Oxey Lake & Pennington Marsh

Sunday saw the group meet at Maiden Lane near Lymington for a walk around Oxey and Pennington. As we waited for everyone to arrive the early few managed to see Swallows and a Bullfinch put in a very brief appearance.  As soon as we were all gathered we all headed off along the footpath towards the sea.  As we passed Oxey Lake we checked it out and found that there were around eight Little Grebe, a pair of Oystercatcher, a small gathering of Canada Geese and Mallard, also a couple of Redshank.  As we walked across the rough grass field towards the coastal footpath we recorded Meadow Pipit, Dunnock and Reed Bunting.  An immature Dartford Warbler performed pretty well for us before moving off across the field into a large scrub area.  

The warmth of the day was just rising as did six Buzzard that had found the first thermal of the day and soared moving towards their favoured feeding area. As we almost reached the coastal path a Greenshank lifted off and gave its characteristic "Choo Choo Choo" call as it flew over us.  Liz then picked up a Wheatear on top of a gorse bush unfortunately only a few at the front saw it before it flew off west and out of sight. 

As we walked towards Pennington we could see Sandwich and Common Terns fishing out in the Solent and a raft of Common Eider were loafing off shore.  On the shingle islets off shore were a group of mainly summer plumaged Grey Plover which were looking really smart with their black fronts and bellies. On a closer island a nice size flock of Ringed Plover and a few Dunlin were roosting but they soon took off calling towards Keyhaven.  We also found Small and Common Blue and Wall butterflies as we walked the seawall towards Pennington.  On the old rusty piling by the jetty there were a number of smart Turnstones roosting along with three Common Terns. 

Curlew Sandpiper - Jetty Lagoon © Nick Hull

As we came to the Jetty lagoon at Pennington there were a number of waders feeding.  Black-tailed Godwits with most showing signs of moult, along with several black-bellied Dunlin feeding in the shallower water on the muddy edge.  A little further out on it's own was a nice Curlew Sandpiper, an adult moulting out of summer plumage and we had very good scope views of the individual and good comparison with the Dunlin nearby.  

Our return to the cars was fairly uneventful adding little to our day list that we hadn't already seen.  But we had an enjoyable morning with some very nice birds.

Alners Gorse & Butterflies

Sunday 9th August
Today or rather this morning our group met at Alners Gorse, this has to be one of the best Butterfly Conservation Reserves in Dorset or possible the South of England. Our targets were Hairstreaks but we were out to see as many butterfly species this reserve had to offer.

So we headed off in the warmth of the sun with high expectation cameras poised for what we hoped to see.  Shortly after walking through the gate we started with Green-veined, Small and Large White, Meadow Brown and many Gatekeepers.  We were also distracted by a dragonfly which very obligingly landed and proved to be a Southern Hawker.

male Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea - © Nick Hull

It was further into the reserve when Jess with her eagle eyes spotted a small butterfly high up on top of a leaf.  It took a little direction from Jess before all of us were onto this butterfly, but as you can see in the below photograph from the view we had it was only just possible to id it as a Brown Hairstreak.  

male Brown Hairstreak © Nick Hull

Continuing on and keeping a keen eye on the tree tops three or four other small butterflies were seen high in an oak.  It was Tim who found one perched on a small branch just over halfway up in the canopy.  After some direction I managed to get on to it, it was our second species of hairstreak this time a Purple.

Purple Hairstreak - © Nick Hull

I think I was lucky to get as good a shot as I did, though not the best view, it was our second species of hairstreak, one more to go. We were only just saying it would be nice to get better views perhaps even a closer one.  When Jess announced "I've a Brown Hairstreak on the bramble here".

female Brown Hairstreak - © Nick Hull

Sure enough there was one and the cameras were clicking away. We eventually moved on and and we saw our second dragonfly this time a Common Darter.  We continued adding butterflies and even a few moths were found such as a Brimstone moth, Vapourer, Treble-bar and Silver Y. Other butterflies of note were Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow.  

