Lyme Regis Birding - or an even quieter Backwater (1 Viewer)

[Roger Boswell]

A late afternoon walk down to Lyme today.

Dipper and three male Mallards on the Lim.

2 Great Crested Grebes fishing near the landslip to the E of Lyme and 2 Oystercatchers on the ledges.

Rock Pipit sitting on the end of the Cobb and 7 Purple Sandpipers asleep on the rock armour.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Portland may have had sun and a Hoopoe but you could hardly see across the harbour in Lyme - one LBB gull, a couple of GBB gulls and a few Rock Pipits were all that could be seen.

Better luck in the garden with a superb male Blackcap.

 

[earleybird]

superb quality images Roger. I've enjoyed reading through this thread . Might I ask what photographic equipment you are using ? I'm just starting out and I'm finding it quite challenging getting some decent images with my cameras 10x optical magnification ,even in my garden.
Your thread has really inspired me to make some forays down to Lyme. I'm only at Merriott so a perfect short drive to one of my favourite locations

 

[Roger Boswell]

Dismal and damp day - and quite breezy in the morning.

3 Purple Sandpipers in their refuge behind the Aquarium and several Rock Pipits round the harbour.

The Lim was murky and fast flowing after 20mm of rain last night. 2 Grey wagtails near the waterfall.

Blackcap still visiting the Mahonia in the garden.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Much better day today - plenty of birds to be seen this morning.

13 Purple Sandpipers in their high-tide retreat behind the aquarium - 12 in the image.

At the end of the rock armour I thought there was another with a couple of Oystercatchers. However it had longer, red legs and what looks like a fine upturned bill - could it be a SPOTTED REDSHANK??? Sorry the images are not too good, it was near the end of the rock armour.

Plenty of Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails around the harbour and Church Cliffs. A Meadow? Pipit on the Grass here.

Several Grey Wagtails on the Lim and the Dipper flying upstream towards Horn Bridge.

 

[Roger Boswell]

A closer image of my mystery bird Redshank or Spotted Redshank???

 

[luke]

just a Redshank Roger.

 

[Steve Waite]

And your Meadow? Pipit is a Rock Pipit

Steve

 

[Roger Boswell]

Thanks for the bird identifications.

Even at just a Redshank it is the first I have seen in Lyme.

 

[Andrew]

I was in Lyme Regis a couple of weeks ago on the way back home from Dorset and had superb views of a few Purple Sandpipers by lying flat on the harbour wall and watching them just feet below. Never seen them so well. I shall hope to come back with the camera next time.

 

[Roger Boswell]

4/5 Wheatears on Monmouth beach this morning - distant and continually disturbed by the exercising dogs. Outnumbered by Rock Pipits - one of which was busy collecting nesting material.

12 Purple Sandpipers on the rock armour.

2 Oystercatchers on the ledges just E of Lyme.

Several Wrens and a Goldfinch up the Lim valley and a Treecreeper at Horn Bridge.

Rather dismal for photographs - taken as a record.

Yesterday Female Blackcap and Chiffchaff near Lymbrook Cottages.

 

[pete-c]

Roger

Lyme seems to be a very good spot for birding must get down there sometime.

Pete

 

[Roger Boswell]

Just returned from birding heaven - in Andalucia .......

At Ware Cliffs today a male Blackcap and a pair of Bullfinches. The male's colours matched those of Greater Flamingos, but no comparison on size! Also 4+ Chiffchaffs in the scrub. Two Buzzards soaring over the cliffs and a couple of Ravens nearer to the car park.

Just a couple of Purple Sandpipers on the rock armour, outnumbered by fishermen..... Yesterday there were 7 on the rock armour.

Grey Wagtail and Wrens up the Lim

 

[Roger Boswell]

Very quiet again today - a pair of Grey Wagtails on the Lim and 3 Purple Sandpipers on the rock armour (8 on Wednesday).

A Rock Pipit gathering flies on Church Cliffs and a pair of MYSTERY BIRDS. Can anyone help identify this bird for me ???????? It looked like a Bunting of sorts with a grey-blue head and nape. Eye stripes were prominent. What is it??

 

[scary-canary]

Roger
They are linnets. Nice pics too
Chris

 

[Roger Boswell]

Roger
They are linnets. Nice pics too
Chris

Thanks - but when do they get the 'raspberry red' on breast and forehead?

 

[scary-canary]

I suppose breeding males get it around this time of the year, but as most views I get are of them flying away into the distance I can't be certain!

 

[Roger Boswell]

Warm and humid today, with some sunny spells.

Saw the Dipper flying down the Lim this morning - first time for ages.

On the ledges below Church Cliffs 2 Oystercatchers and a couple of GBB gulls. On the rocks and wall in front of the Museum a Pied Wagtail, 2 Wheatears and a Rock Pipit. When I looked at an image of the latter it shows that it is another victim of pollution - at least it seems to be fairly mobile for now. One Wheatear seemed to be wary of the Gulls overhead. When I returned one landed on the wall in front of me.

Another 2 GBB Gulls in the harbour with 5 Purple Sandpipers in the Cobb area. A Swallow flew over the Cobb and there were another 4 Wheatears - one a male - almost at the end of the Cobb (3 in the image).

 

[Roger Boswell]

Warm and sunny but very different birdwise.

Wrens and Grey Wagtails on the Lim.

Pied Wagtail and Rock Pipit being fed by the museum. While mum was finding the next tasty morsel junior decided to have a bath in the nearest rock pool.

Just 2 Purple Sandpipers visible on the rock armour at the Cobb.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Yesterday - Dipper on the Lim just below Horn Bridge, also Wren and Grey Wagtail.


Today - Grey Wagtail, Wren, Song Thrush and Goldfinch on the Lim. Also a Blackbird enjoying a bath.

Still 6 Purple Sandpipers feeding on the Rock armour and a Turnstone on the far end of the Cobb.