Dorset birding sites req

[bstr]

hello

off down to Dorset next week for a holiday never been there before so any
local knowledge of good birdwatching sites would be very grateful thank's.

[Pluvius]

TryRadipole lake (http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/r/radipolelake/index.asp) and Lodmor (http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lodmoor/index.asp) and Arne (http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/a/arne/index.asp) and Portland Bill Bird Observatory (http://www.btinternet.com/~portlandbirdobs/)

[colonelboris]

Radipole's got a lot of sedge warbers, a fair few Cetti's, a ton of reed buntings and (if you're lucky) bearded reedlings right near the entrance to the reserve. There's still a lot of gadwall about. Also some fairly tame great crested grebes with chicks.
Lodmoor has some shovelors, gadwall, shelduck, common and sandwich terns, a couple of kestrels and some little egrets. A couple of waders also turned up the other day.
I missed out on the Portland Bill observatory last week, but if you go up on to the top of PB and bring KFC, you can get some great jacdaw shots... There were also yellowhammers and stonechats in amongst the derelict High Angle Battery. Outside HMP Verne, there's a big colony of jackdaws.
That's just the things I saw when I did all three places in one day last week (many thanks to the in-laws for driving us out there...)
Radipole is awesome in the winter, though, as you can get in touching distance of teals from the North Hide (RSPB members only or a small fee). The first thing you notice about Radipole is the ducks in the car park.

[scary-canary]

Info is quite up to date here

http://www.dorsetbirdclub.org.uk/

What birds are you looking for? Try Stanpit Marsh and hengistbury head around Christchurch Harbour.
Holt heath for dartford warbler and nightjar.
Durlston
Portland

[London Birder]

deffo pop in at Portland Bird Obs, see what they're having ..

[kmonty1950]

This excellent website is updated daily by Martin Cade, the warden. Worth a read even if, like me, you don't get to Portland as often as you'd like to.

http://www.portlandbirdobs.btinternet.co.uk/

[senatore]

If you go to Arne try and sign up for one of their Nightjar walks.I did last year and it was a fabulous evening.

Max.

[paulwfromtheden]

If you go to Arne try and sign up for one of their Nightjar walks.I did last year and it was a fabulous evening.

Max.

West Bexington. I was there a month ago, there were yellowhammer, linnet, stonechat, common terns sanderling, lrp, dunlin, cetti, reed and sedge warbler, and the star attraction a Marsh Harrier.

[MSA]

If you are thinking of going to Stanpit or Hengistbury (Christchurch Harbour), check out CHOG website below, also updated daily.