Dorset - Here There and Everywhere!

 

As a new season begins in the Dorset Premier League and with the Dorset Leagues starting at the beginning of September ornithology is pushed onto the subs bench just as the autumn migration begins to gain momentum. The reduced time available between training and football fixtures means there is some time juggling resulting in short forays into the field sometimes on news or tip offs from my birding pals.

The most interesting being the visit of Little Stint to the Meadow Pool at Abbotsbury Swannery. The pool also featured Dunlin giving an ideal size comparison between both species.

I have also chased the White Winged Black Tern around Weymouth and The Fleet without success I might add! I did catch up with the white headed Ruff at Lodmoor which is my first Dorset VC9 bird having seen this species earlier in the year at Stanpit Marsh. I failed to connect with the Spotted Crake after some tactical visits to the post-box pool.

I have done some migrant hunting of my own the best was a Yellow Wagtail at Waddock Cross Cress beds. I hope to cover several cress farms in search of a VC9 Water Pipit as the winter closes in.

I have been inspired by Pete Alfrey’s knowledge and the haul of moths he had in my garden. He also named all the plants on the Garden wall and offered advice on how to get the best from my garden. This could even result in the purchase of a moth trap! I think the above is a Drone-fly?!

I even spied a Jersey Tiger flying onto the wall one lunch-time!

A Brimstone was observed feeding near the garden wall.

The Buddlea bushes have attracted up to forty Small Tortoiseshell on the white flowered plant.

A couple of Red Admiral a Peacock, what I thought was a tatty Comma (No pic) also visited the bush during a tidy up in the garden.

A Small White was also photographed on the same bush. 

I am paying more attention to the insects that visit the garden and will post more pictures. I’m sure there will be id errors along the way but that’s all part of the process!