Tag Archives: Sand Martin

Isle of Portland – April 2017

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For my last day at the coast I decided to go to the Isle of Portland. I knew there were a lot of migrants coming in so thought I’d go and see what was about. Now I knew I was probably going to struggle identifying some of them but it was worth having a go. 

It was a lovely sunny morning when I reached the car park and there was only a light wind. My first spot was in the car park, a Song Thrush. I then headed to the cliff edge, where a kind man pointed out 2 Purple Sandpipers. These were a first for me and I slowly managed to climb down some of the rocks to get on to a lower platform to get a little closer, although they were still a distance away. While watching the sea and cliffs I spotted, Gannet, Razorbills and Guillemots. Thankfully I spent a weekend at RSPB Bempton Cliffs last year so could easily identify them. 

After lunch I headed over to the grassland areas to look for Wheatears, I had never seen one and wanted to find them. I was sat watching some vegetation when a man asked me if I had seen the Little Owls. I didn’t even know there were any! He showed me where they had been seen in the morning and half an hour later we saw an Owl! This was the biggest surprise of the day. I had never seen a Little Owl before and I stayed watching for as long as it was around. It was a lovely experience 🙂

I watched many little birds flitting around at the time but was unsure of what they were; being able to identify them from my photos when I got home, I now know. I did get a little stuck with this one but now I realise it’s another Cetti’s Warbler 🙂

My full sightings list:
Birds: Song Thrush, Sand Martin, Purple Sandpiper, Gannet, Little Owl, Wheatear, Cetti’s Warbler, Dunnock, Fulmar, Guillemot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Razorbill

Sand Martin’s at Fraisthorpe Beach – May 2016

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While at Bempton Cliff’s I was talking to one of the volunteers who told me about the Sand Martin’s at Fraisthorpe beach.

Fraisthorpe Beach

Fraisthorpe beach was about a 30 minute drive from my accommodation. I had been told mornings were best as the sun would be on the banks. I knew the car parking was on a farm but hadn’t realised how many fields you had to drive through to get there (I was starting to wonder if I’d got lost!) but the farm finally came into view. (There is an honesty box for your parking fee and the use of the toilet facilities).

Once I had put on my walking boots (I can’t drive in them!) I headed to the beach and turned left along the shore. I didn’t have to walk far before I saw the Sand Martins. Sand Martin’s are the smallest of the Martin’s and Swallow’s that visit for the summer.  They nest in either sandy coastal cliffs or sandy river banks.

Fraisthorpe Beach - Sand Martin

One thing I did discover is they are quite difficult to photograph! They are so quick, by the time you have one framed you’ve lost it again!! It took me a little time to get my eye into their patterns and speed of flight. They seemed to be moving about in a pack. One minute there were birds around the nest holes, the next they all seemed to be gone. They were flying off to the farm / grassland to look for food.  You really do loose track of time when spending time with these little feathered friends, it was lunch time before I knew it!  I decided to head back to Bempton Cliffs for the afternoon and made the decision to stop off at Fraisthope beach again on my journey home.