Alners Gorse - Mon 25 Jul

Ellie and I were celebrating our first Wedding Anniversay today and as it was a really warm and sunny day we popped out to Alners Gorse before lunch to look for butterflies. We were hoping to see some Brown Hairstreaks but couldn't find any, however there were still several Purple Hairstreaks on the wing and fortunately a few of them were at low level affording some good views.
The pick of the other butterflies included a couple of Holly Blues and a Silver-washed Fritillary. Several Gatekeepers were also whizzing about. After an hour in very strong and hot sun we decided to head back home for lunch and a cool down!

Sutton Bingham - Sun 24 Jul

After nearly three days stuck in the house I had to get out for a bit this evening and rather than rush down to Weymouth to twitch a Stilt Sandpiper (I don't need it for my UK list) I decided to spend an hour at Sutton Bingham instead.
I stopped off at the northern causeway and was surprised to find a summer plumaged Dunlin feeding. However, it did not linger that long and flew off shortly after I had seen it. On West Pool there was a single Green Sandpiper and a large flock of Canada Geese.
Heading down to the southern end of the reservoir I spend forty minutes outside the hide. The pool had attracted at least five Common Sandpipers and another four Green Sandpipers. The adult Yellow-legged Gull was again present and showed well for opposite the hide.
Three Mandarin were near the Canoe Club, and a further three were near the willows at the south. A family party of at least a dozen Long-tailed Tits were flitting through the bushes. As a bit of drizzle started to fall I decided to call it a day and headed on home.

Ferrybridge, Portland Bill & Radipole RSPB - Thu 21 Jul

Another trip out with my mate John today and as it was his turn to drive he picked me up at 8.30am and we drove down to the coast. Our first port of call was Ferrybridge were we scanned the shoreline as the tide started to creep in. There were loads of Dunlin and a few Sanderlings present, whilst two adult Mediterranean Gulls were also seen. On one of the buoys there was a single Little Tern and a Common Tern flew through.
We then headed to Portland Bill and parked at the Bird Observatory before walking down to the Bill. In very calm and sunny conditions we were not expecting much in hte way of sea birds, but we did see several Gannets and a Manx Shearwater, the highlight was a fairly distant Balearic Shearwater.
Leaving Portland we drove back in to Weymouth and took a walk around Radipole RSPB reserve. As we strolled round the reserve we had some cracking views of a small party of Bearded Tits as they sat up in the tops of the reeds. As we reached the North Hide we were treated to some more amazing views, this time of three juvenile Marsh Harriers, a species which has successfully bred on the reserve this year.
After a good day out we headed back home, and a brief stop at Sutton Bingham en route yielded nothing of note apart from two Common Sandpipers.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 20 Jul

A quick afternoon visit after a morning of rain and chores failed to provide much excitement. At the southern end two Little Egrets were present as was a single Common Sandpiper. A Peregrine was perched on one of the pylons and was a slightly unexpected visitor.
The only bird of note from the northern causeway was another Little Egret.

Ham Hill Country Park - Sun 17 Jul

As I left Sutton Bingham I got a call from a bored Ellie who fancied getting out of the house for a walk, so I picked her up and we drove up to Ham Hill for a late afternoon stroll. As we crossed the meadows there were several Meadow Brown butterflies about and a couple of Common Blues, we were also treated to some splendid views of a Hobby as it flew past us several times. As we continued our walk the weather came in and for the second day in a row we got caught in a heavy rain shower. We decided as we got back to the car that it was time to get back home and enjoy a roast chicken dinner!

Sutton Bingham - Sun 17 Jul

Another day of showers but I dodged them for an hour after lunch and visited the reservoir. On West Pool a couple of Little Egrets were present but there was no sign of the Wood Sandpiper that had been seen on Friday and that I missed yesterday. A Mandarin was also present and unlike most of the birds present had plucked up enough courage to come to bread!
I then headed straight to the southern end and sat by the hide for about half an hour or so. At least four Common Sandpipers were feeding on the small pool that has been formed by dropping water levels, as were three Green Sandpipers. Three more Mandarin were seen and I finally connected with the adult Yellow-legged Gull that has returned for it's fifth or sixth year.

I first saw it opposite the hide as it caught and then devoured a Crayfish and it then sat opposite the hide for ten minutes or so. Interestingly enough I watch a Lesser Black-backed Gull attempt the same thing, but the Crayfish must have put up more of a fight and it scampered back in to the water.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 16 Jul

Heavy rain for most of the day finally let up for a while mid-afternoon so Ellie and I headed up to the reservoir for a walk and a breath of fresh air. As we walked from the hide towards the Canoe Club the heaven's opened and we got pretty much soaked, especially me as I was only wearing shorts and a T-shirt!
However, despite the rain I did see a couple of things of note, with a Common Tern being a somewhat pleasant surprise.

Two Common Sandpipers were also present and a Little Egret was seen flying north up the reservoir. A family party of Whitethroats were seen flitting between bushes.
We stopped briefly at the northern causeway where presumably the same Little Egret was feeding near the Sailing Club and another was on West Pool.