Dorset - Puddletown - Garden Tick!

Like London busses none for ages then two posts at once! 

News had been circulated at just past mid-day on a local group that a large raptor had been seen in flight heading west over Dorchester. The likely-hood was it had already passed by but it had me (all be it lazily!) poised with eyes to the skies. I usually have binoculars and camera at the ready should anything catch my eye! My garden is not too far from Puddletown Water Meadows on Bardolf Farm therefore there is always a chance something will pass by!

Bird of the afternoon was a juvenile Hobby which wheeled past heading east towards the farm. I incidentally have not recorded Hobby at Bardolf Farm this year but this was another new addition to my garden list which is now up to the dizzy heights of 53 species!

A Red Kite made two appearances during the vigil. Feather patterns suggest this was the same bird returning some forty minutes after its first appearance!

A Peregrine was the last raptor of the afternoon which did not hang about heading N to NW.

The raptor fest included Common Buzzard and lasted for about an hour!

The garden tally for the day is currently on twenty seven species which includes birds visiting the feeders at the back of the house. List Below:-

Over: Hobby, Red Kite, Peregrine, Buzzard 2, Swift, House Martin 11, Swallow, Magpie, Herring Gull, Starling 2, Jackdaw 3, Rook 3, Crow,

Feeders: Siskin 2, Feral, Wood Pigeon 2, Collared Dove 3, Blackbird, House Sparrow 6, Greenfinch, Goldfinch 7, Blue and Great Tit,

Garden: Wren, Robin, Chaffinch, Dunnock,