Have a son like that, (hes 18 now) and thinks watching waders or sea birds as he calls them is boring. had a good myself at Hartland/middlebere guided walk with BOPH, Marsh Harrier, Osprey sat in the dead trees, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitthroat=lifer, Green Sandpiper, Greenshanks, Dartford Warbler, Whinchats, these are just some of the high lights og the day.
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Dorset birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter scary-canary
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Have a son like that, (hes 18 now) and thinks watching waders or sea birds as he calls them is boring. had a good myself at Hartland/middlebere guided walk with BOPH, Marsh Harrier, Osprey sat in the dead trees, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitthroat=lifer, Green Sandpiper, Greenshanks, Dartford Warbler, Whinchats, these are just some of the high lights og the day.
MSA
I may be relaxed but I'm not drunk....
A well-attended members' day on Hengistbury yesterday, with the highlight right at the end, a Marsh Warbler in the hand! Photos and details in link in footer. I'm also co-leading a walk on Stanpit this afternoon - leaving info centre at 17:00 - so if anyone wants to turn up and heckle, feel free (although I believe there's a small charge, it's a Council-run event, in conjunction with CHOG so discounted for members).
I was in Hengistbury Head Sunday morning.
Saw Little Egret, Stone Chat, Lapwing, Water Rail (a lifer) Reed Bunting, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Black-Headed Gull, Wigeon, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Swallow, Magpie and Carrion Crow. My daughter was happy as it gave her more birds to add to her sticker book.
Saw Little Egret, Stone Chat, Lapwing, Water Rail (a lifer) Reed Bunting, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Black-Headed Gull, Wigeon, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Swallow, Magpie and Carrion Crow. My daughter was happy as it gave her more birds to add to her sticker book.
mike davidson
Well-known member
Went to Hengistbury Head today with Mark. Saw lifers of Sparrowhawk, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail and Blackcap. Also saw Kingfisher, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stonechat, House Martin, Swallows, Little Egret, Wigeon, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Collard Dove, Cormorant, Black-Headed Gull, Herring Gull.
I'm sure there were others, but I missed the Ruffs Mark saw, which would have been another lifer for me. Oh well. There's always next time
I'm sure there were others, but I missed the Ruffs Mark saw, which would have been another lifer for me. Oh well. There's always next time
Nice set of birds seen there Retrodaz,
I went for a walk round Longham lakes this evening best bird seen there was the Black-necked Grebe, a good number of Little grebes lot of coots and Tufted ducks about saw a couple of Gadwall. I am off to Portland tomorrow my first visit.
I went for a walk round Longham lakes this evening best bird seen there was the Black-necked Grebe, a good number of Little grebes lot of coots and Tufted ducks about saw a couple of Gadwall. I am off to Portland tomorrow my first visit.
scary-canary
Canaries forever... and i'm not always scary, some
The big lake. Usually just the other side of the island from the causeway. Very white underparts.
Chris
Abbeybirder
Well-known member
Full review of my visit to Portland bill and Lodmoor RSPB on my blog visited 214/09/2014 with the Stourbridge branch of the RSPB hope you enjoy the reading full species list seen included
http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/adrian-k/539-portland-bill-lodmoor-rspb-visit-21-09-2014.html
http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/adrian-k/539-portland-bill-lodmoor-rspb-visit-21-09-2014.html
Had a good day down at Portland & Lodmoor then, some nice birds seen
Abbeybirder
Well-known member
WRYNECK footage now uploaded to my you-tube channel hope you enjoy-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP3_Tm5uqB0
Really enjoyed myself it's a pity I don't live closer I would be there most weeks if I did,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP3_Tm5uqB0
Really enjoyed myself it's a pity I don't live closer I would be there most weeks if I did,
Went to stanpit marsh today with MSA.
Saw whitethroat, redshank, little egret, lapwing, teal, wigeon, mallard, whetear, robin, carrion crow, magpie, rook, jackdaw, mute swan, meadow pipit, curlew, dunnock, bar-tailed godwit, dunlin, coot, yellow wagtail.
I also had four lifers.
Pintail, knot, brent geese and an awesome peregrine falcon.
Saw whitethroat, redshank, little egret, lapwing, teal, wigeon, mallard, whetear, robin, carrion crow, magpie, rook, jackdaw, mute swan, meadow pipit, curlew, dunnock, bar-tailed godwit, dunlin, coot, yellow wagtail.
I also had four lifers.
Pintail, knot, brent geese and an awesome peregrine falcon.
DorsetDude
Well-known member
Was fishing near Hurn airport yesterday, didnt have binoculars, saw a buzzard soaring and later fairly sure a red kite was over. Long wingspan compared to buzzard and a fairly deep V on the tail. Im not going to tick it for the year but pretty certain.
Do sparrowhawks soar? Saw some hawks smaller than a buzzard soaring also.
Do sparrowhawks soar? Saw some hawks smaller than a buzzard soaring also.
pooleparrot
Ian Ballam
Do sparrowhawks soar? Saw some hawks smaller than a buzzard soaring also.[/QUOTE]
Yes Sparrowhawks do soar and can do at fair heights when surveying the area for potential locations for prey.
Yes Sparrowhawks do soar and can do at fair heights when surveying the area for potential locations for prey.
27th September
Had a great afternoon birding at Little Sea and Brand’s Bay then back again to Little Sea on the way back to the car.
