Durlston, Arne, Radipole and Lyme regis-where else to go?

[SPF]

Dear all,
I'm going to Dorset one weekend in Feb and am off to Durlston Country Park on the Saturday, weather permitting, and I was wondering where else I could go in the area. I've been to Arne, Radipole and Lyme Regis before and I was just wondering if any one has any suggestions.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated,
SPF

[bitterntwisted]

Middlebere is the NT site adjacent to Arne - excellent at high tide. Worth a check of Little Sea and Brands's Bay as you get off the ferry and head toward Durlston.

Graham

[Gaz Shilton]

Why not pop across to Portland Bill?
It may be a bit quiet at this time of year but, you never know, early Wheatears may turn up!!!!

[SPF]

Much appreciated

[luke]

heres the sightings for portland: http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/aa_latestnews.htm

[SPF]

That just might of swung it!

[KLH]

Christchurch and Hengistbury Head near Bournemouth are great places.

http://www.hengistbury-head.co.uk/frameindex.htm

[MSA]

Christchurch and Hengistbury Head near Bournemouth are great places.

http://www.hengistbury-head.co.uk/frameindex.htm

I can/must vouch for that!

Try this link as well

http://www.hengistburyhead.org/

and of course the "CHOG" link in my footer - daily updates for sightings, posted about 7pm.

(If you're desperate, you could even look at my "Wick" thread!) ;)

[SPF]

It now looks like Durlston Park on Saturday and then Wick on the Sunday. I'm really looking forward to it. It's a shame my scope is up at my folks (an Aldi bargin buy and my first) but I'm sure there will be more than enough to see.

Cheers for all the replies and links to website. No doubt I'll be back in Dorset in the summer and see the places I've missed.

Good link Wick thread MSA :t: (is the emoticon supposed to be a thumb up or a finger gun?)

[paulwfromtheden]

It now looks like Durlston Park on Saturday and then Wick on the Sunday. I'm really looking forward to it. It's a shame my scope is up at my folks (an Aldi bargin buy and my first) but I'm sure there will be more than enough to see.

Cheers for all the replies and links to website. No doubt I'll be back in Dorset in the summer and see the places I've missed.

Good link Wick thread MSA :t: (is the emoticon supposed to be a thumb up or a finger gun?)

West Bexington NT, adjacent to Burton Bradstock. Superb place for Buntings and migrants arriving.

[KLH]

I once walked to Hengistbury from Bournemouth Pier. Originally intended to get the opentop bus, as they went up there from the Square. However........ this was year before last, they had stopped that particular service so I went to the Pier to get the Noddy land train instead, and that just went to Boscombe Pier.

So.. in a huff - I started walking, got there two hours later - and boy did I get a sunburnt face!!

SPF - if someone suggests Studland, there is a naturist beach, so if anyone mentions it...... :) Things unexpectedly pop out of the dunes.......

[SPF]

Studland, just the name gives me harrowing images!?!

[KLH]

'Studs' can be an ambiguous word....... Lets just say plenty of acorns in the undergrowth! In that sense of the word, yep definitely - whopperland doesn't have the same ring does it??

Myself and a load of mates went there for a joke in the 90s while visiting the nature reserve close by, and had nightmares for weeks.......

[SPF]

In a couple of hours I'll be packing up at work and then heading down to Poole. After what seems like the longest fortnight ever, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully a couple of lifers!
Cheers for al the info and if our lass mentions going to Studland I'll give a big thumbs down; it's too cold anyway ;)

[SPF]

It was a good weekend even though we nearly didn’t make it- a Polish lorry driver nearly knocked us off the road because he was bored in a traffic jam and, in a separate incident, one of the tyres burst.

We had a walk around Durlston Park on the Saturday. I was trying to pick out any razorbills in with the guillemots and shags but the wind was far too cold and our lass had tears streaming down her face due to the force of it. Then we walked across to Belle Vue and saw some wheatears and stonechats and what looked like a flock of tree pipits. They flew across the cliffs and landed in the field next to us. Isn't it too early for them? They looked a lot redder around the side of the breast and not like any of the meadow pipits I normally see. We then went to Arne late on the afternoon and saw 3 goldcrests annoying a bullfinch and loads of deer. Unfortunately we must have missed the majority of the waders etc at the new hide (I’ve been to Arne 3 times now and this was the first time they had any maps so I might have just missed it before) but they was plenty of shelducks and teal about. On Sunday we went to Wick and, I must say, what a lovely place it is. Unfortunately the entire population of Christchurch, with their dogs, must have had the same idea. But it was an excellent weekend and no doubt I’ll be going back again.

Also, on the way back we drove past a buzzard whilst getting onto the motorway. It must have been about 6 ft away from the traffic and you could see it beautifully. And for an added bonus there was a flock of ring-necked parakeets perching on one of the large motorway signs which tell you which lane to be in.

Once again, thanks for all the ideas for places to go.