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Dorset birding (1 Viewer)

Paul Corfield

Well-known member
Reminds of one of my all time favourite pager messages which went something like. West Midlands. Crocodile at Sandwell Valley NR. No access due to danger of death.

Finally emerging from 2 1/2 weeks of birding inactivity only to find that spring migration is well and truly over. Hopefully will look for Nightjars over next couple of nights.
Have managed a bit of casual birding and the Turtle Doves at Martin Down have been good value a few times. Have managed to see 5 of the 6 British reptiles on general days-out over the period including (at last!) my very first Sand Lizards which were fantastic. I still "need" Smooth Snake though. Any tips (without hassling them) welcomed. Did have a 6th reptile courtesy of a Green Lizard at Portman Ravine, Southbourne. What a beast and a colourful (green funnily enough) one to boot.

Areas around Corfe Castle like Hartland Moor or Stoborough Heath are good for Smooth Snake as are most Dorset Heaths, especially Purbecks area. Morden Bog is another area they've been photographed. I saw one last year on the Canford Heath nature reserve where I live. Right place, right time I suppose but lifting up bits of sheet metal can turn up a Smooth Snake while being wary of Adders.

Paul.
 

Flemingo

I'm always wrong and it's always my fault
Trip to Lodmoor in hope of seeing Roseate tern which has been noted a couple of times there in the last week. No luck but did see pair of Arctic terns new for the year list. Quite pleased that I managed to pick them out of a swirling mass of about 40 Commons. Once back on the islands one of them did appear to be exhibiting nesting behavior, sitting and pulling in bits of vegetation. Do they nest here? Also the Common terns really didn't like them with frequent aerial chases. Is this normal behavior?

No Turtle doves a Garston woods. I have hunted on the maps and just can't seem to find Martin Down. Can someone help please?

159. Arctic Tern
 

scary-canary

Canaries forever... and i'm not always scary, some
I have hunted on the maps and just can't seem to find Martin Down. Can someone help please?

The reserve is 14 km south west of Salisbury, 1 km west of Martin village. The northern part of the site is crossed by the A354.

By car, access to the site is via the A354. There is a car park on the A354.


That's where i saw turtle dove. well done on the arctics - i haven't seen one for years. Spent hours last year looking for roseates at lodmoor - nice pic on the dorset bird club website
http://www.dorsetbirdclub.org.uk/Sightings.htm
 

Flemingo

I'm always wrong and it's always my fault
Paul yours is a different Martin Down but thanks all the same. Guess what. Scary's Turtle dove's site is in Hampshire! :-C No wonder I couldn't find it. Anyone know of a good one in Dorset. Sorry I know I'm obsessed about my Dorset list!
 

scary-canary

Canaries forever... and i'm not always scary, some
Paul yours is a different Martin Down but thanks all the same. Guess what. Scary's Turtle dove's site is in Hampshire! :-C No wonder I couldn't find it. Anyone know of a good one in Dorset. Sorry I know I'm obsessed about my Dorset list!

I never even considered where the county boundary is - it must be pretty close. Sorry.
 

Flemingo

I'm always wrong and it's always my fault
Am i right in thinking that the car park at Martin Down is only 500 yards over the county boundary into hampshire?

So near yet so far. You have to draw the line somewhere! Using the 'island' system could I set up my scope in Dorset and be able to ID them safely at that range? ;)
 

MSA

I may be relaxed but I'm not drunk....
Am i right in thinking that the car park at Martin Down is only 500 yards over the county boundary into hampshire?

The car park approached from the village is indeed about 500 yards inside Hampshire. The other car park (the one along the A354, by the old Stone Curlew scrapes and the "Tank traps") is only 50 yards into enemy territory - in fact, if you walk 50 yds roughly south you're in Dorset, 50 yards north and you're in Wiltshire!
 

