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

Dorset birding (1 Viewer)

Female redstart and my first migrating wheatear of the autumn up on Knowle Hill west of Corfe on Sunday, along with several family groups of bullfinches in the scrub on the north side. Good butterflies too - wall and clouded yellow around in good numbers with the odd painted lady for good measure.

Disappointing seawatch at Anvil Point, Durlston on Saturday, especially when I compare to what was seen at points west and east of where I was. Gave it a couple of hours in the morning then again as the weather turned mid afternoon and only scraped together 20-odd manxies and a great skua, all of which were ultra distant. Is this just me managing to miss everything or is Durlston just not amazingly placed? If so, where would be better (that's not Portland?)
 
Not much new at Longham today birdwise - the return of grey wagtail was my highlight, but good numbers of butterflies, including at least 6 clouded yellows and numbers of common blue, plus speckled wood, meadow brown, gatekeeper, and lots of dragonflies. I need a book to help me sort out dragonflies. Any suggestions?

Chris
 
Female redstart and my first migrating wheatear of the autumn up on Knowle Hill west of Corfe on Sunday, along with several family groups of bullfinches in the scrub on the north side. Good butterflies too - wall and clouded yellow around in good numbers with the odd painted lady for good measure.

Disappointing seawatch at Anvil Point, Durlston on Saturday, especially when I compare to what was seen at points west and east of where I was. Gave it a couple of hours in the morning then again as the weather turned mid afternoon and only scraped together 20-odd manxies and a great skua, all of which were ultra distant. Is this just me managing to miss everything or is Durlston just not amazingly placed? If so, where would be better (that's not Portland?)

I'm in Dorset for two weeks and spending most birding time at Durlston. In the htree sea watches so far, I've managed:

18th - 2 Balearics, 5 Manxies, 3 Common Scoter.
20th - 1 Balearic, 14 Manxies, 4 Common Scoter.
21st - Only a really quick look and 2 Manxies went past.

Today at Durlston there were a lot of reported migrants, but I only found 3 Spot Flys, 3 Redstart, a few Whitethroat, Willow Warblers and one Wheatear.

I think Durlston struggles for Skuas (I've only seen a handful of Arctics over the years) but isn't too bad for the Shearwaters, although the best action is obviously further West...

Cheers,

Andy M
 
Morden /Lytchett Bay

Osprey 3 times in 1 day can't be bad, 1st of all at Morden Bog at 9.20am circling low over the bog forest and then at 4pm fishing unsuccessfully in Lytchett bay and then back again at 5.10pm fishing again in Lytchett Bay, this time successfully catching a fish and carrying it back in the direction of Morden.
 

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8 wigeon and the first 2 teal of the autumn at Longham today, plus kingfisher common sandpiper, peregrine and 2 little egrets

Chris
 
Longham lakes today

Two site ticks for me today... One a year tick in the very elusive shape of a greenshank. Due to the high levels of water there are few muddy edges and it flushed from vegetation and flew round the big lake before I lost it. Number 103 for the site for the year.

Also a tick , but a mammal this time, was a mink, which I scared as it was feeding near the pumping station on the big lake. Dropped into the water and disappeared into the undergrowth.

Also still 7 wigeon on the big lake, plus a mixed flock of swallows, sand and house martins, probably at least 100. Quite a lot of chiffchaffs and a single willow, along with sedge, reed, and whitethroat. All scattered as a big female sparrowhawk landed near me in the top of a hawthorn.
Sadly nothing rarer than that, but it felt like there ought to have been!

Chris
 
Morden

Good morning on the Bog , starting with a Patch Yeartick of Wheatear. At the Decoy Pond the Osprey was diving into the pond a couple of times to wash it's feathers. Up on MP Lake 2 Hobby were sat side by side on a high branch of the Osprey Tree. On the way back a Whinchat on a fence line , lots of Phylloscs, Dartfords, Spot Flies, Marsh Tits and a single Kestrel.
 

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Holes Bay/UCP

Good numbers of waders/ducks this evening, 800+ Blackwit, 200+ Redshank and 50+ Wigeon , with 1 Sandwich Tern and 1 Common Gull all from Stone Bench. Another 200 Wigeon and 1 Spot Shank in main bay and 1 Whimbrel from Old Hide Area.
 
Dipper

Dipper showing well in the rain yesterday at Lyme Regis. Just follow the stream up from the Millhouse. Singing too!

Chris
 

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Another good day (hour!)

Only took 2 goes to catch up with this pale beauty - short toed lark on Portland. Made up for the 30 minutes trying to string a skylark at the weekend!!
Haven't posted here for ages now twice in a day. I'm back!
Chris
 

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RSPB Arne

Had a trip over to RSPB Arne this afternoon had a walk round Coombe Heath then over to the Shipstal hide.
Birds seen Curlew 30, Black-Tailed Godwits 20, Shelduck 10, Brent Geese 10, Spoonbill 25.
 
Morden Bog this morning, 2nd site record of Curlew and 2 Dartford, 2 Woodlark, 5 Raven and 1 Skylark over.

Onto Studland , from Brands Bay Hide and Middle Beach. 1 Common Scoter, 2 BN Grebe, 2 Guillemot on Sea and 2 Gannet west. Also 2 Fieldfare on heath.

Ian
 

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