Spring break (Day 4) - Black Hole Marsh & Lodmoor

Bluethroat

Bluethroat

Oystercatcher

Common Terns

Barn Swallow

Black-tailed Godwits

Sedge Warbler

Whimbrel

Day 4, first stop the fantastic Black Hole Marsh at Seaton for high tide. With passage waders very rare it was always going to be hard work. The reserve looked fantastic and the main marsh had 25 Shelducks, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Dunlin, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, Little Egret & a Whimbrel. The Sedge & Reed Warblers were really cracking out a morning song so much so I didn't hear my phone go with messages saying "BLUETHROAT LODMOOR".

I'd landed at Lodmoor within an hour and marched down to the corner of the reserve (Marsh Harriers flying above) where the bird had been seen and photographed. Unfortunatley as the reserve got busier with joggers and dog walkers the bird had gone to ground. A lengthly steak-out began which was broken up with some good company from a Yeovil birder & a walk down to see the Common Tern's clearly ready for spring.

When we returned from watching the Terns both Richard @charmouthbirder & Justin @woodworser who I'd met at Lambert's Castle turned up and as if by magic the Red-spotted Bluethroat appeared on the fence line singing before going to the top of the closest scrub. I managed to grab a couple of shots but I wanted to really see the bird well. Now that was brilliant !

I added two Bearded Tits on the way back to the car to round off a fantastic mornings birding.  

Big Autumn Lodmoor double

 Stilt Sandpiper

Avoiding a Godwit 

Least Sandpiper 

Comparison with Green Sandpiper 

Great White Egret 

Least Sandpiper with Starling in background

After getting back from Monday's pursuit down the M5 news broke that two rare north american sandpipers had been found at RSPB Lodmoor in Dorset. A Least Sandpiper was on my most wanted list whilst a Stilt Sandpiper I'd only ever seen reported once since I started birding seriously. 

Whilst hopeful they might stick overnight I decided to wait for news which emerged at 7.30am that both birds were still present. I broke the journey into thirds each time checking twitter - the news was still positive. 

Quickly parked I marched around to the west path where the Stilt Sandpiper was teasing the audience of birders & twitchers on the edge of the island. After a solid identification the bird went round to the back of the island so I walked round to the bandstand where the Least Sandpiper was showing superbly. This juvenile was such a tiny wader and you didn't realise how small until a couple of Starlings landed behind the bird. This bird was a fantastic find. A Great White Egret watched the action for the reeds over looking the scrape.

After enjoying the bird I walked back to the west scrape where the Stilt Sandpiper was showing much better but was still getting occasional grief from the local Godwits. This bird had a very distinctive body shape for a small wader yet longer brown/green legs. 

After a few record shots I headed back home with the Coldplay playlist blasting. A double tick day is always a good day. 

Little Terns on the Fleet

Stunning Little Tern

Fulmers on Portland cliffs

Little Tern on the Fleet

Portland Lighthouse

Drop of the good stuff

Fleet Explorer

Portland Bookshop

For the second consecutive year my parents had a week away booked in Dorset so again I would have difficulty in turning down the invite for a short stay. Last year, I managed to record two lifers with the Greater Spotted Cuckoo & a Red-rumped Swallow, so I had to remain hopeful (despite the very poor spring in terms of rarities) that something else might land.

After spending a fruitless hour sea watching at Portland Bill (only really Gannets) I worked my way around the Bill, sightings were restricted to a Spotted Flycatcher, Stonechats, Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Skylarks before chilling out at the Observatory & bookshop. 

Next stop was at Ferrybridge where I spent an interesting hour on the Fleet Explorer. Highlights were 10 Little Terns (51 now reported), returned from West Africa, that were preparing to nest on Chesil beach opposite the launch site for the boat. After population dropped to record lows RSPB, Dorset Wildlife Trust & land owners the Crown Estate launched an initiative to protect the terns. Initiatives included electric fencing, anti-perching devices (to keep away corvids & crows) , 24 hour monitoring & maintenance, introduction of sand patches (which supports birds in bad weather & also use of lasers to scare away predators). Other sightings including 3 Sandwich Terns, Cormorants & Oystercatcher. Birds have since increased by over 330%, a brilliant effort by local partners.

From there, I did a lap of Lodmoor but to be honest it was a bit disappointing as best as I could find were 5 Common Terns & a Marsh Harrier. A Spotted Crake had been reported during the evenings there but no one had reported it during the day. A good days birding but certainly no repeat of the Cuckoo. It was down to the local mill for a couple of local ciders.

Red-rumped Swallow at Lodmoor

Red-rumped Swallow (file image)

A new one for the reserves list

Knot & Grey Plovers

Fleet towards Ferrybridge

Returning Little Tern

 Cetti's Warbler

Chessil Beach

After seeing the Great Spotted Cuckoo I headed towards the Bill before a quick u-turn after getting a couple of texts of reports of a Red-rumped Swallow had been seen at RSPB Lodmoor. I was on the reserve within 20 minutes but had to walk towards the north side before I could see the bird well skimming over an area repeatingly. I'd never seen this species before however the bird could be easily picked out. Two lifers in the day was a real bonus. 

A Bee-eater had been seen briefly on the reserve but flew north, that would have made a nice treble. There were plenty of other great birds to see of which a number were new for the year. These included a perched Hobby, three Bearded Tits, a Knott and two Great Plover. Whilst I also osserved a hunting Marsh Harrier, Water Rail and a Common Tern.

I decided to have lunch watching over Fleet, it was great to see returning Little & Sandwich Terns plus a flock of 15 Dunlin, in addition there were six Curlews.