Sutton Bingham - Sun 29 Apr

A very busy weekend but I finally managed to get out for just over an hour this afternoon and boy was it chilly! With a fairly strong wind as well as the cold temperature and overcast skies it was more like February than the tail end of April and as a result there were very few birds about. On the water Great Crested Grebes numbered at least seventy birds, a really good count so hopefully this year will be a good breeding season after the poor results last year.
A second calendar year Great Black-backed Gull and an adult summer Black-headed Gull were new in and there were good numbers of hirundines feeding over the water. Finally, four Common Sandpipers were present on the southern causeway.

 Lets hope the weather improves when we hit May and a few scarcer migrants turn up on patch!

Sutton Bingham - Sat 28 Apr

A quick early morning visit before work produced a singing Sedge Warbler in the corner of West Pool. When I arrived on site it was belting it out, but by 7.30am it had stopped singing altogether.
Several Swallows and a few House Martins passed through whilst on the water a Little Grebe was present (just the second sighting this year). A single adult Great Black-backed Gull was still knocking around.
In the north-east corner of the reservoir a total of ten Common Sandpipers were present, the highest single count of the year so far.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 25 Apr

About ninety minutes spent at the reservoir this afternoon with nothing to add to the year list, but frustratingly I could have sworn I heard an Oystercatcher calling but couldn't locate the bird...if it even existed!
I did manage some goods views of the Lesser Whitethroat which was still singing just south of the car park, obligatory photograph below (mobile phone picture through my bins). Not quite as good as the pictures I got of yesterday's Bonaparte's Gull!

The southern end of the reservoir held two pairs of Mute Swans and a couple of Common Sandpipers were noted. Two adult Great Black-backed Gulls were still around, this once scarce Sutton Bingham visitor is certainly nowhere near as unusual as it was even a few years ago. A Reed Warbler was still in song though the second bird has either moved on or has lost it's voice. There were several Linnets on site today with small groups near the car park and the entrance to the Fishing Lodge. Finally, a Willow Warbler was heard singing near the Fishing Lodge.

Longham Lakes - Tue 24 Apr

I was attending a business meeting just down the road from Longham Lakes (for the second time in a week) and during the scheduled lunch break I had a chance to whizz down the road to try and see the long-staying Bonaparte's Gull. Last weeks attempt had been in vain (though I did manage to see the drake Scaup) but today was much more profitable and I only had to wait a few minutes before this wonderful small gull flew in and treated me to some excellent views.

The Bonaparte's Gull was in neat second-summer plumage and looked wonderful, with all the key features showing nicely.
Whilst on site I also managed to see my first Swifts of the year with several dozen whizzing around in the drizzle. A single Common Sandpiper was seen and an Oystercatcher flew in to the flooded field next to the lakes. A couple of Mediterranean Gulls dropped in (an adult and second-summer bird). No time to investigate the lakes further but it was well worth popping out for "lunch".

Sutton Bingham - Sun 22 Apr

I managed a bit more time at the reservoir today, starting with a post breakfast visit I stopped off for a quick scan from the Fishing Lodge where a couple of Common Sandpipers were on the dam.
Round then to the car park and a short walk produced a calling Lesser Whitethroat and a pair of Reed Buntings. Overhead a Stock Dove flew south and three Black-headed Gulls passed through (they were all sub-adult birds).
I popped back late afternoon, again parking in the car park and walking down to the southern end. A Reed Warbler was singing away in the patch of brambles just south of the car park but failed to show itself. The same patch also held a singing Lesser Whitethroat (presumably the bird I had heard earlier in the day). This did eventually give itself up after about twenty minutes of waiting.
Further down the reservoir five Linnets were feeding with Goldfinches in the field between the Canoe Club and car park and a second Reed Warbler was heard and this time seen also near the sleeper bridge. A couple of Ravens passed overhead and there were still two Tufted Ducks at the southern end. A pair of Mute Swans were also present.
Returning to the car park I again stopped at the bramble patch where my first Willow Warbler of the year was seen. A very active and silent bird I guess it's just passing through. I then had quite a surprise as a Garden Warbler popped up from the brambles and afforded some good if brief views before it vanished in to the undergrowth. It sang for several minutes but failed to show itself again.
As I left I did stop at the northern causeway briefly and as I sat in the car a few Sand Martins and Swallows passed through. There were also plenty of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs at the reservoir today, so things have certainly started to arrive. Better late than never!
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 96 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 21 Apr

Two quick visits today, one before work which produced three Common Sandpipers and a Little Egret (only the second this year). An early afternoon visit turned up five Tufted Ducks. Not a lot else to write about though.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 15 Apr

As our birding trip had finished earlier that expected I took the opportunity to stop off at Sutton Bingham on the way home and managed to find a Common Tern.