Clouded Yellow - © Nick Hull

In all we recorded eighteen species, but I think if the sun had held out longer it would have been possible to have recorded another four species as we didn't see White-letter Hairstreak, Peacock, Red Admiral or Small Tortoiseshell.

We also recorded another of the larger dragonflies a Migrant Hawker which at the time I called Common Hawker Aeshna juncea.  It just goes to show you should take better notice sometime and not get distracted taking photographs. As it wasn't until writing this blog that I noticed my mistake, so apologies to all who was there for my error, corrected now.

male Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta © Nick Hull

Keyhaven & Pennington Marshes

Our Wednesday group started from Keyhaven this morning with look from the bridge over Avon Water.  With a low tide it was easy to see a Water Rail picking it's way along the reed edge and a Common Tern flew over our heads into the harbour.  

We then walked along the back lane which was fairly quiet until we got to the pool at the end of the lane.  Here we had a variety of gulls with Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed Gulls loafing about.  The inevitable Canada Geese were on the bank and on the waters edge a Common Sandpiper picked it's way along, over the water were hawking House Martins and Swallows, then Jess brought our attention to a few Swifts above us.   On the other side of the pool we found two Little Ringed Plovers, a second Common Sandpiper and an Oystercatcher.  On the water was a female Tufted Duck with 6 ducklings, a couple of Great Crested Grebes and several Little Grebes.  A passing birder then brought our attention to a Buzzard flying behind us which then flew round and perched up on a post in the field.

Little Ringed Plover © Nick Hull

At last tearing ourselves away we walked on towards Fishtail Lagoon, on the way we stopped to watch several small birds in the bushes with Goldfinch, Greenfinches, Linnets, Great and Blue Tits, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and a male Stonechat.  As we looked down on Fishtail lagoon there was a Grey Heron with some prey, our reptile expert Chris identified it as a Grass Snake, it put up a good fight but finally we watched it being wriggled down the Heron's throat.  Also on the lagoon were Black-tailed Godwits and a few Lapwing.

On Keyhaven Lagoon were two Greenshank while on the salt marsh there were good numbers of both adult and juvenile Dunlin, also Ringed Plover and another Little Ringed Plover, a single Whimbrel and a few Curlew.  We found a single Grey Plover in stunning summer plumage.  Approaching the car park we had a number of Turnstones on the waters edge and a  fly by Sandwich Tern.  An excellent morning.

Acres Down New Forest

This morning we met Adam and Avya at Acres Down for a few hours birding in the area, as it was mid-summer we weren't expecting a record day but we were optimistic of finding a few good birds.

As we walked up  the hill towards the raptor view point we checked off many on the common species Robin, Greenfinch, calling Bullfinch etc.  With an every ending blue sky it isn't alway good for raptors but we put in about an hour in the hope something would get up and be noticed.  Common Buzzard was our only bird of prey but we had good views of some very nice local species, Tree and Meadow Pipit, Redstart and Spotted Flycatchers and Stonechats, there was also Swallows hawking overhead most of the time we were there. We also saw flyby Stock Dove and Great Spotted Woodpecker, had good views and listened to the calls of Willow Warblers with their two syllable calls in preference to the Chiffchaffs single syllable 'wheet'.  

Common Buzzard © Nick Hulll

As little was happening with birds of prey we decided to to go and walk through the wood and see what other woodland species were out and about. As we walked back toward the parking area we saw Meadow Pipits and more Spotted Flycatchers another family party, more Willow Warblers, then Avya said "is that a Buzzard".   Getting my binoculars on to it I confirmed she was correct but what was even better it was being harassed by two Hobby who saw it off their territory and diving back down out of sight into the trees.

