Dorset Walks

Walks on Portland - wildlife highlights for 2017

last year's walks . . .

Friday December 29th Portland Bill With a near-gale-force westerly blowing and a vicious hail storm forecast for 1100 we decided to follow the full risk assessment procedure and position ourselves close to the door of the Lobster Pot cafe. The strategy worked very well as we were able to run for shelter when the hail arrived but still had enough time to examine the thousands of seabirds that were feeding off the Bill. Gannets and kittiwakes made up the bulk of the feeding flock with a few shags, fulmars and guillemots amongst them. The first major find was a great skua that powered its way past not long after we arrived. Then the slim shape of a shearwater soared into view. Large and dark its identity was later confirmed as a sooty shearwater by the Observatory warden Martin Cade. After sheltering in the cafe for a while we walked out towards Pulpit Rock in bright sunshine, disturbing a flock of goldfinches on the way. The day's list: gannet, kittiwake, fulmar, guillemot, shag, kestrel, great skua, sooty shearwater, goldfinch, rock pipit, turnstone

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio (click for larger image)

T>last year's walks . . .

Friday December 22nd Topfields Parking near the entrance to Southwell Business Park we explored the area of ancient fields above the mesolithic settlement at Culverwell. We were hoping to find a short-eared owl but none were about, and I think in the end we saw more horses than birds! We did see some very attractive stonechats though and quite a few song thrushes, as well as skylarks and a large flock of chaffinches. And a lot of mud. The day's list: buzzard, sparrowhawk, kestrel, goldcrest, chaffinch, linnet, goldfinch, robin, blue tit, great tit, skylark, stock dove, magpie, pied wagtail, song thrush

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio (click for larger image)

Friday December 15th Engine Sheds - Grove Point Two weeks ago we tried and failed to see the fulmars on the cliffs at Grove Point so today we decided we would have another go. On the way we stopped off at the Firing Range to look fir the flock of British Primitive Goats that were introduced there about fifteen years ago. They took some finding but in the end we spotted nine out of the ten goats. Reaching Grove Point we had good views of a couple of fulmars patrolling the cliffs just underneath us. As we walked back though the Governor's Gardens a pair of goldcrests appeared in the trees right next to us. The final bird on the list was a peregrine that circled round the cliffs in front of the hotel while we were enjoying our coffees! The day's list: wren, fulmar, kestrel, goldcrest, chaffinch, robin, long-tailed tit, great tit, gannet, peregrine

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio (click for larger image)

Friday December 8th Pennsylvania Castle-Church Ope Cove The discovery of a yellow-browed warbler above Church Ope Cove drew us back to Wakeham for the second week running. All the long-tailed tits were carefully checked but all we could find with them were goldcrests. The ancient cellar, or more likely water cistern, under Rufus Castle was dry enough to explore properly today (for a photo of it scroll down to the entry for Feb 24th). On the way back some of us squeezed into the crevice in the rock underneath Rufus Castle to discover that it continued some way under the castle, but was far too narrow for anyone to explore. The best bird of the day though was the firecrest that appeared when we stopped at Wakeham to check the trees around the old railway line. The day's list: birds: wren, buzzard, firecrest, goldcrest, chaffinch, robin, long-tailed tit, great tit plants:bulbous comfrey mammals: grey squirrel

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

Friday December 1st Penn's Weare A beautiful sunny day on Portland but with a bitterly cold northerly wind so we kept under the shelter if the Eastcliffs and walked from Church Ope Cove along the old railway line to Grove Point. The hope was that we would see the first returning fulmars on the cliffs but they hadn't arrived yet. We did get good views of both of the resident pair of peregrines though and offshore a single gannet was fishing. The star sighting though was a pair of crests, one of which stopped long enough for us to identify it as a firecrest. The day's list: birds: wren, peregrine, raven, song thrush, kestrel, gannet, firecrest, goldfinch, chaffinch, rock dove (feral pigeons) plants: stinking iris, maidenhair fern, sea spleenwort ships: HMS Chiddingfold

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

Friday November 24th Fancy's Farm - Grove Engine Sheds Another cold, calm and sunny day - perfect conditions to explore the exposed northern Eastcliffs. But before we left the hotel car park we had to stop and look at a very late hummingbird hawkmoth that was investigating the hotel roof. At Fancy's Farm there were very few birds to see but we did find a small flock of seven or eight redwings in the trees at Grove Stadium, where there was also a kestrel. In the end we spent more time looking at ships with some enormous container ships in the distance. Closer in we had an excellent view of RFA Argus coming in to port. The day's list: insects: hummingbird hawkmoth birds: wren, meadow pipit, redwing, song thrush, kestrel, stock dove plants: wall-rue ships: RFA Argus, RFA Sir Tristram, Glovis Cougar, Merete Maersk

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

Friday November 17th Portland Bill A cold but very bright and sunny day with very little wind so we decided to brave the exposed cliffs at the Bill and get a rare view of a new Royal Navy ship - the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The huge ship was easy to spot even though it was several miles out. The birds however were far more difficult, apart from the gannets which were fishing just offshore. Rock pipits were showing themselves now and again and a pair of stonechats were very obliging. Apart from these we were confined to enjoying the crisp air and looking at the varieties of fungi that made fairy rings in the grass. The day's list: birds: gannet, shag, cormorant, wren, rock pipit, skylark, stonechat, kestrel, raven

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio HMS Queen Elizabeth, click here for video

