Dorset birding

I began the day at RSPB Lodmoor moving on to RSPB Radipole Lake and then Portland Bill before finishing off at Durlston Country Park.
A full list of species observed as follows:-
Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Fulmar, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Shag, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Hooded Merganser, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Kestrel, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Skylark, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Rock Pipit, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay, Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Raven, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet, Common Reed Bunting.

                                               Common Whitethroat at RSPB Lodmoor.

                                                    Dunnock at RSPB Lodmoor.

                                   Hooded Merganser (escaped male) at RSPB Radipole Lake.

                                                         Rock Pipit at Portland Bill.

                                                  Northern Wheatear at Portland Bill.

                                              Common Raven at Durlston Country Park.






   

RSPB Rainham Marshes

While at the reserve this afternoon my wife discovred a Little Grebe nest close to the boardwalk which I managed to photograph despite it's loaction deep among the reeds.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

An afternoon visit began at the Sanctuary Hide where a singing male Sedge Warbler, three singing male Reed Warbler and a singing male Reed Bunting were all observed.

From Rotunda hide a pair of Canada Goose were observed with two recently hatched young.

From the pudding stone area adjacent the plantation I photographed three species of Damselfly and an assortment of insects.     

                                                              Azure Damselfly.

                                                         
                                                           Blue-tailed Damselfly.

                                                                  Variable Damselfly.

                                                                Garden Soldier Fly.

                                                               Rhyssa persuasoria.

                                                                         Snipe-Fly.

                                                                 Pardosa lugubris.

                                                                   Unidentified?

                                                                    Unidentified?

Below the Teal Hide a pair of Little Grebe were busily nest building among the reeds while on the far bank a Grey Heron cautiously fished.

                                                                  Little Grebe.

                                                                    Grey Heron.

At Lynsters Hide six Egyptian Geese and a single Eurasian Oystercatcher fed among the pasture while at the Long Hedge a very active Hairy Dragonfly rested briefly.

 

Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve

A late morning visit in sunny, mild conditions provided the following species:-
Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Black Swan (1), Canada Goose, Fulvous Whistling Duck (1), Common Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Common Pheasant, Water Rail (heard), Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pied Avocet, Northern Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit (95), Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Greater Yellowlegs (1), Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Cuckoo (male and female), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Wren, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Common Reed Bunting.

From Suffern Hide a wonderful Greater Yellowlegs showed well as it fed on the muddy bank of the River Meon with Black-tailed Godwit. This American vagrant showed characteristics of a first summer bird as it's legs were not as yellow as I would expect on an adult in full breeding plumage. I have seen this species in the Caribbean but never in the British Isles. A few record shots of the bird follow:-

                                     Greater Yellowleags (bottom right) with Black-tailed Godwit.


From Meadow Hide a male and female Common Cuckoo showed for several minutes, the female bird sporting rustic brown plumage. On the south scrape dozens of Pied Avocet were noted with at least one pair present with young, the Meon Hide giving fantastic views. An escaped Fulvous Whistling Duck sporting adult plumage was also present and remained just long enough for me to take a record shot. 

From Spurgin Hide a Northern Lapwing was noted showing nervous behaviour among the long grass and probably had young nearby.

  

16-05-15 West Hyde

An afternoon visit in sunny, mild conditions provided the following species:-
Mallard (3), Red Kite (2), Common Pheasant (female), Woodpigeon, Common Skylark, Barn Swallow (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Common Whitethroat (3), Blackcap, Great Tit, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet (pair), Yellowhammer (pair), Common Reed Bunting (pair), Corn Bunting (2).

                                                           Corn Bunting (male).

There were many butterflies on the wing today with the following species observed:- 
Large White, Brimstone, Peacock, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Green-veined White.

                                                             Orange Tip (female).

                                                                  Painted Lady.

                                                                      Peacock.

                                                          
                                                          Small Tortoiseshell (worn).

