Dorset birding (4 Viewers)

[pooleparrot]

Holes Bay

A good afternoon at Holes Bay, 70+ Avocet, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank and eventually 11 Spoonbill( 1 When I arrived , then 2 and finally joined by another 9). The Spoonbill were feeding at low tide in the outflow channels, at times getting very close to the shore.

 

[pooleparrot]

Spoonbills and Bitterns

Holes Bay again this afternoon, the 11 Spoonbill were there again between 13.30 and 14.15, also 80+ Avocet and 2 Spotted Redshank.

Afterwards at Hatch Pond 3 Bitterns were seen, with no.2 in the front reeds giving good views.

Ian

 

[scary-canary]

Flying boats on Longham Res

Bit worried about the following story in today's Daily Echo. Sure it will disturb wildlife. Let me know if you see evidence of this.
Chris

New model group touches down on reservoir
MODEL aircraft enthusiasts are sky high after landing a new home described as “one of the finest flying sites in the country”.
Sembcorp Bournemouth Water (SBW) has given permission for members of Christchurch and District Model Flying Club to use Longham Reservoir.
Twelve members of the newly-formed Longham Reservoir Model Flying Group are now using the location for their flying boats and floatplanes.
Group secretary Mike Roach said: “The reservoir is the only freshwater location in southern England and is one of the finest sites in the whole country, being open and clear of all obstructions in all directions.
“We fly our flying boats and floatplanes there as often as conditions are suitable. On most calm and sunny days you will find a few of us there.
“We’re hugely grateful to Sembcorp Bournemouth Water for allowing us to use such a fine location for the enjoyment of our members.”
Aircraft range from ready-to-fly models, which can be flown on the day of purchase, through to complex scale models which have taken months to design and build.
The planes are radio controlled and powered by electric motors which are quiet and easy to restart on the water after a flight.
Roger Harrington, SBW’s Managing Director, said: “We have always wanted to facilitate quiet enjoyment of our reservoirs by the local community.
“These models make almost no sound when flying.”
New members are welcome.

 

[James Lowther]

i saw those guys a few weeks back when the drake smew was there, the planes are relatively quiet and they were taking off and landing only in the top corner of the big lake. But they were flying loops around the island and i think it's fair to say the planes were bugging the ducks somewhat....

interesting to say how things pan out...

 

[Blandford Birder]

Great-grey Shrike & Golden Plover

Great-grey Shrike showing well approx. 50 yards east of the Pumping Station at Sixpenny Handley, also c40 Golden Plover at South Down, Tarrant Hinton this afternoon.

 

[scary-canary]

Three smew, three buzzards, four snipe, one water rail at longham this afternoon. Lots of corners of the lakes frozen over.
Chris

 

[DaveJones]

Lodmoor

Have a few days to spare in one of my fave birding spots, namely Weymouth and Portland. Weekends are usually busy with people in this part of Dorset, so not much effort put in today, with only Lodmoor visited.B

Star Bird was the Red-necked Grebe that was associating very loosely with some Great-crested Grebes out in Weymouth Bay, which gave me the opportunity to point out the differences between the two species, even at a distance.:t:

A Great-northern Diver much further out in the bay, was not so obliging!

Birds on Lodmoor included several Water Rails, Four Black-tailed Godwits, Female Marsh Harrier over the Northern Reedbed, with a brief Male through. A few Buzzards were good for comparing to the lad.

Bearded Reedling, Several Snipe, and around five Pintail were also seen, along with a couple of Wigeon. No sign of the Firecrest or Water Pipit, though im sure they are still there, just wont show for me!:C

Some pics taken, but i cant edit them where i am.

 

[DorsetDude]

At least 2 bittern at Hatch Pond, Sunday dusk. One individual flew in from left and almost landed on top of another, a brief scuffle before first one flew back off left and alighted on far bank!

 

[DaveJones]

Littlesea Holiday Park to Radipole

Good walk this, and quite good at most seasons of the year other than high summer, when all you will see is people

After yesterdays disapointment in not seeing the Water pipit or Firecrest at Lodmoor, the disapointment continued with the Humes at Littlesea. Plenty of other stuff about, but alas no Humes. Three Avocets busily preening in the lagoon was a nice find, and harboured hope that my luck was about to change as we headed off for the Richards Pipit.

Wrong:C

Was it in the Triangular field?

No.

The Field adjacent the usual field?

No.

Inside the Bridging camp?

Sod it, and nothing around that i could kick. Oh well, 5 Red-legs, several skeins of Brent Geese, a male stonechat, Sparrowhawk, a few Med Gulls, and watching the missus slip over was good stuff:-O

Portland Harbour gave us close views of a male Black Redstart, and a Kingfisher on the rocks. 3 Slavonion Grebes and 14 Black-necked Grebes were counted, but no Divers. Another Sparrowhawk hunting low along a hedge, came within inches of hitting us. You could actually feel the breeze on your face as it suddenly shot over our heads at the last moment:eek!:

One more Black Redstart, this time a female. was watched at close quarters at the entrance to Weymouth Harbour. We then finished off at Radipole, where Water Rail and the resident Hooded Merganser were seen.