Mike Cross

Well-known member
So near yet so far. You have to draw the line somewhere! Using the 'island' system could I set up my scope in Dorset and be able to ID them safely at that range? ;)

Walking away from the main road car park onto the reserve and on your right is Bokerley Dyke which is the county border. If you cross it and view from the high ground then technically you are in Dorset and to my mind watching a Turtle Dove from there is no different to watching a Pomarine Skua from a Dorset Headland. Until the Stanpit bird a couple of years ago Stone Curlew was on my Dorset List purely on the basis of the "island approach". Only seabirds on the list on this basis now though - honest!
Sadly Stone Curlews have been missing from Martin Down for 10 years or so now but this is the best year I can recall for Turtle Doves there. We have been a few times recently and they have been calling constantly and then show in display flight if you wait a bit. I have also seen two regularly on the ground by the burial mound. There is at least one calling in the scrub by the car park, one on the left halfway by the mound, and another calling in the scrub past the mound. A few weeks ago there were also at least 3 calling birds on the part of the reserve that is on the other side of the road. I prefer that side actually as it is great for Nightingale, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler etc but the boys love running up and down the mound on the main open side (my knees don't!!) but this area is also good with Cuckoo, both Partridges, Corn Buntings and who knows maybe Quail soon, it has a track record for them.

Mike
 

Flemingo

I'm always wrong and it's always my fault
Thanks Mike. Sounds good to me. I know some people would consider it cheating but after all this border thing for me is only a bit of fun to make life more difficult!

I now have a serious question for you all. If you recall I went to Lodmoor, missed the Roseatte but added Arctic to my list. Now there is no doubt that I saw an Arctic in flight and on the ground with multiple points of identification such as bill colour, leg colour and length, wing pattern, grey under contrasting with whiter cheeks and different flight pattern. With large numbers of common around there was ample scope for comparison. Unsurprisingly this is on the Dorset website. My problem is that I am certain I saw a second Arctic in close association with it and the Dorset Bird Club site says the Arctic has paired up with a Common with no mention of a second Arctic at any stage.

I was using my scope to scan all the birds for the Roseatte and not one other common looked 'different' to me. As it was a second Arctic for the year I didn't scrutinise completely but it just clicked as Arctic and not common. It was a clear view. There was another person who left shortly after I arrived who I recall saying that "this bird (my original Arctic) was much more convincing than the 'other bird' (which I presume was my second bird)". They also had a scope with them.

Those with more experience: could someone easily make a mistake in differentiating the 2 species when they are sitting side by side?? How much overlap is there? The only features I recall on the second bird was it was a bit bigger than the first, still had a blood red bill (no obvious black and different in shade to common), contrasting cheeks, and a longish tail. The tail thing I found difficult to assess in 1st bird due to position and lack of contrast against the background. Damn my lazyness.
 

Flemingo

I'm always wrong and it's always my fault
Aha! no-one dares to say I'm blind huh? Well the Arctic tern made the same mistake so I don't feel too bad. There's a pic of the Arctic tern on the Dorset Bird Club web page just as proof of one. Wish they had put one up with its 'mate' as it's too far to go back for another look!

For all you clever people who think they don't make mistakes try this. No cheating. Follow the instructions carefully.

http://www.hvattum.net/2006/06/10/can-you-trust-your-mind/
 

Wendy Morris

Well-known member
Well, there wasn't anything rare last week then?!

The best I could do on Exmoor was a Black Kite. I also managed to see the Little Owl in the Obs Quarry on Portland on Friday lunchtime.
 

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Flemingo

I'm always wrong and it's always my fault
Well, there wasn't anything rare last week then?!

The best I could do on Exmoor was a Black Kite. I also managed to see the Little Owl in the Obs Quarry on Portland on Friday lunchtime.

All very quiet. Black Kite would have been nice. Or even a Red!
 

Mike Cross

Well-known member
Med Gull just flown over Victoria Road, Ferndown calling 4:20. Two birds up there so maybe it's colleague was a Med too. From the direction of flight looked like they were Longham bound.

Mike
 

Flemingo

I'm always wrong and it's always my fault
Med Gull just flown over Victoria Road, Ferndown calling 4:20. Two birds up there so maybe it's colleague was a Med too. From the direction of flight looked like they were Longham bound.

Mike

I have seen Meds at Longham on a couple of occasions. Scary spends more time there and would know more on their status. Has he left for his hols?
 

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