Another welcome addition to the patch year list. There were also a few more Chiffchaffs (one of which caught and, after a struggle, ate a bumble bee) about and I thought I heard a snippet of Willow Warbler song but failed to actually nail anything. Not much else about today though other than a single Common Sandpiper from the dam.

Morden Bog - Sun 15 Apr

After the very successful boat trip we headed off to Wareham Forest for a walk around Morden Bog where we failed to locate any Great Grey Shrikes (two have been present for most of the winter). A Firecrest was foraging in bushes behind the car and was very obliging but the weather soon took a bit of a change for the worse with heavy and consistent rain coming in and before long we were all pretty soaked. That being said we did hear a Cuckoo singing and a pair of Woodlark were a welcome sight. A couple of Tree Pipits were also back on territory and I heard my first Willow Warbler of the year. A single male Stonechat was also seen but the poor weather put pay to any further birding and we gave up after an hour or so and headed off home after an enjoyable morning out.

Poole Harbour - Sun 15 Apr

An early start today as I met up with friends and headed down to Poole to catch an 8am boat for a tour of Poole Harbour. Setting off from the quay in Poole we did a headed west picking out a Great Northern Diver, several Great Crested Grebes and a couple of sub-adult Shags. Around us there were good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls and a few Sandwich Terns.
A female Marsh Harrier was spotted over one of the smaller islands in the harbour before we headed up the River Frome as far as Wareham, along the way we had singing Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler, both additions to my year list (which obviously I don't keep) and several calling Cetti's Warblers. A single Wheatear was noted and a Kingfisher provided a splash of colour.
Retracing our steps we headed back towards the harbour proper and along the way I was lucky enough to spot a ringtail Hen Harrier and managed to get everyone else on to it. My first Hen Harrier for five years and a real highlight of the trip. We continued sailing around to the south of Poole Harbour and in to Wych Channel where a single Dark-bellied Brent Goose was noted and one of two Common Sandpipers was present.
As we returned to Poole quay two more Great Northern Divers were found. We were on the water for three hours and were lucky enough to avoid any rain, but it was rather chilly! A great trip and I'd recommend it to any one.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 13 Apr

Despite several short visits to the reservoir over the course of the week I've had to wait until this morning to add anything to the patch year list when, finally and three days later than the average arrival date, I found my first Common Sandpiper of the year. Just a single bird feeding on the water's edge in front of the Fishing Lodge.
Out of interest, a visit yesterday afternoon did produce a total of five Mute Swans, an unusually high count for the reservoir especially as I've not seen any on patch for several weeks.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 8 Apr

I only managed a very brief visit to the reservoir this morning, but still managed to add a couple more species to the year list. Over West Pool I saw my first House Martin of the year but the best was yet to come. Driving round to check out the field that held the Brambling yesterday (no sign today) I was checking the Meadow Pipits when I large bird drifted overhead, a Red Kite! Most unexpected at this time of year, and only my fifth sighting at the reservoir.
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 90 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 7 Apr

A late morning visit on the way back from a trip in to Yeovil produced a patch mega in the form of a Brambling, feeding in the muddy field just south of the entrance to the Fishing Lodge in the company of half a dozen Meadow Pipits.

I've heard a couple of Brambling at Sutton Bingham, but never seen one so this was almost as good as a patch tick, and one of my favourite birds to boot. This same field has now produced Little Gull, Little Ringed Plover and Brambling this year...wow!
A singing Linnet was new for the year list also, but other than a "new" Blackcap and a single Swallow it was pretty quiet.
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 88 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 5 Apr

A quick stop on the way home from work produced eight Tufted Duck off the dam (four drakes and four ducks) and a couple of Swallows with a Sand Martin over West Pool. I also found my first Blackcap of the year in the car park.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 4 Apr

A text from Dave Chown just before my scheduled lunch break told me of an Osprey he had just seen fishing over the southern end of the reservoir, so obviously I had to zoom over and try and see it. I arrived at the reservoir at about 1:15pm and after a quick scan I got lucky with the Osprey as it did a few circuits of the southern end before I lost it. I did manage to get a shockingly poor photo of it though!

Needing to get back to work I headed off but had a quick stop at the northern causeway where the Osprey was again present soaring high and heading north, so I guess it has carried on it's journey. Safe trip!

Sutton Bingham - Mon 2 Apr

Well James is doing well over the Bank Holiday weekend, today he found a Wheatear first thing but I didn't get a chance to try for it until late afternoon, and luckily for me it was still present in the horse paddock south of West Pool. Having always struggled with Wheatears at Sutton Bingham, this is now the third successive year I've managed to get one on the patch year list.
Also today my first Swallows and Sand Martins of the year with five of the former and at around twenty of the latter over West Pool. After a brief shower all the hirundines seemed to vanish!
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 84 species.