My time today was limited as I had to officiate in the afternoon. I was therefore up and out at nearly stupid o’clock with eyes firmly fixed on Puddletown Water Meadows. The water levels are receding but still higher than this time last year!
The skies were clear and almost bird-less which had me wondering if I had made the right decision then boom a raptor honed into view to my left. It was fairly high but I noted the cream head and shoulders! Crickey! A Marsh Harrier! The camera was thrown at it as it almost effortlessly glided with the odd flap of its wings thrown in. The bird was clearly on a mission to get somewhere heading off north over the trees and A35.
The photos don’t show the extent of the cream on the shoulders but do show dark fingers with paler inner primaries. There does not appear to be any moult through the primaries/secondaries. The upper tail was not seen.
I was not expecting that a first for me on this site and more fuel on the, I should spend more time here fire! I decided to go for a walk down the lane in the vein hope of a Wheatear in the horse paddock and over the meadows glided in a Red Kite.
The front view of long drooping wings had me poised with the camera as it drew nearer! A few pictures and clunk my battery had run out! The bird continued east over the track towards Athelhampton House.
I made my was back to the car changed the battery and being quite pleased with the morning settled at my regular spot by the car! Most locals have got to know the birdman and his car many stopping to find out the latest news from the meadows!
About an hour passed and from out from behind the sun a Red Kite appeared gliding north over the houses and across the meadows. Interesting! Was this a second bird or the first bird that had completed rather a large loop crossing the road and re-appearing from behind me.
Another ten to fifteen minutes passed and low and behold another Red Kite appeared travelling east passing in front of me. Now this bird had a missing secondary unlike the previous bird(s) which suggested there had been at least two Kites! Perhaps the corvids had had a swipe at it over the rookery. There was no commotion to suggest this in fact there was very little commotion for any of the sightings!
Red Kites are expanding their range in Dorset but are generally in the North and regular in neighbouring counties. During the last few weeks there has been a considerable increase in the movement of this species with birds seen over Puddletown, Weymouth, Portland and Poole areas. Are these displaced birds looking for new breeding grounds or is it a good year for this species?
Two birds in a day are good, but the possibility of three is unheard of in these parts!
The local Buzzard was also on good form along with a Sparrowhawk which completed the morning’s raptor fest!
Time ticked on with 47 species recorded and I reluctantly had to leave. Incidentally the game was also a thriller 3-4 in the heat of the afternoon!
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