Dorset - Portland Bill - Hang on to Your Hats!

I teamed up with Brett at Portland Bill this morning. The wind was howling and sea was crashing around the rocks at the Bill. The walk down from the Observatory can be a bit tricky in such conditions particularly as I was loaded with gear! A sea-watch can last an hour or six dependent on the activity at sea therefore I always go well prepared! I stopped short at the lighthouse seeking cover out of the wind. Brett was not far behind complete with stool. Note to self time! Pete and Debbie Saunders were braver souls remaining at the obelisk for some time.

The sea is an impressive sight when it’s angry making continuous observation of birds difficult. The numerous Manx Shearwaters that passed in both directions would disappear behind waves reappearing at a point further across the Bill. If I had ventured further I would have taken more pictures as many of the Shearwaters seemed close as they passed the Bill. The only Balearic of the vigil was not as close but good scope views were had once Brett had me on the bird.

I popped into Lodmoor RSPB briefly on the way home. Common and Green Sandpipers and the regular Dunlin were seen in a quick scoot around before heading home for a snooze before the game tonight!

Very Autumnal weather does that mean Summer has past! 

Dorset - Lychett Fields RSPB - Wood Normally Go on the First Day!

 

A Wood Sandpiper was found at Lychett Fields RSPB yesterday and it appears it was around most of the day although it was not in view all the time. I had a game at Poole Borough FC in the evening and could have easily combined the two as both are in close proximity to each other!

Birds tend to linger longer during their return journeys to their wintering grounds but my decisssion not to combine football and birding was a risky decision to make with no guarantee the bird would be there the next day! 

Today I arrived at the reserve a couple of hours before high tide and began scanning the area! Thankfully the bird was re-found in a channel between the pools but was very difficult to get any decent shots of.

The bird flitted across the channel and was not seen for around an hour or so. A few that were there drifted off, including Roly who made the sacrifice knowing the bird would appear as soon as he left! True to form the bird re-appeared on the approach pools showing magnificently!

Job done!

Dorset - Lodmoor RSPB - Morning on the Meds!

 

Today’s offering also comes from Lodmoor RSPB where the conditions were much brighter than the previous day. I completed a circuit of the reserve noting a Great White Egret in flight whilst I was checking post box pool. 

I caught up with the bird on the west scrape before venturing round to the shelter where I spent most of my time.

Med Gulls were numerous today with around 100 on one island. Amongst the masses were several juvenile birds of which I didn’t get one decent side shot of!

The adults were in varying stages of moult many resting as the sun rose after high tide.

Common Tern numbers seemed about the same but they were all checked for any infiltrators within the ranks! A Common Sandpiper, Redshank 2, and a handful of Dunlin were also on the west scrape.

More games are coming in therefore tactical planning is a must if I am to maximize my birding return!

Dorset - Lodmoor RSPB - Knot a Godwit!

The weather has turned for the worst over the last couple of days. This had me wondering  if any avian gems had been pushed down by the rain. Pre-season training and football friendly’s have been taking up much of my time of late with the latter coming in thick and fast as the season draws nearer!

I took an early drive down to Lodmoor RSPB (in an attempt to avoid the dudes!) and spent the early morning on the reserve. There wasn’t much on show but the Knot in breeding plumage was present for its third day on the west scrape. Knot a godwit! Why don’t people carry books?! The source of my irritation is as a result of wasted journey's (when I've been birding elsewhere) to this site where birds have been mis-identified! It does not seem to happen elsewhere! Nuff said back to the birds.....

During my vigil from the shelter a juvenile Water Rail made an appearance which was a pleasant sight to see. Common Sandpiper, Redshank and a small flock of Blackwit and a separate flock of Dunlin were the shorebird offerings around the pools.

By lunch time I had kicked almost every bush and therefore headed for the sanctuary of the gym!

Dorset - Portland to Abbotsbury - Turned Up In Time!

I was up at stupid o clock for the first time in a long while. I headed to Portland Bill where Balearic Shearwater were being recorded passing the bill. I only recorded two birds during my two hour stint with many more Manx Shearwater passing from West to East. A group of Common Scoter (10) was the highlight of the session. Pete Coe joined me taking the pictures as the birds ventured reasonably close as they rounded the bill. Sandwich Tern was also noted in groups of two and three.

My next stop was a brief one at Ferrybridge and then onto Lodmoor RSPB in search of Roseate Tern which drew a blank at both locations. News from Steve Groves at Abbotsbury Swannery had me high tail it back to the Swannery having missed an individual the previous day. On arrival Steve was wearing a broad smile as there were three Roseate Terns lined up on the “Tern Rails” between the hide and the main path through the site.

A sparrowhawk stirred the terns up shifting a bird to the water’s edge in front of my position. The pair flew over the single bird calling before heading out towards the shingle bank. 

I left too early as an Arctic Tern was later reported. A product of the incoming inclement weather no doubt!

Dorset - Morden Bog NNR - A While Back At The Bog!

I have been spending some time at Morden Bog NNR which incidentally is only a short jaunt from my home. I met up with Brett on one visit and was given a tour of the area. During this visit dragonflies were beginning to emerge visiting the series of pools scattered over the site. I also added another species of Butterfly to my list.

There are a couple of Osprey platforms but I had not seen this species despite a few visits. This changed early one Sunday morning as a bird appeared from behind the mist and sailed off into the distance.

A juvenile Redstart which looked like it had recently fledged posed nicely on the end of a branch.

We were being watched therefore kept a safe distance from the bird.

Woodlark was also seen in the vicinity.

There are several pools just off the circular route which Four Spotted Chaser was present.

Common Blue and Large Red Damselfly were also present.

Butterflies were not that numerous but I managed to add Green Hairstreak to my Butterfly list.

I thought I had posted this a while back! Oops!