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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Dorset birding (2 Viewers)

GGS, Sugar Hill

The GGS is still showing well at Sugar Hill, Wareham Forest. It now favours an area of clearing about 500mtrs South East of Oakhill Enclosure,

Ian
 

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They must be roosting nearby, did they feed on the berries at Bakers View this morning? And do you know if they returned at all during the day?

Love the pictures especially the one with the sun coming through the fanned tail feathers!!

Ian

Yes, they feed regular on the berries at Bakers View, they spend a minute feeding and then come back to the trees on my side of the road. I live on the corner of Hanham Road and so I get good views of the birds. Plus I work from home which is handy. They will go elsewhere for hours at a time though so I guess they maybe visit various places where there's berries. Over the weekend they weren't here at all on Saturday and it wasn't until late Sunday afternoon that I saw them briefly. Today they were here when I looked out at 7.30am and stayed for about 40 minutes. Then they didn't return until around 11ish and they stayed probably a few hours. Then they went away and returned about half an hour later, didn't stay long and then left for the rest of the day. Similar pattern to yesterday.

Paul.
 
Yes, they feed regular on the berries at Bakers View, they spend a minute feeding and then come back to the trees on my side of the road. I live on the corner of Hanham Road and so I get good views of the birds. Plus I work from home which is handy. They will go elsewhere for hours at a time though so I guess they maybe visit various places where there's berries. Over the weekend they weren't here at all on Saturday and it wasn't until late Sunday afternoon that I saw them briefly. Today they were here when I looked out at 7.30am and stayed for about 40 minutes. Then they didn't return until around 11ish and they stayed probably a few hours. Then they went away and returned about half an hour later, didn't stay long and then left for the rest of the day. Similar pattern to yesterday.

Paul.

Thanks Paul for still keeping the information coming out either via here or DBC sightings. I went again this morning and had nice views by your house. I'm not sure how you're getting much work done at the moment with these beauties visiting daily.
 

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Yes they looked great this morning, there for a long time too. I was out at 7.30am in the garden with the camera and then on and off for a couple of hours after that. Shame there was a stiff breeze blowing which made it difficult for me to get the feather detail. I was trying out one of my home made teleconverters and I was at around 2600mm for the attached photo. I see they tried to shelter on the far side of the tree out of the wind which wasn't the best from my position.

Paul.
 

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4 Waxwing here again at Hanham Rd this afternoon, now that the rain has stopped. A 5th bird joined them for all of 10 seconds before it moved off elsewhere.

Paul.
 

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4 Waxwing here again at Hanham Rd this afternoon, now that the rain has stopped. A 5th bird joined them for all of 10 seconds before it moved off elsewhere.

Paul.
A nice picture of the Waxwing, could not make it to see if they were there this afternoon. Many thanks for your alerts to the bird much appreciated.
 
A nice picture of the Waxwing, could not make it to see if they were there this afternoon. Many thanks for your alerts to the bird much appreciated.

They arrived around 1.15pm but weren't there for long today and weren't feeding on the berries over the road. Just seemed to flit around the tree tops and moved on after maybe 30 to 45 minutes. Sunny days seem to be best, that's when they stay for long periods.

Paul.
 
Shell Bay, Studland

Went to look for the Snow Bunting at Shell Bay yesterday, had good views of it in the area around Pilots Point, also a good supporting cast of the immature Eider, BN Grebes coming into summer plumage and a few Med Gulls. Well worth a visit.
 

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Longham Lakes

On easter Monday there were 5 Common Sandpiper on the small jetty by the slipway on South Lake. But very quiet on the migrant front with just one Whitethroat and some reed warblers singing.
 
I walked the SW coastal path walk around Portland Bill last Monday, from The Hights Hotel to lighthouse. Just the usual birds, a lot of Fulmars too. But we had excellent views of two Peregrines at Freshwater Bay. They seemed to be doing some sort of courtship display and were flying around together, and at one point the male (it looked smaller) dropped a piece of food from its talons in flight and the female (I presume) flipped on her back mid flight and caught it! Both were adults, do Peregrines do courtship displays throughout nesting? I think it would have been to late for them to just start nesting.

We didn't get a chance to visit the observatory because of the sudden downpour (which left us very wet and miserable!!!)
 
Stilt Sandpiper

Hi,
I may be in Dorset Wednesday 18th October. If things stick etc, I'm hoping to target the spotted sandpiper at Abbotsbury. Also to try the hide at Middlebere for the Stilt Sandpiper.

Directions to the hide at Middlebere would be very useful and best time for both sites. Any other advice would useful as not local but based in Norfolk.

Thanks in advance. 😀

Skuaed
 
For the Spotted you need to pay admission to The Swannery. Normally £12.50 for adult but I think there is an offer at moment for about £10 (maybe even cheaper online) opens at 10am & last entry 4pm. Closes at 5pm. The bird frequents the shoreline by an outlying hide that is only accessible on request so tell the admission staff you are there to see the sandpiper & they will radio down to a warden who will point you in the right direction. Shows off & on all day. Can be elusive, can be distant, can give brilliant views. Patience usually pays off.

As for the Stilt Sand I'm not as familiar as I should be with Poole Harbour so hopefully somebody else will help you out with that.

Best of luck, may see you Wednesday,

Steve
 
It was great to meet you Steve. Would have liked to have stayed and watched the spotted, but the information on the status of the two barred was too tempting. Got it from 4m, sideways on,in binoculars maybe 1-2 secs. Very neat bird! Thanks ago. 😀
 
Luck was obviously on your side as the Spotted Sandpiper was not seen again after you left yesterday and several people dipped. It reappeared this morning though apparently. Glad you got the warbler. ��

Steve.
 
Thought I'd put a message on here as I haven't posted in a while. There was a drake Lesser Scaup found at Longham Lakes yesterday and has still been present all day today. Pics from yesterday where it was close on North lake although in poor light.

Just wondered if many people still read this thread, As i said I haven't posted in a while although I do still look in regularly and to be honest there aren't many posts to read!

Maybe if you are still looking at this you could post a reply on here, and I'll try to post a bit more going forward

Ian
 

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Thought I'd put a message on here as I haven't posted in a while. There was a drake Lesser Scaup found at Longham Lakes yesterday and has still been present all day today. Pics from yesterday where it was close on North lake although in poor light.

Just wondered if many people still read this thread, As i said I haven't posted in a while although I do still look in regularly and to be honest there aren't many posts to read!

Maybe if you are still looking at this you could post a reply on here, and I'll try to post a bit more going forward

Ian

I've been looking but that's because I'm down south on holiday for a week. Not sure if it's of any interest but there was a completely knackered looking purple sandpiper on the beach at Charmouth today.

Mike
 

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