Friday November 10th Rodwell Trail - Smallmouth As we were sat in the hotel lobby wondering where to go today I received a text informing me that six black-necked grebes were in Portland Harbour just off the site of the old Whitehead's pier. Although not technically in Portland we decided that it was still Portland Harbour so OK to visit on a Portland walk. However when we reached the site we found that the grebes had been disturbed by a very noisy helicopter and were a very long way out indeed. So we decided to leave them there and walk under the road at Ferrybridge to look for brent geese. With the tide well in just a single goose could be seen in the distance. It really wasn't our day today so we cut our losses and returned to the hotel for a cup of coffee. The day's list: birds: black-necked grebe, red-breasted merganser, brent goose, Mediterranean gull, robin, wren, greenfinch, pied wagtail, rock pipit, stonechat

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Thrift, click for larger image

Friday November 3rd Bumpers Lane - Silklake - Broadcroft Another beautifully warm day saw us making a rare visit to the area of infilled quarries just east of Wakeham. The buddleias at the end of Bumpers Lane were full of finches and thrushes, mostly chaffinches and blackbirds but also a few greenfinches, goldfinches and a single redwing. Moving on to Broadcroft a few stonechats and chiffchaffs were found but what was most likely the best bird of the day evaded us. This was a probable black redstart that appeared in the brambles briefly and then vanished into thin air. A very late small copper was probably the most unexpected sighting of the morning. The day's list: birds: sparrowhawk, chiffchaff, goldfinch, robin, wren, chaffinch, greenfinch, redwing, blackbird, stonechat, blue tit, great tit insects: small copper, ground beetle plants: melilot, buddleia, pampas grass

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Silklake, click for larger image

Friday October 27th Suckthumb Quarry - Grangecroft Quarry In beautifully warm and calm weather we parked on Weston Street and walked down the newest road on Portland - Thumb Lane. We waited in the old quarry for a few minutes but the only birds present were a single chiffchaff and a goldcrest. High overhead a long line of brilliantly white birds were a little disappointing when they turned out to be only gulls, most likely a group of lesser black-backs migrating south. Walking through Suckthumb Quarry we carefully checked all the blackbirds and found a redwing and a song thrush but no ring ouzels. The small flocks of wood pigeons and starlings moving north overhead looked as if they might be migrants rather than local birds. Finally we stopped off at Grangecroft Quarry which looked ideal for little owls but only produced a few stock doves. The day's list: birds: sparrowhawk, kestrel, chiffchaff, goldcrest, robin, wren, chaffinch, greenfinch, redwing, song thrush, siskin (heard), stonechat, blackcap, lesser black-backed gull, stock dove, raven (heard), meadow pipit, skylark, blue tit, great tit insects: speckled wood plants: Himalayan cotoneaster, pyracantha, dogwood, water crowfoot, pampas grass

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Grangecroft Quarry, click for larger image

Friday October 20th Grove Corner - Jordan Quarry - Inmosthay We started by walking down to Grove Corner where we inspected the mysterious but very informative sign that has appeared there recently. Next we walked along Victoria Place to the site of the end of the Portland Railway. From there we made a quick visit to look at the mines in Jordan Quarry before walking through the southern end of Inmosthay. Inmosthay revealed a range of fascinating geological specimens, and a variety of cotoneaster bushes, such as the one pictured here. The day's list: birds: swallow, kestrel, chiffchaff, robin, chaffinch, greenfinch, redwing, linnet plants: Himalayan cotoneaster, entire-leaved cotoneaster, bullate-leaved cotoneaster, wayfaring tree, dogwood

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio click for larger image

Friday October 13th Inmosthay - Tout A dismal but warm day with a fresh south-westerly wind that we successfully kept out of most of the time. Walking through Tout on to the Westcliffs we were accompanied by first one, then two and finally three kestrels. Very few other birds were seen though apart from a very impressive raven cruising along the cliff-top. Reaching the cliff-fall we once again started arguing about whether or not the scene had changed but the photos below show little, if any, change in the last eighteen months. The day's list: raven, kestrel, carrion crow, jackdaw, great black-backed gull, stock dove, robin, wren, linnet

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio the scene today click for larger image

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio March 2017

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio November 2016

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio February 2016

Friday October 6th Kingbarrow Quarry - Withies Croft On a beautifully warm and calm day we walked east into Kingbarrow where we soon bumped into a few migrants in the shape of some chiffchaffs, meadow pipits and a stonechat. Failing to locate the resident little owl yet again we moved up into the plateau that was once the deep hole of Withies Croft Quarry. Four or five different species of fungi were found here includingone blackening waxcap and a number of shaggy inkcaps. Another two stonechats were found here as well along with more meadow pipits. A kestrel was seen to catch a small rodent with a somewhat luckier rodent seen running through the grass nearby. We left the reserve via the Kingbarrow tunnel seeing little more to add to the list apart from a few swallows heading south. birds: kestrel, swallow, stonechat, chiffchaff, goldfinch, greenfinch, meadow pipit butterflies: red admiral, peacock

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Shaggy Inkcap click for larger image

