Dorset birding (7 Viewers)

[James Lowther]

Quality not quantity today...
Spent a couple of hours at middlebere again this afternoon. Was very quiet, with just one wader (black-tailed godwit) feeding in front of the hide, despite semmingly favourable tidal conditions. However I did finally manage to get osprey onto my county list, with a bird sat in one of the dead trees off to the left of the hide for the duration, despite me mentally imploring it to come after the fish in the channel. Also year-ticked a green sandpiper that flew calling across the front of the hide a couple of times.
Three yellow-legged gull and two shelduck the best of the rest.

 

[Paul Corfield]

I've been watching Kingfishers at Wimborne for the last few evenings. I join the River Stour at the public footpath by Canford Magna School. There's a small suspension bridge there to cross to the far bank. It's a lovely spot.

Here's a few photos I digiscoped there this last couple of days.

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/152387/ppuser/19132
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/152261/ppuser/19132
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/152412/ppuser/19132

Paul.

 

[James Lowther]

no need to go to Gambia any more!

Spent a couple of hours at Lodmoor this morning

saw a good selction of waders including 2 wood sandpipers very close to the path (but with the light somewhat against unfortunately). There appeared to be one adult (grey-brown with bold white notches on the mantle and wings) and one juvenile (warm-brown with smaller buff spots). Also 9 dunlin, 7 black-tailed godwits, 3 common sand, 2 ringed plover and a snipe.

Highlight of a good selection of common warblers was a lesser whitethroat

also had one yellow wagtail creeping through the long grass

common terns were noticeable by their absence, the large busy colony of a few weeks back now represented by just a single adult and juvenile


but the most remarkable sighting was a senegal parrot near the compost heap. This is a species i'm very familiar with from a trip to Gambia, but it was still a bit of a surprise as i wasn't aware they were kept by the cagebird crowd - but i guess they'll have anything pretty much....

also had a stroll along the Fleet near East Fleet village in the hope the black stork might drift over - no such luck
probably buggered off once it realised saturday had come around!

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Hi folks,

What's the story with the Greater Yellowlegs at Poole Harbour on Birdguides today ?

 

[Paul Corfield]

Hi folks,

What's the story with the Greater Yellowlegs at Poole Harbour on Birdguides today ?

This bit of text was on the recent sightings section of the Dorset Bird Club website yesterday. I copied and pasted below the only bit of text there was.

Lesser / Greater Yellowlegs - Brands Bay reported at 09.30 hrs today, of a Greenshank sized bird with bright yellow legs but no sightings possibly it's one of these species.

Paul.

 

[James Lowther]

waders

a few interesting waders around weymouth the last couple of evenings:

thursday at lodmoor

little stint 1 juv
dunlin 11
little ringed plover 2 juvs
ringed plover 1 juv (hanging with the LRPs for a nice comparison)
black-wit 13
common sand 3
green sand 1

friday at ferrybridge

little stint 1 juv
dunlin lots
sanderling 1
knot 1
grey plover 2 sum plumage
ringed plover hundreds and hundreds
turnstone quite a few

(note i can't be bothered counting over 13..)

 

[timp55]

Where do people park to access Ferrybridge?

Getting back on subject - Middlebere is good at the moment - at least 3 osprey, knot and grey plovers around

 

[scary-canary]

Longham Lakes

Decided to try and visit Longham lakes on a semi regu;ar basis - today's highlight was a black-tailed godwit which circled the lake but didn't land and a kingfisher. Counted 52 coot, 40 tufted duck and more than 30 gadwall.

 

[scary-canary]

Longham lakes, near Ferndown, sept 16

Gadwall numbers down slightly but 10 great crested grebes and three little grebes. Also 80+ starlings along the track

 

[Paul Corfield]

What's the best way to access Longham Lakes, parking the car etc? I may pop over there for some digiscoping one day.

On saturday I walked along the stretch of the River Stour at Wimborne accessed from the car park on Cowgrove Road. From the car park I walked across the fields first towards Wimborne and saw one Kingfisher. Then I returned to the car park and walked in the opposite direction along the National Trust footpath and saw two more Kingfishers. Also one Little Egret flew up and down the river. 6 young swans were also doing take off practice up and down a short stretch for around 30 minutes which was fun to watch.

Paul.

 

[scary-canary]

Longham lakes

What's the best way to access Longham Lakes, parking the car etc? I may pop over there for some digiscoping one day.



