Approaching the Leaning centre this morning I’m greeted with Goldfinch flittering about on either side of the path. they chatter amongst themselves as they move as one from the Hawthorn tree to the grass and road to some Thistles.
Noticing some draw string bags the bird ringers use on the ground, I follow the trial of dropped bags to the bird ringers table in the wildlife garden. I’m greeted by some very excited bird ringers. They show me the bird they have just caught, a Red Eyed Vireo, a species I had never heard of until this morning. This species has never been recorded at Durlston before so naturally everyone is very excited.
A native to America its somehow got itself quite lost and ended up here. Though a first for Durlston the bird has been recorded in other parts of Dorset. The bird is brought out into the open for its photo shoot, where everyone crowds around looking to get a photo of this delicate little bird. The bird is green in colour and could be mistaken for a Chiffchaff. As the name suggests adults usually have a red eyes, though this one has more dark brown coloured eye indicating it’s a juvenile. After being photographed from every angle for recording purposes the little bird is put back in its bag to chill out before being released a little later.
Leaving the bird wringers behind I head out of the wildlife garden to see yet more Goldfinch covering the top of a Blackthorn. Amongst them two Wrens call to each other, tiny tails walking in the air.
Walking along the top of light house field a Jay fly’s past at eye level briefly, keeping in step with me. A Great Tit dives into a Blackthorn covered in bright red Bryony berries.