Lodmoor RSPB - Sun 25 Sep

After lunch and the Singapore Grand Prix the weather had cleared up and it was a lovely afternoon so Ellie and I set off for Weymouth and a walk around Lodmoor RSPB reserve. About half way around the circuit we found what we were looking for, a juvenile Red-backed Shrike, which eventually sat up on a bush top enabling me to get a couple of my usual top quality record shots with my camera-phone!

As we continued our walk we could hear several Bearded Tits and Cetti's Warblers, but unfortunately they did not show themselves. From the viewing area I noted a fair sized flock of Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails, and in with them, a couple of Yellow Wagtails.
We also saw a few different waders, with three Greenshanks present as well as a Common Sandpiper, a Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, and a small flock of fourteen Dunlin.
After completing the circular walk we headed back home after an enjoyable afternoon out.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 25 Sep

I spent an hour at the reservoir in the rain this morning whilst Ellie was at church, and despite the weather I did see a few things of interest. From the area in front of the hide the Yellow-legged Gull was again present and five Common Sandpipers were feeding on the mud alongside two Ringed Plovers. A Grey Wagtail was also seen as it flew over.
From the northern causeway there was more interest in the form of another Common Sandpiper and a female Shoveler. However, the real surprise was a flock of eighteen Arctic Terns feeding over the water's surface. Primarily juvenile birds, there were at least two adults also present as I left at 11.30am to pick Ellie up from church.

Exmouth - Sat 24 Sep

No work this weekend, so after a relaxing morning watching the Rugby World Cup, Ellie and I set off for the coast and drove down to Exmouth. We arrived at 1.00pm and picked a car park, paid and displayed, and then set about trying to fnd the Lifeboat Station and the birds we were after.
As it happened we were too far away, so donating our ticket to a young mum we headed on to the seafront and parked up, paid and displayed again, and found out we were still too far from where we needed to be. So we sat and had our sandwiches overlooking the sea. A couple of Sandwich Terns flew past as we ate our picnic.
After lunch we set off again and finally found a car parking space near our desired location, so after paying and displaying yet again, I left Ellie in the car with her book whilst I set off to try and find the birds that had brought us down to Exmouth. Within a few minutes I was on the beach about two metres from a Grey Phalarope and three juvenile Sabine's Gulls!
They were too close to "phone scope" so I had to make do with a couple of poor shots using my mobile (despite being a 5MB camera, this phone is not producing any good pictures yet - it's not the user of course) and the inbuilt zoom facilty, not ideal but I got a couple of pictures of the Sabine's Gulls:

And the equally obliging Grey Phalarope:

I called Ellie and before long she had wandered down to join me and enjoy these cracking birds. There was nothing else about and with the wind starting to pick up we decided that enough was enough for today and after an enjoyable trip set off back home.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 22 Sep

I got a phone call mid-afternoon from a very excited Barrie Widden, one of the Sutton Bingham stalwarts, informing me of a juvenile Sabine's Gull whch he had just seen at the reservoir. Unfortunately I was stuck at work, but as soon as I finished work I zoomed along to see if the bird was still present...but alas it was not. Barrie had struck lucky as it soon became apparent that the bird had not lingered and instead had passed through without stopping!
Despite my disappointment at dipping out on what would have been a brilliant SBR tick, there were still a few other things of note. The Little Stint was again at the southern end with two Ringed Plovers and a couple of Common Sandpipers. The adult Yellow-legged Gull was also about.
At the northern end, a Little Egret flew in from the direction of the Fishing Lodge and landed on West Pool, and a large flock of at least forty Goldfinches flew south.

Gore Hill - Wed 21 Sep

After picking Ellie up from home we drove about six mile south-east of Yeovil to Gore Hill where we took a walk across the hilltop. There were a few small flocks of birds about, with a feeding party of nearly thirty Linnets and at least four fly-over Meadow Pipits. A covey of fifteen Red-legged Partridges were feeding on the fields fringe before darting in to cover as soon as they saw us. Two Wheatears were also seen and as we got back to the car a flock of over twenty Skylarks flew over.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 21 Sep

On my way home from work I made a brief but productive visit to the reservoir. Water levels are still low despite the recent rain meaning there is still a lot of exposed mud. This had attracted a few waders today with five Common Sandpipers present as well as a single Green Sandpiper and four Ringed Plovers. The surprise of the day was a juvenile Little Stint which eventually showed really well in front of the hide. Also at the southern end, a fishing Little Egret and the Yellow-legged Gull.
Another Little Egret was seen flying past the Fishing Lodge, and was the only bird of note at this end of the reservoir.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 18 Sep

Two fleeting visits to the reservoir during the last week had produced nothing at all to write about, but today's visit was a little different. Dodging the rain storms I spent an hour on site before lunch. The was still nothing of interest at the northern end but from the hide the adult Yellow-legged Gull was still present. A total of six Common Sandpipers and a juvenile Ringed Plover were feeding on the mud. The only other bird of note was a singing Chiffchaff, taking advantage of a break in the rain.