Friday September 29th Old Hill - Verne Ditch - New Ground In damp and windy conditions we walked north from the hotel to check the trees around Old Hill for migrant warblers. With the rain increasing birds were hard to find and only single chiffchaff and goldcrest could be glimpsed. As we walked eastwards along the track of the Merchant's Railway the weather improved and a peregrine was found gliding high over the ramparts of the Verne Citadel. Although the weather was still windy quite a few red admirals were seen flying overhead heading south. Reaching the west gate of the Verne Prison a very strange sight could be seen. A group of crows and jackdaws were playing with a wire on a pole by trying to land on the wire while it was blowing around! birds: kestrel, peregrine, swallow, wheatear, blackcap, chiffchaff, goldcrest, meadow pipit, raven butterflies: red admiral, speckled wood

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Garden Cross Spider click for larger image

Friday September 22nd Chesil Cove Very little about today but we still had a very pleasant walk under the Westcliffs followed by a lovely cup of coffee at Quiddles. The one surprise find was a beautiful gothic moth (that's its name, not a description!) on the road near the sea wall. The main reason for being here though was to check on the state of the section of cliff near Tout Quarry that has been about to collapse for the last year or two. birds: robin, wren, rock pipit, swallow, cormorant, shag, kestrel, raven, carrion crow, jackdaw, great black-backed gull, herring gull butterflies: red admiral moths: beautiful gothic plants: hoary ragwort, rock samphire, portland spurge, Allium (unidentified)

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

Friday September 15th Portland Bill Even though the wind was in the north we risked a look at the sea as we were at the Bill and surprisingly enjoyed a vey productive half hour's sea watch. First we found several wheatears in the Bill Quarry, along with flocks of linnets and meadow pipits. Looking out to sea we found a number of gannets heading west and a group of three scoter as well. The highlight was when a couple of white wagtails landed just in front of us. Shortly after this a grey wagtail was seen heading out towards France. Walking east along the cliffs we were surprised to see a very early purple sandpiper feeding at the very tip of the Bill, making it the most southerly bird in Dorset! We just had enough time left after all this to check out the Observatory Quarry where a wryneck had been hiding for a few days. We eventually found it but never saw more than its head and neck. I am reluctant to copy someone else's photo here but Calum Urqhuart has published a photo on Twitter that shows exactly what we saw. (click here for the photo)

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

birds: meadow pipit, rock pipit, white wagtail, swallow, purple sandpiper, oystercatcher, gannet, cormorant, shag, wheatear, wryneck, linnet, raven, common scoter butterflies: red admiral, small tortoiseshell, small white, speckled wood other inverts: sea slater

Friday September 1st High Angle Battery Early September is the best time to look for the lovely adonis blue butterfly so we set out towards Fancy's Farm and the High Angle Battery. Our route from the hotel took us across New Ground just north of Kingbarrow Quarry where we found that the overnight rain had dropped at least twenty wheatears, several of which allowed excellent views through the telescope. Reaching the High Angle Battery the first butterfly found was a very fresh small copper, one of several seen this morning. As we were watching it a whitethroat appeared just above us on the edge of the Redoubt. We were soon seeing lots more butterflies, mostly chalkhill and common blues, and we did eventually find a female adonis. For the second week running a hornet hoverfly showed up, this time on Norma! birds: whitethroat, swallow, sand martin, wheatear, willow warbler, linnet, raven butterflies: wall brown, common blue, chalkhill blue, adonis blue, small copper, meadow brown, peacock, red admiral, small heath, small white, speckled wood other insects: hornet hoverfly Volucella zonaria plants:Autumn Lady's Tresses, Burnet Rose, Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Adonis Blue click for larger image © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Small Copper click for larger image

Friday August 25th Topfields It took until the end of August this year for the centre track in Topfields to dry out, so we were up there today looking for autumn migrants. The first ones we found were yellow wagtails, feeding almost underneath the horses' hooves. All were fairly plain-looking young birds, but I've added a video below from last year showing what a bright male looks like. Next was a wheatear closely followed by two more with two whinchats appearing on the same fence. A female sparrowhawk gave us all the chance to examine it closely through the telescope as it sat on a fence post and then again as it flew around the fields. A few butterflies were out in the warm sunshine but the star insect sighting was this enormous Hornet Hoverfly. birds: buzzard, kestrel, sparrowhawk, peregrine, swallow, sand martin, house martin, wheatear, whinchat, willow warbler, whitethroat, yellow wagtail, linnet, goldfinch, rook, raven butterflies: common blue, small copper, meadow brown, peacock, red admiral, small heath, small white, speckled wood other insects: silver Y, hoverflies Volucella zonaria and Myathropa florea plants:Autumn Lady's Tresses, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Bristly Ox-tongue, Broad-leaved Eyebright, Common Toadflax, Sea Buckthorn

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Volucella zonaria

Friday August 11th Merchant's Railway - High Angle Battery Parking next to the Verne Ditch the first bird seen was a little owl enjoying the sunshine on his rock in a sheltered corner of the moat that surrounds the Verne Prison. He was still there when we returned over an hour later! Chalkhill blues were everywhere but sadly no adonis yet. Wall browns were also quite numerous and one of us managed to see a hummingbird hawk-moth buzzing around the slopes of the Verne embankment. The High Angle Battery added small copper to the list and as the morning got colder the chalkhills were getting more and more approachable. birds: buzzard, kestrel, swallow, little owl, stock dove butterflies: common blue, chalkhill blue, small copper, marbled white, meadow brown, gatekeeper, red admiral, painted lady, small white, wall brown moths: silver Y, mint moth, hummingbird hawk-moth reptiles: common lizard

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Small Copper © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Chalkhill Blue male and female © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Mint Moth

