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| Home
/ Natural
world / Environment for birds |
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| Wintering Birds |
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| During the winter
months the island is relatively devoid of birdlife, but this
is the time that Portland Harbour and the waters of The Fleet
come into their own. |
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| Every November flocks
of Red-breasted Mergansers arrive in the harbour from Northern
Europe. Several hundred can be seen, often in flocks of 50 or
more, making this one of the UK's most important wintering areas
for this species. Throughout the winter these colourful ducks
engage in vigorous courtship displays involving much head bowing
and chasing around. |
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| Red-breasted Mergansers |
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| Brent Geese |
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30 years ago Brent
Geese were scarce visitors to the Fleet, but since then more
and more have come to winter here from their Arctic breeding
grounds. Up to 500 can sometimes be seen at Ferrybridge, with
many more on The Fleet at Chickerell. They come here because
of the beds of Eel-grass, their main food source. |
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| Great Northern Divers
are one of three species of diver that can be seen in the harbour.
Usually feeding in the deeeper waters away from the shore, they
are often only found by birdwatchers with telescopes. In very
cold weather divers will enter The Fleet and good views of them
can be had from all along the south-eastern shore, from Camp
Road to Ferrybridge. |
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| Great Northern Diver |
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| Great-crested Grebe |
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All the British species
of Grebe can be seen in Portland Harbour in the winter, all
five on the same day if you're lucky. The largest and most numerous
is the Great-crested Grebe. Sandsfoot Castle is a good place
to see them, and you might also find the much smaller Black-necked
Grebe here. Slavonian and Red-necked Grebes can be seen in very
small numbers anywhere in the Harbour, whilst Little Grebes
are most likely to be seen around the boats at Ferrybridge. |
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