I started at Little Sea to look for the GWE but he was not there so after counting the Little Egrets that were roosting in some dead trees I moved off to Brand’s Bay Hide.
At Little Sea
Little Egrets – 10
Grey Heron – 1
Cormorants – 5
Great Black-backed Gull -2
Over at the hide I got myself settled and started scanning the many Little Egrets that were about for the GWE. Then over at the back of the bay to the left a little I spotted what I thought was the bird in a creek (there was a large gorse bush left of the creek and what looked like what was left of a rotten boat) So I watched the bird and sure enough I saw its yellowish/orange bill then it flew a bit closer to the middle island/ marshy grass area were the Little Egrets were and this really confirmed that it was the GWE.
At this point someone in a canoe paddle past the hide and up the creek to the left, I tried to get on to Yahoo but was not getting a very good signal then the canoeist came back down the creek but a lot closer to this Island/ marshy grass area the bird flew off to the back of the bay near some dead trees and what looked like some brown reed/rush. At this point because I was struggling with a signal I went out the hide and texted Paul to see if he would put the news out on O&A, but on going back in to the hide the bird had disappeared.
So the birds seen from the Hide were
Little Egrets – 18
Great White Egret – 1
Great Crested Grebes - 20
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwits
Wigeon – 20+
Redshank- 2
Pintail -2
Hen Harrier- Ring tail
Osprey
And best of all for me was watching the Hen Harrier quartering the marsh and fields at the back of the bay. Then watching an Osprey flying over the top of Goathorn Plantation with a fish in it talons and land in one of the almost dead trees at back of the bay and tearing in to its super pure magic.
But the magic was not over after all this I made the decision to go back to Little Sea as I heard that the GWE was in the dead trees. And sure enough it was there, though I am going to name this bird Houdini (if it has not been already) as once again I texted Paul to let him know it was on Little Sea at 16.00 hrs. But once again the gulls and others birds took to the air though the GWE stayed put so I began to look for what had put the bird ups and there it was a Osprey mostly likely the one from Brand’s as it had very pale fringing to its mantle and coverts just like the one I had seen earlier I watched plunge dive in to the lake and it seemed ages before it reappeared and flew round the lake before land in a dead tree and in this time the GWE disappeared again.
Had a great afternoon birding at Little Sea and Brand’s Bay then back again to Little Sea on the way back to the car.
I started at Little Sea to look for the GWE but he was not there so after counting the Little Egrets that were roosting in some dead trees I moved off to Brand’s Bay Hide.
At Little Sea
Little Egrets – 10
Grey Heron – 1
Cormorants – 5
Great Black-backed Gull -2
Over at the hide I got myself settled and started scanning the many Little Egrets that were about for the GWE. Then over at the back of the bay to the left a little I spotted what I thought was the bird in a creek (there was a large gorse bush left of the creek and what looked like what was left of a rotten boat) So I watched the bird and sure enough I saw its yellowish/orange bill then it flew a bit closer to the middle island/ marshy grass area were the Little Egrets were and this really confirmed that it was the GWE.
At this point someone in a canoe paddle past the hide and up the creek to the left, I tried to get on to Yahoo but was not getting a very good signal then the canoeist came back down the creek but a lot closer to this Island/ marshy grass area the bird flew off to the back of the bay near some dead trees and what looked like some brown reed/rush. At this point because I was struggling with a signal I went out the hide and texted Paul to see if he would put the news out on O&A, but on going back in to the hide the bird had disappeared.
So the birds seen from the Hide were
Little Egrets – 18
Great White Egret – 1
Great Crested Grebes - 20
Curlew
Black-tailed Godwits
Wigeon – 20+
Redshank- 2
Pintail -2
Hen Harrier- Ring tail
Osprey
And best of all for me was watching the Hen Harrier quartering the marsh and fields at the back of the bay. Then watching an Osprey flying over the top of Goathorn Plantation with a fish in it talons and land in one of the almost dead trees at back of the bay and tearing in to its super pure magic.
But the magic was not over after all this I made the decision to go back to Little Sea as I heard that the GWE was in the dead trees. And sure enough it was there, though I am going to name this bird Houdini (if it has not been already) as once again I texted Paul to let him know it was on Little Sea at 16.00 hrs. But once again the gulls and others birds took to the air though the GWE stayed put so I began to look for what had put the bird ups and there it was a Osprey mostly likely the one from Brand’s as it had very pale fringing to its mantle and coverts just like the one I had seen earlier I watched plunge dive in to the lake and it seemed ages before it reappeared and flew round the lake before land in a dead tree and in this time the GWE disappeared again.
Last edited:
pooleparrot
Ian Ballam
Brands Bay
Did Brands Bay and Littlesea yesterday morning, unfortunately no sign of the GWE. Did have the Osprey over a couple of times , 2nd time landing with fish in a tree on the far side.
Also had a female Ruff(unusual for Brands Bay), 3 Grey Plover and 2 Sandwich Tern as well as the usual supporting cast.
Did Brands Bay and Littlesea yesterday morning, unfortunately no sign of the GWE. Did have the Osprey over a couple of times , 2nd time landing with fish in a tree on the far side.
Also had a female Ruff(unusual for Brands Bay), 3 Grey Plover and 2 Sandwich Tern as well as the usual supporting cast.
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They are wonderful pictures, wish I could get a decent picture of an Osprey one day maybe.
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