This morning a Bonapartes Gull was found at Ferrybridge but due to family commitments we couldn't leave until after lunch. By the time we arrived the bird hadn't been seen for some two hours, so we decided to check Chesil Cove, the last place it had been seen, without any luck. We then went to Portland Castle but we only found Red-breasted Mergansers, the wintering Black Guillemot which was almost in full summer plumage and a Great Crested Grebe. So we thought we would head for Ferrybridge but as we drove off I remembered that I had noticed some feeding gulls off the Hamm Beach Road. When we arrived the gulls were no longer feeding but resting on the water and a quick look revealed our target the Bonaparte's was a little way off shore. It was then on the mobile to get the news out and I rushed to the car to get the scope and get a couple of digi-scope shots.
Previous Dorset records
1970 Durlston CP 14th March
1975 Christchurch Harbour 9th - 12th April
1981 Weymouth Bay, Radipole & Lodmoor 2nd - 16th April same as Hengistbury 20th April then returned to Radipole 22nd May - 30th June & Lodmoor 13th July - 2nd August.
1990 The Grove Portland 2nd March.
2006 Weymouth Bay at Overcombe Corner 21st Apr.
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| 1st/winter Bonapartes Gull Portland Harbour © Nick Hull |
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| 1st/winter Bonapartes Gull Portland Harbour © Nick Hull |
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Hi Nick, just for completeness there was also a bird in Weymouth Bay one spring evening in 2006 which was only seen by a few of us. Sum Plum adult as well! Cheers
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