliest on record, and possibly the same bird seen on 31 Dec. A Guillemot climbing out on to the rocks in Newton's Cove is the first on record to set foot on land here.

21 January: Despite the showers, a useful morning, with the drake Eider showing splendidly as it tucked into a crab at the end of the pier. Also in the bay were one Red-throated and three Great Northern Divers and two Guillemot. The harbour itself had two Little Grebe, possibly driven out from Radipole by the floods, and there was a Chiffchaff amongst the trees on the northern slopes.

18 January: A mild morning with only a Guillemot and Great Northern Diver off the pier of note.

12 January : A hard frost, with -6C overnight produced a few cold-weather birds, notably a small influx of Song Thrushes, and drove a flock of 15 Wigeon and two Shelduck off iced-up Lodmoor into Weymouth Bay: the first Wigeon recorded since Jan 1985. Other birds enjoying the much calmer conditions there included two Slavonian Grebes, Red-throated and Great Northern Divers and drake Eider.

11 January : A frosty start, which can be very good for oddities here, but, disappointingly, there was still a persistent easterly this morning which over the last few days has almot emptied the place of birds. The best was Mistle Thrush, being chased out by a Sparrowhawk.

10 January: Still cold, but less windy, and a Red-throated Diver was bobbing about in the waves off the pier, with the drake Eider again further out. A male Black Redstart was again on the seawall works.

8 January : A bitingly cold easterly wind - probably the worst direction for birds here - made watching difficult, but there was Black Redstart huddled on the south shore.

3 January : The first fine morning of the year, and some useful year-birds, including a Kingfisher across the harbour, a Mistle Thrush on the gardeners' compost heap, and three Meadow Pipits on the slopes - unusual for this time of year. Two Great Northern Divers were in the bay, with a close Guillemot.

2 January : Two inches of rain over the last two days has turned the harbour and part of the bay a murky brown oxtail soup colour, but this didn't deter the drake Eider, still showing well off the pier. A Great Northern Diver was keeping well out in the clearer water, and a Mute Swan was in the most unusual location of Newton's Cove, together with 6 Great Crested Grebes.

Link to Diary 2002