Friday August 4th Westcliffs In a fresh westerly wind we braved the highest and windiest part of the island to look for the Ocean Sunfish that was in Chesil Cove yesterday. Of course we didn't see it but we did find an enormous and very noisy young female peregrine with a much smaller and rather harassed-looking adult male. In spite of the windy conditions there were plenty of butterflies about including a very bright clouded yellow. birds: peregrine, gannet, great black-backed gull, cormorant, fulmar, kestrel, swallow butterflies: common blue, chalkhill blue, holly blue, meadow brown, gatekeeper, red admiral, small white, wall brown, clouded yellow other insects: common field grasshopper, common darter plants: Wild Cabbage, Greater Knapweed, Small Scabious, Duke of Argyll's Tea Plant, Wild Carrot, Pyramid Orchid

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

Friday July 28th Eastcliffs Similar weather to last Friday with strong south-westerly winds blowing a range of seabirds close in to the Bill. But this week we decided to avoid the crowds (of sea-watchers) and walk along the much quieter Eastcliffs. We had to walk some distance before we could see the seabirds in Portland Race but on the way we found a good variety of plants in flower and even a few butterflies. birds: balearic shearwater, gannet, great black-backed gull, cormorant, shag, kestrel, swallow, rock pipit, goldfinch, linnet butterflies: common blue, meadow brown, grayling, red admiral, small white moths: yellow shell, chalk carpet plants: Agrimony, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Bristly Ox-tongue, Broad-leaved Eyebright, Carline Thistle, Common Centaury, Common Ragwort, Dwarf Elder, Fennel, Golden Samphire, Greater Knapweed, Portland Rock Sea-lavender, Red Valerian, Restharrow, Rock Samphire, Teasel, Wild Carrot, Yellow-wort

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

Friday July 21st Portland Bill Before I left home this morning Twitter informed me that Cory's shearwaters were being seen off the Devon coast, just across Lyme Bay, so it was with great anticipation that we arrived at the Bill and walked out towards the obelisk against the southerly wind. For once we were at the right place at the right time and enjoyed a superb sea-watch with several Cory's seen passing westwards distantly and many gannets and manx shearwaters much closer in. birds: Cory's shearwater, manx shearwater, gannet, guillemot, common scoter, Mediterranean gull, cormorant, shag, kestrel, buzzard, fulmar, rock pipit insects: common blue, six-spot burnet

© Kay Mantripp/Nature Portfolio manx shearwater

Friday July 14th Penn's Weare - Grove Point Today we revisited one of our most favourite walks - along the old railway line under the Eastcliffs. Butterflies were in abundance with lots of Lulworth skippers and the first chalkhill blues of the summer. We were hoping to see some young peregrines on the cliff (we had already seen two from the hotel car park!) but only found a single adult. However this disappointment was more than made up for when we found a nest of kestrels with two fluffy heads clearly visible through the telescope. The ornithological highlight though was the young cuckoo that suddenly appeared hiding in a bush at the foot of the cliffs. birds: kestrel, peregrine, cuckoo, fulmar, goldfinch, house martin insects: Lulworth skipper, small skipper, wall, gatekeeper, meadow brown, ringlet, marbled white, red admiral, common blue, chalkhill blue, six-spot burnet plants: Birdsfoot Trefoil, Horseshoe Vetch, Viper's Bugloss, Broad-leaved Eyebright, Maidenhair Fern, Buddleia, Pyramidal Orchid,

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Lulworth Skipper

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Common Blue female © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Common Blue male © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Crab Spider

Friday July 7th Church Ope Cove - Perryfields Another bright sunny day but a fresh westerly breeze so we walked down to Church Ope on the sheltered east side of the island, Waiting to greet us was a bright young male wall lizard, the first of quite a number seen this morning. Much less expected was the tiny toad that we found in the ruins of St Andrews church. We finished off with a short walk roud Butterfly Conservation's Perryfields Reserve and found the first ploughman's spikenard of the year and dozens of marbled white butterflies. birds: buzzard, sparrowhawk, swift, swallow, house martin herptiles: wall lizard, toad insects: small skipper, gatekeeper, meadow brown, ringlet, marbled white, comma, red admiral, speckled wood, six-spot burnet, small fan-footed wave, silver Y, emperor dragonfly plants: Agrimony, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Black Medick, Broad-leaved Eyebright, Common Centaury, Greater Knapweed, Lady's Bedstraw, Ploughman's Spikenard, Pyramidal Orchid, Restharrow, English Elm, Wych Elm

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Wall Lizard © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Small Fan-footed Wave © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Toad

Friday June 30th Reap Lane - Westcliffs After two days of pretty much continuous rain it was nice to be out on the cliffs in bright sunshine. We were looking for a common rosefinch but as is often the case our target remained hidden and a host of other sightings appeared instead. The birding highlight was the first juvenile peregrine of the year patrolling the cliff-top, but it was the insects that really stole the show. The day's list: birds: raven, kestrel, peregrine, gannet, cormorant, swallow, house martin, stonechat, linnet, fulmar butterflies: small skipper, large skipper, lulworth skipper, meadow brown, ringlet, marbled white, small heath, red admiral, peacock, small white moths: six-spot burnet, five-spot burnet, silver Y, burnet companion, cinnabar, chalk carpet, Crambus perlella other insects: great green bush-cricket, Roesel's bush-cricket, seven-spot ladybird plants: Agrimony, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Black Medick, Broad-leaved Eyebright, Common Centaury, Greater Knapweed, Lady's Bedstraw, Pyramidal Orchid, Restharrow, Squinancywort, Wild Carrot, Wild Thyme, Yellow-wort

