Portland and Weymouth: Day 8

First light at the Observatory, with Manx Shearwater seen from the patio and a dark morph Arctic Skua. Gale force conditions heading in a Westerly direction, haulted pretty much any movement.

Searching the top fields got us a Whinchat, thats all. Ortalans weren't to put in an appearance in these conditions and i dont blame them. 2 Grey Phaloropes were then in Chesil Cove feeding on the rafts of seaweed quite close in. And the Tawny Pipit was still at Barleycrates Lane.

OMG! a half-decent record short using digiscoping, the Tawny Pipit was the most ideal of targets, moving well and in terrible gale force winds, and the latter pic of yet another Grey Phalorope in Chesil Cove, this one from Steve © Ashley Howe & Stephen Menzie

Steve wanted to go and slate the Hooded Merganser, but once there he soon saw sense, and realised that this bird has potential. We got back to mine early afternoon to catch up on some sleep.

Starting to come into a better plumage, this time 2nd winter still in the same place, © Ashley Howe