After missing the opportunity to go and see the Bufflehead on Sunday, and coupled with the fact that a few mates had seen it, I wasted no time and zoomed off to The Fleet on my afternoon off to try and find the bird.
I arrived at Langton Herring soon after 2.00pm and walked down to Rodden Hive. Scanning over the water there were plenty of birds about, but no immediate sign of the Bufflehead. I met a few other birders who had also drawn a blank. Whilst they were all scanning the water to the west I decided to look east, and within a couple of minutes located the drake Bufflehead, much to the delight of all present.
Having picked off the target bird I took a steady walk back to the car enjoying the birds on the way. I saw four Red-legged Partridges and a couple of Skylarks were singing up high. On the waters edge in Rodden Hive there were six Ringed Plovers, forty or so Dunlin and over fifty Redshank. On the water there were large numbers of Coot, Wigeon, Red-breasted Merganser and smaller numbers of Pintail and Teal. About half a dozen Goldeneye were also present.
The few gulls seen were mainly Herring Gulls but a couple of juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls and three Common Gulls were also about.
Leaving The Fleet I headed to Dorchester and to Maiden Castle. A long walk failed to produce any Corn Buntings, or anything else for that matter. Just as I neared the car a splendid male Merlin flew through heading north, the only bird of note during the hour I was there.
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