All in all, around 60 species were seen, and without any real effort.

Ferrybridge was not visited due to it resembling a building site, and we left Lodmoor off the list, since the wife wanted to clean off the mud:-O, otherwise the list would of been a lot more impressive.:t:

 

[pooleparrot]

Middlebere

Tide out so not much from Avocet Hide, on the way back from the hide saw a Marsh Harirer 1st then 20 minutes later a ringtail Hen Harrier.

Ian

 

[DorsetDude]

Finally caught up with the spotted sandpiper on fishermans bank, stanpit at lunchtime today. Very obliging and close up views. Nice to be able to nip out at lunchtime from work for a lifer!

 

[Farnboro John]

Bearded Reedling.

Good heavens, someone actually uses this term! :-O

John

 

[Wendy Morris]

The two Great White Egrets are still at the much water depleted Sutton Bingham reservoir. They are at the far southern (Halstock) end and I feel sure that they are in Dorset...at least they were this afternoon around 14.00!

 

[DaveJones]

Lodmoor, Glossy Ibis, and my bad luck continues!

Good heavens, someone actually uses this term! :-O

John

I only use because i think it sounds so sexy!8-P


Anyways, back to today when my horrendous bad luck really hit home.:C

I was concentrating on an area where i had noticed a Bittern fly into with the hope that it may again pop out for some flight shots. I noticed a chap about 50 metres along the path busily shooting at something, and with some sexy Bearded Reedlings pinging, thought they were the centre of his attention. Alas, the news when i caught him up was earth shattering...

He had only had a Glossy Ibis fly through, and right in my line of sight, and a lifer for me, and he also had the photo to prove it!!!:eek!:

Now im not a violent man. But if this luck continues, i may just kill something, anything, even pull the legs off an earwig:C

Anyways, we decided to head in the direction to where it had flew, hoping that it landed in the vicinity of the Northern Reed bed, which can be viewed from the fields adjacent lodmoor.

Unfortunately, we never re-located it. I have a strong feeling though, that its still in the area, and may be using Lodmoor for roosting, so keep them peeled.:t:

A quiter day today, with much the same. Lapwing numbers have risen, but no Goldies among them.

Some lovely pics of a female Marsh Harrier were taken, but remain on the card unedited.

So, Bittern, a couple of Little Egrets, 3 Med Gulls, 3 SEXY Bearded Reedlings, Marsh Harrier, Raven, and a few Blackwits were the highlights.:t:

 

[Blandford Birder]

Wednesday Afternoon

A Mediterranean Gull over Blandford at 1.45 this afternoon with a mixed Gull flock.

A Red Kite over the A354 at Handley Cross at 3 p.m. and the same, or another bird, over Harley Gap an hour later.

 

[luke]

The Ibis was at Radipole for most of today. Was there first thing this morning in front of the hide then flew towards lodmoor at about 10:30ish and then flew straight back radipole where it spent the afternoon on the playing fields next the reserve on Radipole Park Drive. Highly likely it will still be about tomorrow.

Plenty of photo's on my blog. www.welshbirderindorset.blogspot.com

 

[DaveJones]

Glossy Ibis

Thanks for the update Luke:t:

I did happen to catch up with it today at Lodmoor...twice.B

It comes in from the direction of Radipole, circles the overcombe area, and then flies to the north of the reserve, before going behind the trees. I did suspect the possibility of roosting in the area, but have subsequently learnt that there is a Little Egret roost in that same direction at Radipole?

I managed a few flight shots, which are not much to look at unfortunately, but good record shots none the less.

Also managed to tick off the Firecrest, approximately a minute after the Ibis, and you dont get better birding that:t::t:

Great-northern Diver in the bay, Marsh Harrier...again, Stonechat, and a possible Jack Snipe. I say possible, because it went down too quick for a better view, but it was clean below, with a short beak. Went down in area with plenty of other snipe, but more into the Rushes.

Back up north again now, but down again very soonB

 

[Larry Sweetland]

drop-dead gorgeous adult Yellow-legged Gull at Holes Bay about 20mins ago.

 

[Farnboro John]

drop-dead gorgeous adult Yellow-legged Gull at Holes Bay about 20mins ago.

You cannot put "drop dead gorgeous" and "Yellow-legged Gull" in the same sentence!!! Ross's maybe...

John

 

[Larry Sweetland]

You cannot put "drop dead gorgeous" and "Yellow-legged Gull" in the same sentence!!! Ross's maybe...

John

Some of us aren't that fussy John! Looked great to me in the lighting conditions at the time etc.