Annual Dorset & Devon birding

RSPB Ham Wall

Marsh Harrier

Common Redstart

Little Tern

Dartford Warbler

Common & Sandwich Tern

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Love a good donkey

Sedge Warbler

Purple Sandpiper & Dunlin

Purple Sandpiper

Spotted Flycatcher

Black Hole Marsh

Black Hole Marsh

Swallow

Gold Cap views

Dunlin on the Cobb

Coffee & cake time

Shelduck (Black Hole Marsh)

My annual spring migration break delivered it's normal great selection of birds in Dorset & East Devon. No lifers to reports but quality birds netherless & some super habitats.

I called in Ham Wall on the way down south where the sightings included Great White Egret, Bittern, Garden Warbler, Hobby & Marsh Harrier. On entering Dorset I headed to Lamberts Castle to check in on the returning Common Redstarts.

The Dartford Warblers took longer than normal to find at Aylesbeare Common unlike the Stonechats that were very vocal. I called in for my annual visit to the Donkey Santuary on the way back to Lyme Regis. 

Despite unfavourable winds I tried Portland for a day. Starting with a session of sea watching which the highlight was an Arctic Skua & 26 Common Scoter. Up at Ferrybridge, the Litte Terns showed very well & I also recorded a flock of Barnacle Goose, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin & Knot. I then headed to Lodmoor where there was excellent birds including a Ring-necked Duck, Sandwich & Common Tern, Little Gull & a Bearded Tit.

At least two Nightjar were back on Trinity Hill although it was disappointing to see another car park closed. It didn't feel partiucally safe there in all honesty. The local Dippers could be observed at close quarters in Lyme Regis and the first juveniles had been seen.

A quiet wood in East Devon provided me with my first two Spotted Flycatchers of the year & a high tide visit to Black Hole Marsh returned a Whimbrel, 12 Blacl-tailed Godwits, a Little Egret & some very teritorial Shelduck.

My final day was spent around Lyme Regis where I had some great views of the Purple Sandpipers on the Cobb. A Dunlin & Turnstone were also present. A Fulmer & 2 Common Scoter passed also. I then headed to Gold Cap where I've wanted to walk for many years. There were many amazing views of the Jurassic coastline whilst sightings were limited to Whitethroats and Linnets.