On 1 April our Wednesday group walked on Studland looking over Little Sea and the harbour at Jerry's Point and Brands Bay. Starting by the high Little Sea hide we had the first of several displaying Meadow Pipits on our walk and a pair of Stonechats. On the Little Sea we had a pair of Great Crested Grebe, pair of Teal and a few Canada Geese. On the waters edge a Little Egret and Grey Heron. A flight of eight Curlew flew over to the harbour and Cormorants flew towards the bay.
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| Common Shelduck flying past © Nick Hull |
Walking on we had quite a lot of bird song with Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and Dunnock. Then the call of Dartford Warbler stopped us and we watched a pair of Dartford Warblers, also Stonechats. While watching them we had a Coal Tit singing, Greenfinch and Long-tailed Tits. A little further on before crossing the road we had second pair of Dartfords.
Walking over to Jerry's Point a male Kestrel that we had seen a few times earlier was perched in a small spindly silver birch tree. It had obviously made a catch and was eating his prize of a lizard. From Jerry's Point we had a few Red-breasted Mergansers, Brent Geese and Great Crested Grebes, and a Sandwich Tern flew past. Walking on we had Jay, two more pairs of Stonechat and Dartford Warbler, it's so nice to see them doing so well and livening up the heath. From Brands Bay hide we mostly had Shelduck, a few Curlew and Teal due to the high tide.
Friday 3 April we went to Longham Lakes in the late afternoon to look for the drake Garganey seen by a friend, Liz, a little earlier. When we arrived Liz said the duck had flown and had now been able to find it again. So we walked around, with large numbers of Mediterranean Gulls milling around with their delightful calls, a little softer than the harsh call of the Black-headed Gull. There were many Tufted Ducks, a few Gadwall, Shoveler and the female Scaup was still there. We watched a pair of Great Crested Grebes displaying doing their "weed dance". A pair of Mallard with a brood of very young ducklings dabbled in the lakeside vegetation. Just as we were giving up the Garganey swam out from some rush and he was very splendid, he swam with a pair of Mallard which showed just how small they are.
Saturday 4 April We started the day with a calling flyover Spotted Redshank adding a new species to our garden list. A little later whilst driving up to see family in Wiltshire we had a Red Kite at Cashmoor, Dorset. It flew up from a field and we were luckily able to stop and watch it. It flew close to the car and then over and behind us, our granddaughter, Evie, was absolutely enthralled and Nick managed to get a few photos. Driving through Wiltshire we saw several Corn Buntings and Kestrels, the latter we noticed is now seems to be more noticeably absent from East Dorset which is rather concerning.
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| Red Kite Cashmoor © Nick Hull |
Sunday 5 April a quick look over the new viewpoints over Sherford and French's Field pools for the reported two Little Ringed Plovers, but sadly they were either hidden or had flown on. We had a single Black-tailed Godwit, a few Snipe and Redshanks. Teal were still there and a few Shelduck, Little Egret and a Grey Heron. Greenfinch in the beautiful gorse and Reed Bunting calling as it flew over.
Sherford View Point © Jackie Hull
The Bonaparte's Gull is still showing well at Radipole RSPB reserve, we popped in there last weekend and Nick managed a few photographs.
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| Two shots of the Bonaparte's Gull © Nick Hull |
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| Bonaparte's Gull © Nick Hull |
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