Dorset - Lodmoor RSPB - Spotting the Crake!

Lodmoor RSPB was the venue for the latest rarity to visit Dorset with a juvenile bird located on the post box pool yesterday evening. This is a new species for my Dorset list but I stood fast until news was received of the birds continued presence this morning.

(photo by Phil Cheeseman)

The post box pool is on the Preston side of the reserve which was accessible via the A353 which was relatively free of traffic when I set off for the reserve. I had planned for a long stake out but had views almost immediately as I was greeted by the regular Dorset birders!

The bird was patrolling the edge of the far reed bed sometimes coming closer in a gap just to the right of a grass lined mud spit/island. I eventually got some dot shots of the bird but my camera was beyond its limits. The bird is on the edge of the reed line right of the tussock of grass.

I took a walk around the reserve around mid-day with Phil Cheeseman to see if anything else had dropped into the area. Great Egret was present around the shelter. Mediterranean Gull numbers were up with a scattering of Black Headed, Herring and a Great Black Backed Gull.

Shorebird numbers were also up with a flock of Dunlin (19), Black tailed Godwit (12), Ringed Plover (5), Green Sand (5), Common Sand (2), and a group of Sandwich Tern (16).

Migration is slowly picking up pace and my eyes are firmly fixed collating news from across the southwest in anticipation of the next rarity showing up!

I have one eye on the Farm but at present the meadows lack water to encourage wildfowl to return to it!