Philipshill Wood

All was quiet on the ornithological front during my afternoon visit so I turned my attention to the blooming orchids present amongst the sunny glades.

Common Spotted Orchid.

Also in bloom were dozens of Foxgloves that were present in any area where sunlight could penetrate through the canopy.

A single Large Red Damselfly and several Speckled Wood Butterflies were also seen during my visit.

Speckled Wood.

Springwell Lake

An afternoon visit provided the following species:-
Great Crested Grebe (6 including 2 pairs observed with young), Grey Heron (2), Little Egret (1 over), Mute Swan (pair at nest), Greylag Goose (6 including pair observed with goslings), Canada Goose (4), Egyptian Goose (2), Gadwall (3 including pair), Mallard (7 including 2 females observed with ducklings), Common Pochard (7 including pair), Tufted Duck (6 including pair), Red-crested Pochard (pair), Common Goldeneye (1 male 3 female), Common Moorhen (9 including 2 pairs observed with young), Eurasian Coot (39 including at least 7 pairs observed with young), Black-headed Gull (5), Common Tern (2), Common Woodpigeon (4 including singing male), Ring-necked Parakeet (pair with juvenile), Barn Swallow (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (3), Wren (18 including juvenile), Dunnock (singing male), Common Blackbird (9 including 6 singing males), Song Thrush (singing male), Cetti's Warbler (5 singing males), Blackcap (5 singing males), Garden Warbler (2 including singing male), Eurasian Reed Warbler (3 singing males), Greater Whitethroat (singing male), Common Chiffchaff (singing male), Goldcrest (singing male), Long-tailed Tit (3 including pair observed with fledged young), Blue Tit (6 including 2 pairs observed with young), Great Tit (3 including pair with fledged young), Common Treecreeper (1), Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie (4), Carrion Crow (2), Common Chaffinch (8 singing males), European Goldfinch (singing male), Common Reed Bunting (singing male).

Greylag Goose with goslings.

Egyptian Goose (pair).

Common Pochard.

Red-crested Pochard (female).

Red-crested Pochard (male).

Ring-necked Parakeet (juvenile).

Several species of Odonata were showing well today in the sunny, warm conditions.

 

 

Emperor Dragonfly (Ovipositing female).

Black-tailed Skimmer (male).

Blue-tailed Damselfly (male).

Other species not photographed included Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and Banded Demoiselle.

There was two species of Butterfly observed today both along the river side of the lake.

 

Speckled Wood.

Green-veined White.

 

 

Woodoaks Farm 06-06-18

An evening visit in sunny, mild conditions provided some photographic opportunities. Along the recently sown set-aside a female Eurasian Skylark fed while overhead a male sang.

Eurasian Skylark (female).

On the pasture a group of ten Greylag Goose were busily grazing.

Along the main farm track Black-tailed Skimmers rested briefly between hunting sorties.

Black-tailed Skimmer (male).

Black-tailed Skimmer (female).

 

At the Long Lane side of the farm more insects were photographed.

Banded Demoiselle (female).

Common Blue Damselfly.

Large Skipper.

Langley Park Country Park 06-06-18.

A late morning visit produced several breeding records. The resident pair of Mute Swan were present with a single cygnet.

A total of five Mandarin Duck were observed including three female birds present with ducklings.

Mandarin Duck (adult female).

                                                         Mandarin Duck (juvenile).


Other species observed with young included Eurasian Coot, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit.

The warm weather also produced several species of Odonata including an ovipositing female Emperor Dragonfly.

Emperor Dragonfly (male).

Black-tailed Skimmer (male).

Banded Demoiselle (male).

Red-eyed Damselfly (mating pair).

Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Stockers Lake & Stockers Farm 07-05-18

While conducting a Wetland Bird Survey Count at Stockers Lake I recorded a total of 9 Eurasian Reed Warbler including 7 singing males. Other notable species included Common Tern (5), Common Kingfisher (1), Sedge Warbler (2), Cetti's Warbler (5), Greater Whitethroat (2), Garden Warbler (5), Blackcap (6), Common Chiffchaff (2), Common Reed Bunting (2).

Eurasian Reed Warbler

At Stockers Farm 6 Barn Swallow had finally returned from their winter quarters and were busily catching insects on the wing in the early morning sunshine before resting momentarily on the overhead telegraph wires.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve 03-05-18

An early morning visit produced the following species:-
Little Grebe (2), Great Cormorant (1), Grey Heron (2), Greylag Goose (2), Canada Goose (3), Egyptian Goose (2), Gadwall (7), Mallard (18 plus a female with ducklings), Common Pochard (7), Tufted Duck (6), Common Moorhen (3) Eurasian Coot (9), Black-headed Gull (10), Common Tern (2), Stock Dove (3), Common Woodpigeon (41), Common Swift (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Wren (22), Dunnock (7), European Robin (3), Common Blackbird (14), Song Thrush (7), Blackcap (9), Common Chiffchaff (1), Garden Warbler (1), Eurasian Reed Warbler (1), Long-tailed Tit (1), Blue Tit (2), Great Tit (7), Eurasian Jay (2), Common Magpie (2), Western Jackdaw (4), Carrion Crow (4 pairs occupying nests), Common Chaffinch (1), Reed Bunting (2).
A pair of Gadwall performed well while feeding in front of Rotunda Hide.

Whistle-stop tour of Dorset 12-04-18

A whistle-stop tour of Dorset with my family began mid-morning at Hengistbury Head producing some fantastic finds including an incredible 18 Purple Sandpiper resting on a groyne and a migrant Pied Flycatcher present near the coastguard lookout point.

Purple Sandpiper.

Pied Flycatcher (male).

Northern Wheatear (male).

Great Black-backed Gull.

Greenfinch (male).

We then headed off to Durlston Country Park where highlights included Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar and Northern Wheatear. Nearby at Peveril Point the resident Rock Pipits were busily gleaning the algae covered rocks.

Langley Park CP & Black Park CP 05-03-18

An early morning visit to Langley Park produced a male Blackcap in full song in trees above the Rhododendron Gardens. The escaped Orange-winged Amazon also put in another appearance and had obviously survived the beast from the east.

Down by the lake a pair of rather noisy  Egyptian Geese were giving the resident male Mute Swan the run around.

At Black Park the resident Mandarin Duck had paired up ready for the breeding season ahead.