Paul.

I park on the bridle track off the road between Haskins Garden centre at Ferndown and Hampreston, where the houses end on one side of the road. Then just walk along the track for five minutes. It takes about 30 minutes to walk round the lake and the light is very good in the afternoons for ducks, grebes if you are digiscoping. Good luck

 

[Paul Corfield]

I park on the bridle track off the road between Haskins Garden centre at Ferndown and Hampreston, where the houses end on one side of the road. Then just walk along the track for five minutes. It takes about 30 minutes to walk round the lake and the light is very good in the afternoons for ducks, grebes if you are digiscoping. Good luck

Thanks, I'll take a look over the weekend hopefully.

Paul.

 

[Paul Corfield]

Went to the lake at Longham this afternoon. Plenty of Tufted Duck and Coot, around 10 or so Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Green Woodpecker on th grass at the side of the Lake, 1 Kestrel in a tree beside the lake and a couple of Heron just over the fence in the quarry. Didn't see any Gadwall but a flock of 7 waders flew over without stopping, not sure what they were though. Here's a couple of digiscoped photos. The Great Crested Grebe had a fine catch with the Perch in the second photo.

Paul.

 

[scary-canary]

Went to the lake at Longham this afternoon. Plenty of Tufted Duck and Coot, around 10 or so Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Green Woodpecker on th grass at the side of the Lake, 1 Kestrel in a tree beside the lake and a couple of Heron just over the fence in the quarry. Didn't see any Gadwall but a flock of 7 waders flew over without stopping, not sure what they were though. Here's a couple of digiscoped photos. The Great Crested Grebe had a fine catch with the Perch in the second photo.

Paul.

There were three or four gadwall on the patch of water over the fence from the lake but otherwise the lake was quiet today. Huge movement of crows in the evening heading in the direction of Bearwood. Good to know other people are watching here too.

 

[Paul Corfield]

Got up early this morning and arrived at the Longham lake for 9am but it was very quiet, same birds as yesterday, just fewer numbers although saw 4 Little Grebe. Most annoying thing was a missed photo opportunity of a Buzzard sat on a post right at the side of the lake where the small brick building is. I was walking along the gravel track and didn't see it until I was only about 30m away. It was at the same height as the distant tree line and the bird just blended perfectly into the background. I set the scope down and was getting the camera ready when it took off. Real shame as it would have made a great photo at such short range.

Paul.

 

[MSA]

Went to the lake at Longham this afternoon. Plenty of Tufted Duck and Coot, around 10 or so Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Green Woodpecker on th grass at the side of the Lake, 1 Kestrel in a tree beside the lake and a couple of Heron just over the fence in the quarry. Didn't see any Gadwall but a flock of 7 waders flew over without stopping, not sure what they were though. Here's a couple of digiscoped photos. The Great Crested Grebe had a fine catch with the Perch in the second photo.

Paul.

Paul, there were 7 Black-tailed Godwit there yesterday (only the second site record, apparently!). Info from a guy called Dominic Couzens, who "does" the Lakes regularly.

 

[Paul Corfield]

Paul, there were 7 Black-tailed Godwit there yesterday (only the second site record, apparently!). Info from a guy called Dominic Couzens, who "does" the Lakes regularly.

Yeah, I spoke to a guy just a few minutes before they flew over so maybe that was him that I spoke to, there was only me and two other birdwatchers there and the guy I spoke to said he goes there quite a lot.

(edit) - having looked at Dominic's website and seeing the photo, it was him I spoke with at the lake.

Paul.

 

[scary-canary]

godwit at Longham

Here's a picture of the Black tailed godwit I saw at Longham on Sept 15

 

[scary-canary]

Longham lakes latest

Gadwall back on Longham lakes - about ten today plus lots of hirundines (Swallow, house martin and sand martin too). two buzzards and three cormorants plus one small duck which flew in, landed on the water and then disappeared when I tried to find it again. Thought it was probably teal.
Green woodpecker showing well in field near house (Green Acres)

 

[scary-canary]

longham lakes sunday sept 30

Ten plus gadwall and good numbers of tufted duck and coot plus usual five or six little grebe and great crested grebes. 20+ meadow pipits on new pit working. Common gull on lake and great and blue tits along the lane (which is a site record for me!!). Three jays over.
Red admirals butterflies and several dragonflies.