Bird Watching Holiday around Dorchester. 17^th — 24^th April 2010

Despite the fact there had been two glorious weeks of weather a cold, stiff NE wind, together with a late spring in Europe had curtailed migration. Swallows were few and far between. Incredibly, once more, the sky was cloudless all week but the NE wind persisted except for Day 2.

Day 1:

Osmington Mills, Portland Harbour and Lodmoor RSPB.

Species:

Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Common Shelduck, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red Breasted Merganser, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Moorhen, Common Coot, Oystercatcher, Black Tailed Godwit, Bar Tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Barn Swallow, Wren, Hedge Accentor, European Robin, Common Blackbird, Cetti‘s Warbler, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Long Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Black Billed Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.
GT 48

Highlights:

A Whimbrel at Osmington Mills was a "tick" for my guest and was easily photographed. Later, whilst watching 10 Red Breasted Mergansers in Portland Harbour, 20 Whimbrel whistled past. A Marsh Harrier at Lodmoor completed the day.

Day 2:

Portland Bill, then motoring to Lulworth Cove and Cerne Abbas.

Species:

Swoose, Common Scoter, Common Pheasant, "Black" Pheasant, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Northern Gannet, Shag, Common Kestrel, Turnstone, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Common Guilemot, Skylark, Sand Martin, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Garden Warbler, Linnet.
GT 71

Highlights:

A Garden Warbler was reported by my guest at Swanbridge Court. With no wind 100s of Swallows (+ one House Martin) flooded in off the sea. The Swoose is thought to be a Swan X Greylag Goose cross and is often seen at Wool. The "Black" Pheasant was a "tick" for my guest.

Day 3:

Arne

Species:

Brent Goose, Long Tailed Duck, Little Grebe, Little Egret, Spoonbill, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dartford Warbler, Coal Tit, Wood Nuthatch, Eurasian Jay, Common Raven, Yellowhammer.
GT 86

Highlights:

The 3 Spoonbills trying to fly into a strong wind, stalling at 45deg, and getting nowhere. Two male Dartfords fighting over a female and later a male hovering in the wind whilst calling. 5 were seen in total. The Great Spotted Woodpecker excavating inside a tree trunk, occasionally spewing out sawdust and also popping outside to look in and inspect progress.

Day 4:

Motoring to Osmington Mills, Swanage and Bournemouth with a little birding only at Middlebere.

Species:

Eurasian Wigeon, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Stock Dove, Common Whitethroat, Common Bullfinch.
GT 92

Day 5:

A last minute decision to try the Somerset Levels where neither of us had been. Getting lost on the way we arrived at Graylake first followed by Shapwick then Ham Hall.

Species:

Great Bittern, Great White Egret, Red Kite, Montagu‘s Harrier, Osprey, Little Ringed Plover, Great Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Ruff, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting.

Highlights:

Near Shapwick Heath Decoy Hide we saw a Common Buzzard, a Red Kite and an Osprey all tightly circling together, and when these had moved away they were replaced by a Marsh Harrier. Later at the Ascott Corner end we saw 2 Common Buzzards and a third bird circling. The sky was bright with sun and high cloud. The raptor was first seen circling at about 100ft height and 150 yds distance, but then it found a thermal and went up and up into the sun until it disappeared to the West. At low level, between flaps, the glide angle was very pronounced at almost 45deg. But once in the thermal its wings were flat. Even in a scope it was always dark. No light head. The rump was never visible. The tail was long, pencil thin and never splayed. The wings were the most striking feature as they were very thin (almost Albatross) and very long and straight with the front tip curved. A local man thought it might be a Hen Harrier but the wing thickness made us think otherwise. Turning around we saw a Great Bittern flying AND FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER BITTERN AND THEN THE TWO MATING!!!!. Disgusting!. In public too! Children could have been watching! We moved to Ham Hall hoping to see one of the many Hobbys seen that day or one of the 3 Glossy Ibis that have wintered there but had not been seen recently or one of the 3(?) possible Great White Egrets that had not been seen that day. We went to the ”best• viewing site — but nothing. We returned to the other site where a Warden and his wife were counting Bitterns booming (3). He said a GWE had just landed behind the reeds. We waited. Just as we were leaving I looked back and there it was flying at reed height for about 200 yds and very distant — but confirmed by the Warden. A "tick" for all of us.

Day 6:

A sort of rest day with short drives around the Dorchester Area where without getting out of the car we saw...

Species:

Corn Bunting at Maiden Castle, Lesser Black Backed Gull on Dorchester Hospital Roof and a Mistle Thrush at Tadnoll. A Hobby was seen at Winfrith Heath.
GT 109

Highlight:

At the quarry at Crossroads, Redbridge Road a Herring Gull had swallowed the bill of another Herring Gull which tried to fly and break free. It was even thrown on its back at one stage. The struggle lasted for about 5 minutes before the second gull escaped and flew off chased by the aggressor.

Day 7:

A walk near Dorchester then Radipole & Lodmoor.

Species:

Swift, Snipe, Lesser Whitethroat, and Hooded Merganser.
GT 113

Day 8:

Portland Bill but the sharp NE wind meant only...

Species:

Yellow Wagtail, Razorbill, Peregrine Falcon and a couple of Little Terns at Ferrybridge. On return to Dorchester a final attempt was made to see the Grey Wagtails that breed only 300 yds from the Casterbridge.

Grand Total 118

Birdwatching at The Casterbridge