Maple Lodge in the rain

A mild but dull and miserable afternoon with a heavy layer of cloud and many showers of rain. I decided that I was going to head off to the Rotunda Hide and remain there for an hour or two as I didn't fancy getting too wet. On reaching the Sanctuary Hide I heard the distinctive scratchy, whistle song of a Sedge Warbler so entered that hide instead. Here I sat for about an hour watching the Sedge Warbler as it continued to sing from the reeds. It was holding territory and I'm hopeful that it will breed this year after an absence of several years. Below are a couple of shots I managed to take although the light was far from ideal.

      

Frensham Common, Surrey

A late morning visit in sunny, mild conditions produced the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose (4), Canada Goose (6), Mallard, Eurasian Hobby (1), Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing (1), Common Tern (4), Woodpigeon, Common Cuckoo (pair), Woodlark (4), Tree Pipit (1), Pied Wagtail (1), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Redstart (pair plus singing male), Common Stonechat (pair), Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Common Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet.

My better half and I arrived at the main visitor car park located above Frensham Great Pond and made our way to the little Cafe where we stopped and had a quick cuppa. While there I heard a male Common Redstart singing and several minutes later had managed to locate the bird. It was very active and soon moved on and was pursued by a female that I briefly observed in flight. A male Cuckoo was then heard singing in flight, it's song becoming louder as it neared our location. It was only a matter of minutes before the bird appeared in front of us and was accompanied by a female which I managed to photograph before both birds moved on. We then walked towards the Great Pond where the first of four Woodlark was noted. We then crossed the road and headed up to the ridge and then down towards the Little Pond. It was in this area that I spotted a single Tree Pipit on top of a dead tree while overhead a single Hobby hawked insects. Among the Gorse a pair of Common Stonechat displayed while at the reed bed several Common Reed Warbler sang. We then made our way back along an alternative route and as we neared the road another male Common Redstart presented itself in front of us briefly.

                                                     Common Cuckoo (female).

                                                                   Woodlark.

                                                                   Tree Pipit.

                                                        Common Stonechat (male).

                                                       Two-banded Longhorn Beetle.





 

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve & Lynsters Farm

An afternoon visit in mild, breezy conditions provided the following species:-
Little Grebe (2 including adult collecting food), Great Crested Grebe (3), Great Cormorant (5), Grey Heron (1), Mute Swan (pair), Greylag Goose (5 pairs with goslings at Lynsters Farm), Canada Goose (occupied nest from Teal Hide plus 34 Lynsters Farm), Egyptian Goose (10 Lynsters Farm), Gadwall (6), Mallard (13 plus duck with ducklings), Common Pochard (7), Tufted Duck (20), Red Kite (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Moorhen (4), Eurasian Coot (13), Eurasian Oystercatcher (1 feeding on cricket pitch), Black-headed Gull (many occupied nests), Lesser Black-backed Gull (1), Common Tern (2), Feral Rock Dove (1 over), Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Common Swift (6), Great-spotted Woodpecker (2), House Martin (22), Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Reed Warbler (4 singing male at reed bed), Blackcap (5 singing male), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch.

                                                
                                                    Black-headed Gull catching insects.

                                                                Great Cormorant.

                                                          Tufted Duck (male).

                                                            Tufted Duck (female).

  

RSPB Minsmere

A visit in mild but very windy conditions provided an impressive total of seventy species which are listed as follows:-
Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose (2 pairs with goslings), Barnacle Goose (4), Common Shelduck, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Western Marsh Harrier (4), Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby (2), Red-legged Partridge (4), Common Pheasant, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pied Avocet (25), Ringed Plover (5), Grey Plover (1), Northern Lapwing, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit (56), Whimbrel (1), Common Redshank, Common Greenshank (1), Ruddy Turnstone (2), Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake (2), Sandwich Tern (2), Common Tern (4), Arctic Tern (2), Woodpigeon, Common Swift, Green Woodpecker, Sand Martin (c100), Barn Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Northern Wheatear, Common Blackbird, Mistle Thrush (2), Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Reed Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Bearded Tit (2), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Linnet.

                                                       

                                          

                                                                   Whimbrel

                                                                    Pied Avocet

Common Snipe