February birding was trying to get out when it wasn't raining. The 1st was one of these days at for a while it kept dry and Jackie and I tried for the Red-necked Grebe which had been seen from Jerry's Point but we ended in failure. We did have 3 Great Northern Diver which are always nice to see otherwise just the usual suspects.
On the 4th we decided to meet with friends at Thorncombe Wood near Dorchester and as we were passing Tolpuddle on the by-pass a Red Kite decided to soar over the road and head off south our first for the year. Thornecombe didn't really produce, the overcast damp morning kept the birds quiet.
On the 8th Jackie and I went down to Holes Bay as it gave me the chance to catch up on Goosander and Jackie wanted to see the Little Gull both of which had been seen there a number of time over the previous week. Of course after arriving it start to drizzle then it cleared enough to scan the bay and I found the female Goosander way out in the bay. Then it was then to find the Little Gull which we eventually did, sat on the water out in the middle of the northeast end of the bay.
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| Distant shot of the same Little Gull when it visited Lytchett Bay © Nick Hull |
On the 12th we birded the local patch (Lytchett Bay) for an hour viewing from Rock Lea view point and the feeding station in the Pools field. We managed to add Cetti's Warbler to our Dorset List and a year tick with two Reed Bunting coming into the feeding station.
The 13th was another moist day and we popped into Hampshire to Blashford Lakes to see if the Bittern was still around but it hadn't been seen all morning and the hide was somewhat packed so we decided not to stay and started walking back to the van and came across a number of Scarlet Elfcup which seemed to brighting the drab leafy woodland banks.
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| Scarlet Elf Cup - Blasford Lakes © Nick Hull |
we decide to drive into the forest across Ocknell Plain to see if the Great Grey Shrike was around but no luck. We had lunch at Eyeworth Pond and somebody had placed seed on various posts and various tits and chaffinch were coming in to feed on what was provided. Not the best thing to do in a wild situation but it was enjoyable to watch and see what species were being attracted to a food source. The site is good for Marsh Tit and the seed was attracting a couple of individuals in. So I took advantage and managed a few shots from the van window so not to disturb the bird coming in to feed.
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| Marsh Tit - Eyeworth Pond © Nick Hull |
After Eyeworth we decided to visit Breamore Church on our way home this is a site that sometime attracts
the odd Hawfinch in winter but none were there for us this year but Jackie managed to catch up on Red Kite which I found sat at the top of a pine calling.
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| Red Kite - Breamore © Nick Hull |
On the 16th I went to Arne and helped on a reptile search for emerging Adder, and though it appeared to be a perfect day none were found but I did see a few Dartford Warbler, two Red Kite and one of the adult White-tailed Eagle so couldn't complain really. Next day Jackie and I were joined by Margaret for a walk at Middlebere,, it was another quiet day though we did have our first singing Woodlark always a delight to hear. We also had a couple of Fieldfare in the cottages garden orchard which was very nice as they have been very thin on the ground this year at least locally.
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| Fieldfare - Middlebere © Nick Hull |
On the walk back we saw one of the White Sika Deer out in the marsh, there are several in the herds around Poole Harbour basin and the do stand out from the crowd.
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| White Sika Deer - Middlebere © Nick Hull |
We met friends at Hengistbury on the 23rd with the intention of finding Purple Sandpipers and perhaps some birds on the sea. Well we were successful and found the Purple Sandpipers on the far groyne on the sandspit and had six Common Scoter flying off the head adding two species for the year list which stand at 128 species just a couple down on 2025, hopefully that will be remedied in March.
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