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Dorset birding (2 Viewers)

Longham this morning

One very late swallow on wires this morning, plus a good flock (25+) lapwings, several wigeon and teal, 3 pochards and a 3 little egrets together (record count for me here!!). 2 common gulls with the black heads.
Chris
 

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One very late swallow on wires this morning, plus a good flock (25+) lapwings, several wigeon and teal, 3 pochards and a 3 little egrets together (record count for me here!!). 2 common gulls with the black heads.
Chris

Not quite with it this morning. Got excited about the black-headed common gulls (new (sub)sp.?) until I looked at the photo and realised I had misread.

Got to see the Whoopers with my eldest daughter who was more interested with playing with the 'driplets' on the metal gate. That's how I like my birding, hardly the need to get out of the car!
 
Mixed bag at Longham Lakes briefly this morning.

A little vis mig, confirmed by 8 Skylarks over and some high-flying Starlings.

However, main interest was waders. 50 Black-tailed Godwits over in 1 flock east, and also 2 Dunlin over south.
 
Longham, Tuesday

Six little egrets on the big lake on Tuesday - record count again for me. Jon (bailiff) told me he'd counted 190 cormorants on site recently
Chris
 
Greetings all.

Whooper swans have dropped off the Dorset Bird Club sightings for Lytchett Bay today. Are they still there does anyone think? Have they dropped off simply because no one reported them yesterday?
Was hoping to get over there today or tomorrow and get a look.

Thanks
 
Longham Lakes today for 1 hour

Green Sandpiper on pools by the west side of L2.
Lapwing flock of 78 flushed from Large Island by(?). Later 23 of these seen to gain height and fly down River to the East.
Pochard 8; Teal 6; Wigeon 18.
Little Egret at least 6.
Only 12 Great Crested Grebes on both lakes. Is that low for this time of year? I saw 28 at the beginning of October.
No sign of any Kingfishers. Gone to the seaside for their winter hols?

Amazing sight of literally 100s of small fish (bream I think) spawning at the base of the reed bed to the West of L1. Thought the noise in the reeds was going to be a Bittern, I can but hope.
 
Longham Lakes today for 1 hour

Green Sandpiper on pools by the west side of L2.
Lapwing flock of 78 flushed from Large Island by(?). Later 23 of these seen to gain height and fly down River to the East.
Pochard 8; Teal 6; Wigeon 18.
Little Egret at least 6.
Only 12 Great Crested Grebes on both lakes. Is that low for this time of year? I saw 28 at the beginning of October.
No sign of any Kingfishers. Gone to the seaside for their winter hols?

Amazing sight of literally 100s of small fish (bream I think) spawning at the base of the reed bed to the West of L1. Thought the noise in the reeds was going to be a Bittern, I can but hope.
I had 16 gc grebe on the small lake this afternoon. 6 little egrets on the island. One kingfishers, so they are still here. 3 Common gulls.
Chris
 
Quiet at the lakes this morning. 2 Shoveler that I hadn't noted previously, late/wintering Chiffchaff, 30ish Wigeon, 4 skittish Teal,only 3 Little Egrets, no Sandpipers, Common gull or Kingfishers. There were 116 Cormorants on the N lake. Amazing how easy it is to guess the number incorrectly. I would have said about 50 until I counted them! Flock (50ish) of large Turdus spp. passing W over Green lane. Only just got out of the car and by the time I had wiped the condensation off my binos they were gone. Also high W movement of Wood pigeons.

The mention of Bitterns leads me to ask if there are any at Hatch pond this year?
 
Quiet at the lakes this morning. 2 Shoveler that I hadn't noted previously, late/wintering Chiffchaff, 30ish Wigeon, 4 skittish Teal,only 3 Little Egrets, no Sandpipers, Common gull or Kingfishers. There were 116 Cormorants on the N lake. Amazing how easy it is to guess the number incorrectly. I would have said about 50 until I counted them! Flock (50ish) of large Turdus spp. passing W over Green lane. Only just got out of the car and by the time I had wiped the condensation off my binos they were gone. Also high W movement of Wood pigeons.

The mention of Bitterns leads me to ask if there are any at Hatch pond this year?

There have been reports at Hatch Pond already of bitterns, but I've dipped three times.
Chris
 
Longham this morning

Still 6 little egrets, and good selection of ducks - pochard, wigeon, teal, gadwall, tufted, 2 shoveler, mallard.
Chris
 
Whoopers still at Radipole, caught up with them yesterday. 2 ads 2 juv.

Bream spawning in November? 5 months early ish! I thought Pike were first to spawn and they start Jan/Feb. Shows what I know.
 
Whoopers still at Radipole, caught up with them yesterday. 2 ads 2 juv.

Bream spawning in November? 5 months early ish! I thought Pike were first to spawn and they start Jan/Feb. Shows what I know.

Hi Dude

If you can shed any more light on what the fish were upto I'd be pleased to hear it. I assumed that as they were all in shallow water in a tight shoal and turning over with silver sides flashing they must be spawning. There was no panic causing fish to leap out of the water. They were mostly about 15 to 20 cm. Could a Pike lurking in the slightly deeper water cause this reaction? I am no fisherman so would appreciate help.

Ray
 
Visited Longham for about half an hour late afternoon. Green Sandpiper still around small lake. Usual suspects around as well.

I suppose that as the time the Dowitcher was last seen at Radipole was so late (on Birdguides was 1625) there is no information on whether it went high and away or could have gone to roost?
 

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