Stanpit Marsh - Sun 13 Mar

Ellie and I were off to visit her parents today as it was my father-in-law's birthday. So we set off from home a bit earlier than we needed to and took a walk around Stanpit Marsh in Christchurch.
As we walked along I spotted a very smart male Wheatear, my first of the year, which typically turned it's back as soon as I tried to get a shot with my phone!

A large number of Brent Geese and Wigeon were grazing on the salt marsh, with several Little Egrets also present.
A scan across the muddy fringe produced several waders, with good numbers of Grey Plover and Dunlin plus a few Bar-tailed Godwits. The pick of the bunch however, was a Little Stint.
We continued round the marsh, seeing well over ten Little Grebes in the river, before heading out on to Priory Marsh for a quick look about.
There were loads of Meadow Pipits whizzing about, but we could not get on to anything different. As we walked back towards the car we also picked up at least eight or so White Wagtails.
After an hour at Stanpit we had to head off for Mudeford and lunch with Ellie's folks.
UK list for 2011 now at 175 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 12 Mar

Ellie and I made an afternoon visit to Sutton Bingham and took a walk along the water's edge from the hide to the car park and back again.
We failed to see much in the way of birdlife, but a Reed Bunting flew up from some bushes and I saw my first Chiffchaff of the year feeding in waterside vegetation.
West Pool still held three Tufted Ducks and a Pochard, and a flock of twenty-three Wigeon were still present on West Pool and the grassy bank, a further six Wigeon were opposite the hide.
After a pleasant stroll we headed off to do our weekly shop, not quite as interesting as birding!

Lodmoor RSPB - Wed 9 Mar

My afternoon off, so with Ellie on a school trip to the Eden Project meant I had plenty of time to do some birding, so I headed down to the seaside and arrived at Lodmoor at 2.45pm.
I walked around to the western part of the reserve in the hope of finding one of the Firecrests that had been in the area for a few days, however, an hour long search failed to produce anything other than a Goldcrest and a Bullfinch, so I headed on round the reserve.
As I looked out over Lodmoor a single White-fronted Goose was grazing:

Two Spoonbills were present:

The usual wildfowl were also on the water, but there were no early spring migrants knocking about.
I then walked out to the seafront and spent half an hour seawatching. A distant Black-throated Diver was a nice find and several Great Crested Grebes. As time was getting on it was hardly surprising that a large number of gulls were gathering in Weymouth Bay to roost, and I noticed a single adult Mediterranean Gull among the flock.
Returning to the RSPB reserve I spent another hour looking for a Firecrest, but again drew a blank, but a Cetti's Warbler was calling and a Water Rail squealed away from the undergrowth.
Before long it was gone 6.00pm and I was getting cold and hungry, so I set off back home.

Sutton Bingham - Tue 8 Mar

A flying visit to the northern causeway of the reservoir before work as a Dark-bellied Brent Goose had been seen late yesterday afternoon. I drew a blank with the goose, but there was a heavy mist over much of the reservoir in cold conditions.
West Pool still held a dozen Tufted Ducks and a single Pochard. A couple of Little Grebes were also present. With no time to linger, I headed off to work.

Meare Heath NNR - Sun 6 Mar

It was such a lovely afternoon, albeit with a rather cold wind, that Ellie and I decided we really should get out for an hour or so this afternoon. So we took our somewhat regular trip up on to the Somerset Levels and parked at the Ashcott Corner car park. However, by the time we arrived, just after 3.00pm, Ellie was exhausted so she decided to have a doze in the car whilst I went for a walk about.

I headed out along the path and before long could hear a booming Bittern in the reeds, though it remained typically shy hidden deep in the reedbed. As I reached the second lagoon a couple of Great White Egrets flew in and landed in front of me, and before long were joined by a third bird!

I then walked out to the hide at Noah's Lake, where to my surprise another two Great White Egrets flew in from the west and over the hide, so a total of five birds were present on the reserve this afternoon.

During the hour that I was out and about, I did not really see anything else much of note, just the usual assortment of wildfowl, etc. but it was great getting out in the sun.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 6 Mar

My Sunday visit was cut short this morning as a phone call from Ellie at 10.40am saying church had finished early meant I only got forty-five minutes at the reservoir. However, despite the short visit I still managed to see a few things of note.
West Pool held fifteen Tufted Ducks and four Pochard, with another Pochard on the main reservoir. Three Little Grebes were also present on West Pool. A small flock of eighteen Wigeon were grazing in front of the Fishing Lodge, though they had relocated to the grass alongside West Pool when I drove past on my way home.
The southern end of the reservoir was also pretty productive. A pair of Mistle Thrushes were seen, and a total of five Snipe were flushed from the water's edge. Duck numbers seemed to be up a bit, with thirty Teal present and another six Wigeon. A couple of unusual sightings with a drake Shoveler being seen and a pair of Mandarin flew over heading south.
All in all a good, if somewhat brief, visit this morning.

Tadham Moor - Wed 2 Mar

I decided to stay fairly local this afternoon, and drove up on to the Somerset Levels in lovely sunshine. I arrived on Tadham Moor just before 3.00pm and walked out along a drove to the south of Fir Tree Farm. The trees either side of the drove were surprisingly busy with regard to bird life, with Treecreeper, Jay and Greater Spotted Woodpecker all being seen. The fields either side contained large numbers of Starlings and Redwings, with a smaller number of Fieldfares.
When I reached the end of the drove, about a ten minute walk, I set up my 'scope and started scanning over the fields. Several Common Buzzards were about and I also saw a couple of Sparrowhawks and a Kestrel. However, I was hoping to connect with one of three Short-eared Owls that had been in the area for the past couple of weeks.
After half an hour I started to get the feeling that it was not going to be a straightforward exercise. Fortunately, the weather was accomodating and I enjoyed some winter sun. As time ticked by six or so Grey Herons flew over heading north, presumably to roost.
I decided to give it until 4.30pm before calling it a day, but that deadline came and went and just as I was about to finally give up, I spotted a Short-eared Owl quartering the fields in the near distance. I enjoyed the bird for ten minutes or so as it hunted over the fields, a great sight. So after just over a hundred minutes of watching and waiting I got what I was after...the only down side being it was too late to get in any birding anywhere else before dark.