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Burnet Companion © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Crambus perlella © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Lulworth Skipper © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Young Great Green Bush-cricket

Friday June 23rd Fancy's Farm - Admiralty Quarries Today we explored the clifftop paths on the highest accessible part of the island, enjoying the views across Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay to the far Purbeck coastline. It was a bit breezy for butterflies but we did manage to see a few including some very fresh marbled whites and one of the first small skippers of the year. The highlight though had to be the flora with a huge range of floers out in the close-cropped grassland in and around the farm. Pyramidal orchids were out in huge numbers and we also managed to locate an early gentian still just about in flower. Not many birds were seen but we did witness a brief encounter between an adult peregrine and a young buzzard that had yet to learn to keep away from this part of the cliffs! A gannet cruising around the harbour was a good sighting as well. The day's list: birds: buzzard, raven, kestrel, peregrine, gannet, cormorant, shag, lesser black-backed gull reptiles: slow-worm butterflies: small skipper, large skipper, speckled wood, meadow brown, ringlet, marbled white, small heath other insects: six-spot burnet caterpillar, sawfly plants: Birdsfoot Trefoil, Black Medick, Broad-leaved Eyebright, Burnet Rose, Common Centaury, Dog Rose, Early Gentian, Greater Knapweed, Great Mullein, Hedge Bedstraw, Hop Trefoil, Horseshoe Vetch, Ivy Broomrape, Kidney Vetch, Lady's Bedstraw, Marjoram, Pyramidal Orchid, Quaking Grass, Small Scabious, Musk Thistle, Squinancywort, Wayfaring Tree, Wild Carrot, Wild Thyme, Wood Sage, Yellow-wort

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Pyramid Orchid

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Ivy Broomrape

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Marbled White (click for larger image)

Friday June 16th Grove - Admiralty Quarries Our sunny morning's walk started with a pair of adders basking near the Engine Sheds. The cliffs nearby showed us a pair of young buzzards showing off their newly-acquired flying skills. Their landings still needed a bit more practice though. The low-lying areas of the Admiralty Quarries near Nicodemus Knob were a blaze of yellow vetches, buttercups and cinquefoil with patches of bright pink pyramidal orchids. The first silver-studded blues of the year were in flight along with some late common blues and a single small blue. The day's list: birds: buzzard, raven, kestrel, stock dove reptiles: adder, common lizard butterflies: common blue, small blue, silver-studded blue, red admiral, dingy skipper, large skipper, speckled wood, meadow brown moths: crambid moth Scoparia pyralella, speckled yellow, six-spot burnet caterpillar, lackey caterpillar plants: ivy broomrape, red valerian, pyramidal orchid, creeping cinquefoil, creeping buttercup	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Lackey Moth
Friday June 9th Southwell Eastcliffs On a sunny but very windy day the shelter of the Eastcliffs was very handy, providing ideal conditions for butterflies and reptiles to come out and be seen. A good list of butterflies were seen including the first meadow browns of the year. Several different moths were out too including at least one hummingbird hawk-moth. Wall lizards were particularly plentiful this morning taking advantage of the first strong sunshine for a day or two. Birds were mostly out at sea or on the cliffs with both male and female peregrines visible but no sign of any youngsters yet. The day's list: birds: whitethroat (heard), linnet, swallow, peregrine, buzzard, kestrel, raven, fulmar, gannet butterflies: common blue, red admiral, dingy skipper, large skipper, speckled wood, meadow brown, small white moths: crambid moth Scoparia pyralella, hummingbird hawk-moth, oak eggar caterpillar, magpie moth other insects: ground beetle, rose chafer, swollen-thighed beetle plants: sea spleenwort, red valerian, pyramidal orchid, bee orchid, spear thistle, bristly oxtongue, prickly sowthistle, rock samphire	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Rose Chafer
Friday June 2nd New Ground - High Angle Battery A warm and sunny day when we left but before long the clouds gathered and kept the sunshine down to the occasional sunny interval. Consequently the butterflies were a bit hard to find until the sun came out but in the end we amassed quite a respectable list of butterflies and day-flying moths. The most outstanding sighting was the unusually well-marked female common blue pictured on the right. We were still at the hotel when the first highlight turned up in the shape of a hummingbird hawk-moth seen by one of the group. Soon after we found the first bee orchid of the year right in the middle of the hotel's front lawn! This was soon followed by a few early pyramidal orchids as we walked eastwards across New Ground. A few birds were out in the sunshine including whitethroats and a family of great tits. The day's list: birds: whitethroat, great tit, swallow, swift, stock dove, kestrel, wren butterflies: small blue, common blue, red admiral, dingy skipper, speckled wood, painted lady, small heath, large white moths: mint moth, cinnabar, mother shipton, grass rivulet, burnet companion, speckled yellow, silver Y, hummingbird hawk-moth plants: birdsfoot trefoil, kidney vetch, horseshoe vetch, red valerian, pyramidal orchid, bee orchid, burnet rose with rose rust fungus (Phragmidium mucronatum)	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Mother Shipton