White Admiral © Nick Hull

Our walk around the wood didn't produce a great deal but what we had were good views of a family party of Goldcrest, several Coal, Blue and Great Tits and Siskins were heard and seen briefly as they flew over, Nuthatch and the usual Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Robins were also seen.  We heard a couple of Crossbills then a tantalising flyover and we tried looking for them but unfortunately they flew off again before we could locate them in the tree tops.  As we were heading back Adam noticed a butterfly he didn't know and Jackie took a look and it turned out to be a White Admiral a good find. We also saw several other common butterflies including a couple of very fresh Holly Blues.

Holly Blue © Nick Hull

We finished with some very good views of a Marsh Tit that performed excellently for us as it foraged for food in the low vegetation close to the side of the path.

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Colour Ringed Mediterranean Gull Results

In our last post I promised when the results were returned on the two colour ringed Mediterranean Gull we saw at Lodmoor I would post them here.

This first bird has been recorded a number of times but It's the first time it's been recorded in the UK.

Legend : 'v' controlled, ring read; 'c' trapped and released; 'x' found dead; '+' shot; 'b' breeding; 'r' roosting; '*'  ring found; 'p' picture taken.

CR Green 5S0 Left pullus Paris FS71198 12/06/2009 Conchil le Temple, Pas de Calais, FRANCE  50,22N 1,4E

ringed by team Cap Ornis Baguage

vv 19/07/2009 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Moulin Wibert, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,45N 1,36E Cavalier, François

vv 20/09/2009 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,46N 1,37E Duponcheel, Camille

vv 19/08/2011 Wissant, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,54N 1,4E Laignel, Julien

vv 04/08/2012 Grandcamp-Maisy, Le Pont du Hâble, Calvados, FRANCE  49,23N 1,01W  Vimard, Gilbert

vv 17/08/2012 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,42N 1,34E Sauvage, Jean Michel

vv 23/07/2013 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,42N 1,34E Flamant, Renaud

vv 24/07/2013 Le Portel, Hub port, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,43N 1,35E Flamant, Renaud

vv 24/07/2013 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,42N 1,34E Flamant, Renaud

vv 25/07/2013 Le Portel, Hub port, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,43N 1,35E Flamant, Renaud

vv 20/08/2013 Wissant, Hameau de Strouame, Pas de Calais, FRANCE  50,54N 1,41E Steudtner, Jürgen

vv 20/08/2013 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,42N 1,34E Steudtner, Jürgen

vv 21/08/2013 Le Portel, Hub port, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,43N 1,35E Steudtner, Jürgen

vv 21/08/2013 Le Portel, Hub port, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,43N 1,35E Almuneau, Céline

vv 21/08/2013 Le Portel, Hub port, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,43N 1,35E Dumont, Philippe

vv 22/08/2013 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,42N 1,34E Van Huffelen, Henk J

vv 14/03/2014 La Flèche, la Monnerie, Sarthe, FRANCE  47,42N 0,02E Rayer, Fabrice

vv 16/03/2014 La Flèche, la Monnerie, Sarthe, FRANCE  47,42N 0,02E picture taken Duchenne, Bruno

vv 16/03/2014 La Flèche, la Monnerie, Sarthe, FRANCE  47,42N 0,02E picture taken Kerihuel, Christian

vv 23/05/2014 Beaugency, Loiret, FRANCE  47,47N 1,38E Branchereau, Stéphane

vv 06/06/2014 Montreuil-sur-Loir, La Bierrerie, Maine-et-Loire, FRANCE  47,35N 0,23E Rayer, Fabrice

vv 25/06/2014 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE  50,42N 1,34E Sauvage, Jean Michel

p 11/08/2014 Wissant, Hameau de Strouame, Pas de Calais, FRANCE  50,54N 1,41E Steudtner, Jürgen

vv 18/07/2015 Lodmoor, Weymouth, Dorset, GB  50,38N 2,28W Hull, Nick

________________

This second bird has only been recorded in the UK since being ringed in Belgium.

