Dorset birding (16 Viewers)

[luke]

The Great Grey Shrike should perhaps say 'a Great Grey Shrike' as it appears to be ringed. Have birds from previous winters had rings on them? Obviously it could have got its ring between visits...

 

[pooleparrot]

The Great Grey Shrike should perhaps say 'a Great Grey Shrike' as it appears to be ringed. Have birds from previous winters had rings on them? Obviously it could have got its ring between visits...

I may have been writing "romantically" when stating the GGS was the 2010/11 bid returning although it would be nice to think. I have had a quick look back at some pics of the 2011 bird and can't appear to see a ring , although not many pics have a great view of the relevant leg.

As a note there was a GGS at the bog in the Winter of 2009/2010, which if this one hangs around could suggest the same bird returning every other year. Could a Shrike alternate wintering sights to let prey species recover in the "bye" years?

This could also fit with why 2011 was such a poor year on the bog for Dartfords yet this year has been exceptionally good!

Regards, Ian

 

[James Lowther]

the winters 09/10 and 10/11 were both brutally cold, i think dartford numbers more likely to reflect that.
also your maths is off a little bit as if it wintered 09/10 and 10/11 those are consecutive years!!

cheers,
James

 

[pooleparrot]

the winters 09/10 and 10/11 were both brutally cold, i think dartford numbers more likely to reflect that.
also your maths is off a little bit as if it wintered 09/10 and 10/11 those are consecutive years!!

cheers,
James

Wrong year then, must have been 08/09, definately been alternating over the last 5 winters(including this one), 3 birds over 5 winters.

Ian

 

[MSA]

According to Dorset Report, GGS at Morden was present 2005-06, 2006-07 (one day only, 9.1.07), 2007-08, 2008-09 (one day only, 29.12.08) and 2010-11. May well have been other sightings unreported, it happens!

 

[pooleparrot]

Ggs

GG Shrike still at Morden today, on heath between Decoy Pond and Morden Park Lake.

 

[scary-canary]

Longham

Beautiful calm day today. Highlights were a kingfisher showing well by the centre, cetti's calling in the far corner, 4 wigeon, 2 pochard on the big lake and a fox. Several long tailed tits.
Chris

 

[scary-canary]

Mr Fox

Beautiful calm day today. Highlights were a kingfisher showing well by the centre, cetti's calling in the far corner, 4 wigeon, 2 pochard on the big lake and a fox. Several long tailed tits.
Chris

Here he is...

 

[Stevie babe]

Hi Dorset birders.

Any reports of Cattle Egrets around?

Yesterday (11 Nov) PM I was driving West to East along the A31 and between the A350 roundabout and the B3074 junction and glimpsed out of my eye to my right 3 egrets in a field next to the road. Unfortunately the road was too busy to make any type of stop at that point.

My immediate thought was that it is not normal for Little Egrets to be seen away from the waterside, especially grouped as these three were. They looked a little larger than I would expect a Little Egret to be. If I had seen them in Spain I would have had no hesitation saying they were Cattle Egrets but here - well , I dunno.

There was a small herd of cows in the field but the egrets were well apart from them that i could see.

Any thoughts anyone?????

 

[scary-canary]

Hi Dorset birders.

Any reports of Cattle Egrets around?

Yesterday (11 Nov) PM I was driving West to East along the A31 and between the A350 roundabout and the B3074 junction and glimpsed out of my eye to my right 3 egrets in a field next to the road. Unfortunately the road was too busy to make any type of stop at that point.

My immediate thought was that it is not normal for Little Egrets to be seen away from the waterside, especially grouped as these three were. They looked a little larger than I would expect a Little Egret to be. If I had seen them in Spain I would have had no hesitation saying they were Cattle Egrets but here - well , I dunno.

There was a small herd of cows in the field but the egrets were well apart from them that i could see.

Any thoughts anyone?????

Haven't heard of any, but hopefully someone with a car will check it out.

 

[pooleparrot]

Morden

Great Grey Shrike still on the bog, also a nice flock of 6 Crossbill flitting across the pines.

 

[scary-canary]

Fairly fruitless walk round Holt Heath today - 4 jays, 1 green woodpecker and 1 dartford warbler.
And that was it.
Chris

 

[mike davidson]

Hi Chris

whenever I home , which I will be in a month's time I try the heath only a 10 minute walk , but have never seen much there . A bit bleak. Hope to see you at the lakes .

We did have David Lindo , the Urban Birder here, who was amazed at what we found him here . See my post in birds and birding

Mike D in Nairobi

Fairly fruitless walk round Holt Heath today - 4 jays, 1 green woodpecker and 1 dartford warbler.
And that was it.
Chris

 

[scary-canary]

Mike
Saw your David lindo posts. Exciting times I bet. See you soon
Chris

 

[Ian Lewis]

Egrets

Hi Dorset birders.

Any reports of Cattle Egrets around?

Yesterday (11 Nov) PM I was driving West to East along the A31 and between the A350 roundabout and the B3074 junction and glimpsed out of my eye to my right 3 egrets in a field next to the road. Unfortunately the road was too busy to make any type of stop at that point.

My immediate thought was that it is not normal for Little Egrets to be seen away from the waterside, especially grouped as these three were. They looked a little larger than I would expect a Little Egret to be. If I had seen them in Spain I would have had no hesitation saying they were Cattle Egrets but here - well , I dunno.

There was a small herd of cows in the field but the egrets were well apart from them that i could see.

Any thoughts anyone?????

The area you mention is close/on to the flood plain of the River Stour and Little Egrets are quite common in that area. Cattle Egrets have been seen occasionly in East Dorset, but none have been reported recently.

 

[scary-canary]

Longham lakes

Good views of water rail (only my third site sight record) on the small lake, plus kingfisher, grey wagtail and a single pochard this morning.
Chris

 

[Stevie babe]

The area you mention is close/on to the flood plain of the River Stour and Little Egrets are quite common in that area. Cattle Egrets have been seen occasionly in East Dorset, but none have been reported recently.

Thanks Ian,

Appreciate your point as I drive that road many times a year. Unfortunately usually when it is busy and there is no possibility of stopping, as in this case so my observation was probably barely a second.

I don't think I have seen a Littel Egret feeding away from water. These three were feeding in the field much as I would expect Cattle Egrets to and, as per above. if I had seen these in Spain I would have said Cattle Egrets.

You could be right that these were Little Egrets but by not asking the question means I won't ever know. Once out in the open there is a chance someone else will have noticed them in the locality and could confirm one way or the other.

 

[pooleparrot]

Morden Bog

Shrike still at Morden after not finding it on Monday's visit.

 

[scary-canary]

Shrike still at Morden after not finding it on Monday's visit.

Wasn't it a bit damp there today?

 

[pooleparrot]

Wasn't it a bit damp there today?

You had to time it just right, got there at 9.30 just as the sun came out, left at 10.30 in light drizzle!!!!

Ian