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Grass Rivulet

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Mint Moth

Friday May 26th Kingbarrow Quarry A beautifully sunny day but the fresh easterly breeze was keeping the butterflies down so we decided to walk below ground level in Kingbarrow Quarry next to the hotel. Common blues were seen from the outset with the first small heath for the year seen as well. The highlight was a hummingbird hawk-moth hovering around the wild privet. Very few birds were about but a whitethroat could be heard singing towards Withies Croft. Lots of plants were out including a patch of Sainfoin which looked like it could have been from the original Portland population rather than from a wildflower seed mix. We also spent a while looking at the fossilised tree bowls that this quarry is famous for. The day's list: birds: whitethroat (heard), magpie, wren (heard) insects: nomad bee, common blue, red admiral, dingy skipper, speckled wood, wall brown, small heath, hummingbird hawk-moth plants: Birdsfoot Trefoil, Horseshoe Vetch, Red Valerian, Early Gentian, Milkwort, Sainfoin,	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio hummingbird hawk-moth filmed last week near Chesil Cove
Friday May 19th France Quarry Parking next to the Grove Road playing field we walked across what used to be Long Acre Quarry before it was levelled off in about 1981. Next to this is a far more overgrown area, Crown Farm Quarry, named after the farm that was removed by the Luftwaffe in 1942. We spent a while here listening out for golden orioles and seeing a few butterflies including the first large skipper of the year. Moving on to France Quarry at the back of Easton Lane we searched the sycamore for orioles but could only find a blackcap. After Wednesday's torrential rain we could almost see the plants growing and very much had the impression that if we stood still for long we too would soon be enveloped by the clematis in particular. Many of the plants here were introduced species including several different cottoneasters and a huge lily that turned out to be honey garlic, Nectaroscordum siculum bulgaricum. Our route back to the van took us past the edge of Broadcroft Quarry where we had a brief view of a small blue. Back at the hotel three painted lady butterflies were in the car park feeding on the cottoneaster in the flower beds. The day's list: birds: swift, swallow, house martin, buzzard, blackcap reptiles: slow-worm fungi: Jelly Ear Fungus	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
invertebrates: wolf spider, swollen-thighed beetle, dock bug, red-tailed bumblebee, buff-tailed bumblebee, common carder bee, honey bee, ashy mining bee, cream-spot tiger moth, holly blue, small blue, red admiral, large white, small white, large skipper, speckled wood, painted lady, peacock plants: Birdsfoot Trefoil, Blackthorn, Buddleia, Clematis, Common Elder, Cotoneaster microphyllus, Cotoneaster horizontalis, Cotoneaster simonsii, Dogwood, Hawthorn, Herb Robert, Hogweed, Horseshoe Vetch, Japanese Knotweed, Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Red Fescue, Red Valerian, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Soft Brome, Spanish Bluebell, Tall Fescue, Teasel, Yellow Vetchling

