Bird Walk at Arne rspb

Our birding at Arne this morning started in the car park trying to get views of two calling Firecrest without any luck at all.  Though we did get a good selection of the more commoner species coming into the feeding station. Leaving the car park we took the woodland trail where we had views of Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker and a very noisy Raven which spent most of the morning roaming around the area 'cronking'.   It was also here we watched the local herd of Sika and the stag was being very attentive to his harem and gave us a couple of good wailing calls and saw off a young buck which was trying to muscle-in at the edge of the female group.

Sika Stag on watch duty

As we approached the beach we scanned the marsh and found the usual Curlews and Teal and Liz found the first Harbour Seal and I the second out in the Wytch Channel off Round Island.  We also had a small group of the returning Dark-bellied Brent Geese along with a Little Egret on the near marsh.

Dark-bellied Brent

Little Egret

Out on the Arne Spit off Shipstal we found eight Spoonbill with many Cormorants, and Great Crested Grebes in the bay.  There were many Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher hiding in the cord grass at roost waiting for the tide to drop.

Walking back through the wood a rather florescent green hairy caterpillar was found crossing the path which turned out to be the caterpillar of the Pale Tussock moth, thanks to Luke at the RSPB's info hut for id.

Pale Tussock Caterpillar - Arne © Nick Hull

All the time we were out walking the paths of the reserve we could constantly hear Meadow Pipits going overhead and at times could see small flocks passing west.  At one point two Sparrowhawk were found soaring and above them was a small flock of Meadow pipits moving through.

Walking down from the wood towards the barn several species were seen Song Thrush, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, and a couple of Pied Wagtails flew over the cattle field.  We also had one or two of the latter on the barn roof at the farm one was quite happy calling away from the ridge.

Pied Wagtail - Arne © Nick Hull

Some ended the morning having another look for the Firecrests which were still being very difficult to locate but Nuthatch and Coal Tit obliged.