Summary of rings for individual: 36138

Colour Code of ring  Leg Ringing scheme Metal ring Age of bird Ringing date Ringing location Ringer

CR White  3JPL          right Bruxelles E923350 >3CY 17/05/2015 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,19E Roothaert, Ludo nest 97,  white 3EPE and 3JPL paired

Sightings for individual: 36138

v White 3JPL 30/06/2015 Lodmoor, Weymouth, Dorset, GB  50,38N 2,28W Price, Neil

p White 3JPL 10/07/2015 Lodmoor, Weymouth, Dorset, GB  50,38N 2,28W Reese, Allan

vp White 3JPL 18/07/2015 Lodmoor, Weymouth, Dorset, GB  50,38N 2,28W Hull, Nick

Total number of sightings : 3

Portland & Lodmoor

Our Portland and Lodmoor trip is always popular, I think for two reasons we have birds and some other great wildlife and our trip yesterday was no different other than we had great weather too.

We started as usual with a sea watch at 'The Bill', it was pretty calm out to sea which isn't the best omen for sea watching and a lot of fishing boats were working off shore. The boats were attracting a few gulls mainly Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls but there were several Northern Fulmar shearing around and about. The odd Sandwich Tern was seen passing and we also record a single Whimbrel and a single male Common Scoter.  Further off shore there were many Gannets patrolling, which from recent work with geolocating devices fitted to Gannets from Alderney in the Channel Island, has proved they feed off the Dorset and Hampshire coast as well as along the Normandy coast. You can read more about this project here ow.ly/PeE92 In the Obs garden we also had a super view of an Emperor Dragonfly over the pond.

Northern Gannet © Nick Hull

After our sea watch we walked to the Bird Observatory where Martin kindly let us have a look through the moth trap where everyone was impressed by one or two of the more colourful species like the Garden Tiger.

Garden Tiger from our own trap © Nick Hull

Our return walk from the obs took us over to the West Cliff here we were looking for Lulworth Skipper to add to the many Small Skipper, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small, Large and Marbled Whites we had already seen.  Well we had hardly walked out behind the Pulpit Pub when Jackie found this small skipper species perched up on a thistle where it  became the centre of attention and probably became the most photographed species of the day.

Lulworth Skipper - Portland Bill © Nick Hull

Our next location was Broadcroft Quarry, a DWT reserve, here we hoped to add to our butterfly list for the day and we were successful in adding  Ringlet, Common and Small Blue. We also found a family of Whitethroats and had three species of raptor, Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. There were a lot of Ivy Broomrape much of which had gone over but we did find a few plant still fresh looking. There was also several small stands of Pyramidal Orchid in various stages of bloom. As it was approaching lunch time and getting quite hot we decided to move on to Ferrybridge for lunch and refreshments.

Whitethroat - Broadcroft Quarry © Nick Hull

After we had lunch and were suitably refreshed we scanned over the beach where we found good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls a nice little flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plover and more distantly a gathering of Little Terns resting on the Chesil Bank.  There was also the odd Sandwich Tern over the Fleet to add to the mix.  Unfortunately washed up on the sand were two Jellyfish one of which looked very fresh, it turned out to be Barrow Jellyfish of which can often be found off the coast at this time of year.

Barrow Jellyfish - Ferrybridge © Nick Hull

We then gathered at Lodmoor where the emphasis was back to birds, other than the regular species you would expect to see here there was signs of autumn migration Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper and a summer plumaged Dunlin. Lots of Swift, Swallow and Martins overhead though they didn't seem to stay to long but drifted towards the south as they fed moving on to sunnier climes for the winter.  Also here was another large number of of loafing Mediterranean Gull and scanning through them we found a couple that had colour rings on which I've reported so hopefully some history will arrive in due course from the project team. We added Six-spot Burnet, Scarlet Tiger, Coma, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Black-tailed Slimmer to our day list of insects.

Wing stretching Common Sandpiper - Lodmoor © Nick Hull

Our day ended with a very happy group and we hope to see everyone again soon keep an eye out for our new programme which should be out shortly.