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Cream-spot Tiger-moth

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Honey Garlic

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio Yellow Vetchling

Friday May 12th Portland Bill The sea off the Bill was very busy close inshore with dozens of auks (guillemots and razorbills) but very quiet further out with just a handful of gannets passing. A flock of six kittiwakes flew past going east but then came back, hopefully to investigate nest sites on the Westcliffs. A brilliant blue object on the clifftop turned out to be a guillemot egg recently predated by one of the local ravens. Just next to the car park was another bright blue find - this time the first common blue of the year. The day's list: birds: linnet, swallow, stonechat, goldfinch, raven, gannet, guillemot, razorbill, fulmar, kittiwake, shag, meadow pipit, skylark invertebrates: common blue, red admiral, green-veined white, brown-tail, lackey moth plants: kidney vetch, birdsfoot trefoil, hoary cress, thrift, lesser burdock	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday May 5th Tout - Inmosthay Crossing the road from the hotel we walked around the new stone circle and dropped down into Tout Quarry. Almost immediately we found the only butterfly of the morning - a very early dingy skipper. Walking out onto the Westcliffs we quickly inspected the landslip (it still looks just the same)and then cut back into the quarry in an attempt to hide from the wind. Woodlice were everywhere, mostly the huge Armadillium. A female bloody-nosed beetle was also on the cliff path. Back in Tout we found the old tunnel under Wide Street before taking its partner tunnel into Inmosthay. The day's list:	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
birds: linnet, swallow, swift, house martin, kestrel, whitethroat (heard), wren (heard), greenfinch, robin reptiles: common lizard invertebrates: dingy skipper, bloody-nosed beetle, St Marks fly, woodlouse (Armadillium), woodlouse (Porcellio), woodlouse (Oniscus), plants: maidenhair fern, horseshoe vetch, birdsfoot trefoil,
Friday April 28th Southwell, Eastcliffs - Coombefield - Suckthumb When the peregrines failed to show up on the cliffs we decided to go back across the road and explore the quarries just inland. A large female common lizard was the first find as it basked on the wall next to the Southwell road. The more vegetated areas of the quarry held quite a few migrants including lots of blackcaps, one or two of which eventually gave us good views. Linnets were very much in evidence, seemingly very involved in pairing up and nest-building. The day's list: birds: linnet, swallow, kestrel, willow warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff, chaffinch, pheasant reptiles: common lizard insects: green-veined white plants: field madder	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday April 21st Barleycrates Lane A classic taste of spring migration today with migrants everywhere. Most were willow warblers but plenty of other species were also present in much smaller numbers, the highlights being a pair of redstarts and an invisible grasshopper warbler (the photo here is from a bird found at Radipole thirty-odd years ago!). Out on the Westcliffs fulmars were enjoyed at close quarters whilst out on the sea a grey seal could be seen bobbing about in the rocks just offshore. Overhead a group of four whimbrel appeared calling loudly to each other. The day's list: birds: whimbrel, fulmar, oystercatcher, goldfinch, swallow, house martin, yellow wagtail, wheatear, redstart, grasshopper warbler (heard), blackcap (heard), willow warbler, whitethroat, linnet, meadow pipit, skylark, carrion crow (70) mammals: grey seal insects: brown-tail moth, holly blue plants: Duke of Argyll's tea plant, wild cabbage	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday April 14th Admiralty Slopes Attracted here in the hope of seeing the Subalpine warbler that spent the day here yesterday we instead concentrated on walking the clifftop path and watching the gannets that were constantly moving east offshore. Guillemots and razorbills were present in good numbers as well along with a few fulmars and a single kittiwake. The video was taken here a few days ago. The day's list: birds: raven, gannet, guillemot, razorbill, fulmar, kittiwake, kestrel, swallow, sand martin, wheatear, stonechat, willow warbler, linnet, meadow pipit, skylark (heard) butterflies: peacock, small white
Friday April 7th Broadcroft Quarry Flushed with our success from last week we set off to Broadcroft confidently expecting to find the rare widow iris in flower. After quite a bit of searching we did find the plant but sadly we were too late - all the flowers had gone. But there were plenty of other plants to look at, a few of which such as primrose and cowslip, were already in flower. One or two butterflies were out but birds were in very short supply with just a few swallows passing over and a buzzard being mobbed in Yeolands Quarry. We did find a crow's nest which on closer examination proved to be occupied! The day's list: birds: buzzard, swallow, chaffinch, stock dove, great tit, wren, dunnock, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch (heard) insects: speckled wood, peacock, buff-tailed bumblebee native plants: horseshoe vetch, wayfaring tree, dogwood, sallow, primrose, cowslip, clematis, reed alien plants: buddleia, winter heliotrope, Leyland cypress, yellow vetch,	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday March 31st Admiralty Quarries Luck was certainly with us today as the rain stopped just as we got out of the van at Fancy's Farm. Hoping our good fortune would continue we walked south in increasingly warm and sunny weather to the look-out point near the Engine Sheds. The wheatear that appeared right in front of (remarkably perched on the top of a tree!) was our second bit of good luck for the day. In such pleasant weather it wasn't entirely surprising when a couple of swallows were seen flying north along the cliffs. Buzzard and kestrel were also pretty much expected at this site. Walking back towards the Farm we kept our eyes to the east hoping to find the Iceland gull that had been seen here recently. With most of the gulls at a great distance each one that came within half a mile was closely scrutinised. This strategy finally paid off when the bird we were searching for appeared at a sensible distance slowly circling round with some herring gulls. Even so it was too far to photograph so the one pictured here is one that spent several winters in Weymouth Harbour some thirty years ago! The day's list: Iceland gull, buzzard, kestrel, wheatear, swallow, chiffchaff, stock dove, great tit, raven (heard), small tortoiseshell	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday March 24th Tout-Inmosthay-Kingbarrow A particularly interesting walk this morning with three very different quarries visited. We started by looking at Hannah Sofaer's newly-installed circle of "Memory Stones". The photo on the right is of the installation on Tuesday. Walking through Tout on to the Westcliffs it became apparent that there was a significant overhead passage of meadow pipits going on, with probably several hundred heading north during the ninety minutes of our walk. Reaching the cliff-fall it looked as if there had been some more movement but the photos below show little, if any, change since November. After looking at some of the new sculptures in Tout we crossed the road and walked through a very busy Inmosthay, with all sorts of quarry machinery moving backwards and forwards. Finally we walked through Kingbarrow where we found a couple of chiffchaffs and yet more meadow pipits. The day's list: buzzard, kestrel, meadow pipit, cormorant, chiffchaff, stock dove	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio March 2017

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio November 2016

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio February 2016

Friday March 17th Eastcliffs A lovely sunny morning but with a very cold north-westerly wind so we chose the Eastcliff walk today, which didn't actually give us much shelter as it happened but never mind. Our best sighting was before we reached the coastal path, in fact just opposite where we parked on the Bill Road. Stopping for a quick look into the Eight Kings Quarry we saw something flash through the trees, only to reappear just in front of us as a beautiful male sparrowhawk. Several times we saw it picking up twigs a fly off with them but it was when the female appeared as well that we knew for sure that nest-building was taking place. The rest of the walk was a bit of an anti-climax after this but we did get a good view of a very smart male wheatear. Back at the hotel we waited to see the final fly-past of the lynx helicopters. The day's list: sparrowhawk, buzzard, peregrine, kestrel, gannet, rock pipit, cormorant, fulmar, great black-backed gull, peacock (butterfly), sea spleenwort	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday March 10th Portland Bill Misty conditions often bring the first wheatears to ground at the Bill so it was in ideal conditions this morning that we gingerly made our way south. The first birds we saw were grounded meadow pipits which certainly raised our hopes for a wheatear but it was not to be. We can't complain though as we amassed the best bird list for many weeks with a cracking adult male black redstart being the highlight. It was far too misty for photographs so the bird pictured here is one we saw in 2015. The day's list: black redstart, little owl, kestrel, meadow pipit, rock pipit, skylark, stonechat, shag, cormorant, fulmar, linnet, goldfinch, pheasant (heard) guillemot, razorbill, gannet	© Kay Mantripp/Nature Portfolio © Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday March 3rd Chesil Cove In a strong southerly wind we sought the shelter of the Westcliffs and walked from Chiswell along the lower coastal path towards Hallelujah Bay. The beach was littered with hundreds of whelk egg-masses and we also found several examples of the much more scarce pink sea fan. Birds were hard to find, with perhaps the kestrel hunting over the rocks the best sighting. The day's list: kestrel, collared dove, pied wagtail, rock pipit, shag, cormorant, fulmar cuttlefish (bones), common whelk (eggs), pink sea fan, kelp green hellebore, Portland spurge, Santolina spp, , hart's-tongue fern,	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday February 24th Church Ope - Perryfields Sheltered from today's north-westerly the steps leading down to Church Ope Cove were a very warm place to be today. So warm in fact that when we reached the ruins of St Andrews Church we found a couple of very young wall lizards watching us from the walls. There may well be fewer lizards there now as the kestrel that was sat in the tree right next to us was seen to drop down onto something very close to the lizards' location. We also took the opportunity to have a look at the mysterious "dungeon" underneath Rufus Castle, picture here. The day's list: wall lizard, grey squirrel, raven, kestrel, collared dove, bullfinch (heard), goldfinch, chaffinch, great tit, long-tailed tit (heard)	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday February 17th The Verne A very rare day on Portland - completely calm and with good visibility. Just the conditions to explore the highest point on the island and have a coffee at the Jailhouse Cafe for a change. First we walked round the Verne Naval Cemetery where we saw a good range of finches in the trees. Up on the cliffs the jackdaws were making quite a racket while the pair of peregrines dashed off to fetch their breakfast. In the far distance a flock of red-breasted mergansers could just about be seen out on the waters of Portland Harbour. The day's list: birds: red-breasted merganser, bullfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, raven, magpie, dunnock, peregrine, jackdaw, stock dove, water rail (heard) plants: sycamore, horse chestnut, primrose, cottoneaster, ivy	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday February 10th Suckthumb - Coombefield Quarries With a raw easterly wind blowing over the island it only seemed fitting that we should go in search of a bird from Siberia - such as the Hume's warbler that has been seen recently in the old quarries between Weston and Southwell. Our technique was to explore likely areas of bushes whilst listening for its distinctive "swee-wee" call, a method which returned absolutely no results. We did see a flock of redwings though, also a magpie carrying nesting material and a pair of ravens on a courtship flight. Spring is coming! The day's list: birds: redwing, goldfinch, chaffinch, raven, magpie, robin, wren, stock dove (the bird on the right is the last Hume's warbler that turned up, in 2011)	© Kay Mantripp/Nature Portfolio
Friday February 3rd Chesil Beach Driving along the beach road we all saw the signs warning that the road could be closed before the high tide at 1130, so a decision had to be made. Did we go for a walk and leave early, foregoing the coffees? Or did we we go straight for the coffees and watch the storm from the comfort of the hotel's bistro bar? Six coffees please ... The day's list: birds: great black-backed gull, jackdaw, herring gull, carrion crow (the photo on the right was taken from Chiswell several years ago)	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday January 27th Tout Still a cold easterly blowing so we decided to explore all the gullies in the Tout Quarry Sculpture Park. Not many birds about today but we did get very close views of a hovering kestrel. The video on the right was filmed nearby on this date two years ago. The day's list: birds: kestrel, stock dove, carrion crow, robin, great tit
Friday January 20th Kingbarrow Even colder than last week now that the wind has moved to a very unpopular north-easterly. So we dropped down into Kingbarrow Quarry and searched for sunny patches out of the wind. Up on the stacks of stone a little owl was doing exactly the same thing. Nearby several pairs of stock doves were already staking out their breeding territories. The day's list: birds: little owl, kestrel, stock dove, jackdaw, carrion crow, robin, wren, redwing, blackbird, magpie, great tit	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday January 13th Portland Bill In a viciously cold north-westerly we braved the Bill on a hunt for seabirds, especially skuas. Lately there has been a very large feeding flock of seabirds around the three mile long Shambles Bank, mostly gannets and kittiwakes but with occasional visits from all three of the more common species of skua. Needless to say we didn't see any skuas but the seabird flock really was astonishing, with a thousand or more gannets feeding for all their worth in very choppy seas. The day's list: birds: oystercatcher, gannet, kestrel, guillemot/razorbill, jackdaw, carrion crow, kittiwake, cormorant, shag, great black-backed gull, common gull, rock pipit	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Friday January 6th Grove Point - Yeolands Quarry From Grove Point we walked through the Governors Gardens stopping on the way to look at the entrance to the extensive system of narrow caves that are in this area. Reaching the cliff-top path above the East Weares we saw a few close fulmars and nearly missed a raven that tried to sneak past us. A bit further on we found stock doves in Yeolands Quarry but no little owl. Turning back we started to walk back towards the bus when we remembered that before the diversion was put in place the path here was a very good place to get close views of peregrines. So we tried leaning over the now closed path as far as possible and managed to just about see the male peregrine sat on his traditional perch on the cliff edge. We finished by enjoying the view on this exceptionally clear day all the way to the Isle of Wight fifty miles to the east and Bulbarrow twenty miles to the north. The day's list: birds: raven, kestrel, peregrine, jackdaw, carrion crow, fulmar, cormorant, shag, great black-backed gull, wood pigeon, stock dove plants: wild parsley	© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio