Sutton Bingham - Sun 9 Dec

A very quick half hour visit late morning to the northern part of the reservoir turned out to be surprisingly productive. West Pool at last hosted a few duck, with a single Tufted Duck and ten Teal present. On the main reservoir I was surprised to find an adult Mediterranean Gull and within ten minutes it had been joined by a second adult and a second-winter bird.

This is my highest count of Mediterranean Gulls ever at the reservoir as this occasional visitor normally turns up as single birds. I didn't have time to check out the southern end of the reservoir, but even so, it was worth the visit today.

Ham Wall RSPB - Sat 8 Dec

A family trip out this afternoon, and the first opportunity for us to do so for several weeks. We decided on a trip to the Somerset Levels and a walk at Ham Wall RSPB reserve. It was about 3.30pm by the time we arrived and we had completely forgotten about the Starling roost and it was really busy. However, we parked, wrapped up warm, and got Tristan snuggled in to his push chair and off we set. We made straight for the second viewing platform as I was hoping to see at least one of the Water Pipits that had been frequenting this area for the past few days. Stupidly I had left my scope behind, but another birder kindly found me a Water Pipit and let me view it through his scope. I could also pick out a few others in with the numerous Pied Wagtails. A couple of Lesser Redpolls also flew over and landed in an alder tree next to the viewing platform.
We then retraced our steps back along the main path and stopped to view a very confiding Wood Mouse that was not phased by us at all as it foraged in the path-side vegetation. As we neared the first viewing platform the Starlings began to arrive (and there were plenty of people there to witness the spectacle). As we watched the swirling flock I decided to take a break and scan the water and before long located the redhead Smew in amongst the commoner duck species and how times have changed as I barely paid attention to the Great White Egret. A female Marsh Harrier also drifted across the reedbed causing some panic and we heard at least two Bearded Tits, though could not see them.
A small flock of nine Lapwing passed through at the back of the reserve and a tight-knit group of about twenty Snipe whizzed by.
We finished up our visit by enjoying the Starlings as they settled in to the reedbed right next to the path, affording wonderful close views as the reeds and trees turned black with birds. A great afternoon out.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 28 Nov

I've made a few brief trips to the reservoir over the last couple of weeks, but seen nothing of note. However, an late afternoon trip today did at least provide a few birds of interest. I walked from the car park to the hide along the water's edge and then back again, with Tristan tucked up in his carrier on my back.
There were a few birds flitting around before settling down to roost and a single Fieldfare was probably the most notable. As I neared the hide ten Mallards flew in and they were closely followed by a dozen Wigeon. All these duck landed at the extreme southern end and were soon lost to view.
At least two hundred Starlings flew north in various sized flocks and a Meadow Pipit also flew over. And that was pretty much it, and it brought about the end of a poor month on the bird front.
UK list for 2012 now at 234 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 4 Nov

A shorter than normal visit as Ellie took Tristan to the Family Service at her local church which typically does not last the full hour. That being said, I still managed to see a few bits and pieces at the reservoir, and the snow had melted by the time I arrived! The southern end was all but devoid of bird life, a small flock of six Long-tailed Tits being the only birds of note. So I spent the rest of my visit at the northern end of the reservoir where West Pool hosted three Wigeon and three Tufted Duck. A surprising November record in the form of a Little Egret flew over and headed west. A single Snipe was also seen flitting from one path of vegetation to another on the side of West Pool and that was that! A brief return visit at the end of the day produced a flock of one hundred Canada Geese and in the car park a few Goldcrests were calling and at least a dozen Pied Wagtails flew over.

Durlston CP & Studland - Tue 30 Oct

Another attempt (I've lost count of how many it is now) and another failure today as yet again I dipped out on Bee-eater in the UK. A juvenile had spent all day Monday at Swanage and was seen at 8.00am at Durlston, so as I had the day off work to look after Tristan whilst Ellie was at work I set off for the Isle of Purbeck. I must admit I did not have a good feeling, the skies were clear and it was a lovely warm day...no good for migrants hanging around, and sure enough this proved to be the case. I spent at least three hours wandering round Durlston Country Park and also made a visit to the site the Bee-eater was frequenting yesterday, but alas there was no sign of the bird. There were a few things to see at Durlston, with Goldcrests in particular being plentiful, and eventually my patience in checking every one I saw paid off as I found a Firecrest...some consolation for dipping my target, albeit a very small one! A pair of Stonechats were seen and a few Jays, Meadow Pipits, and Skylarks flew over, but I didn't see anything else to get me too excited.
After giving Tristan his lunch I decided that we might as well forget it, the bird had obviously moved on. So as we were in the area I drove on to Studland and parked in the South Car Park...costing me a pound for an hour, which was slightly less than the fiver I had to shell out at Durlston. At least three Ring-necked Parakeets could be heard calling from trees in the car park, and eventually one took flight. I then walked out to the cliff and scanned the sea, a total of six Black-necked Grebes were seen (though pager reports later in the day suggested many more). There was not much else about and other than seeing and hearing a couple more Ring-necked Parakeets and a Swallow flying south it was a quiet walk from the bird point of view so I decided to call it a day and head on home.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 28 Oct

Despite the dismal weather it actually turned out to be a pretty good hour long visit to the reservoir this morning. I started out in the lay-by at the southern end of the reservoir, and I didn't even bother getting out of the car. Scanning the field next to the road I noted around thirty Redwings keeping company with a Mistle Thrush and at least half a dozen Blackbirds. Then a real surprise as a male Brambling flew on to the fence and then dropped on to the ground to feed alongside the thrushes and a couple of Chaffinches.
Back then to the northern causeway, and a quick scan of West Pool produced six Tufted Duck and a little more searching located two Little Grebes. A sub-adult Mute Swan flew over heading west while a couple of Common Gulls were on the main reservoir amongst the more usual gull species.
Also on the main reservoir I saw four Shoveler, three ducks and a drake, and a pair of Wigeon. The morning was rounded off with a Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail ending a very productive visit today.

Portland - Thu 25 Oct

After a morning in Exeter at a seminar I ended up being home from work earlier than normal so I took Ellie and Tristan down to Portland with the sole intention of twitching the Isabelline Shrike that had been found on Tuesday. We arrived at 4.00pm and hot-footed it up to the Top Fields, seeing a large flock of Linnets and several Meadow Pipits along the way. After chatting to a few birders we found ourselves facing the prospect that this was not going to be easy...the bird had not been seen for over two hours and time and the light were against us. We spent about an hour wandering around seeing a good number of Redwings and quite a few Stonechats but no sign of the shrike.
We had to head back towards the car as it was getting late, my time was up, and I was certain this was another dip...and this time it would have been a lifer. Then it all changed as we joined the path at the top of Culverwell we spotted a couple of birders and they were on the shrike. I rushed over, Tristan bouncing away on my back and Ellie struggling to keep up, and as soon as I reached the first birder asked to view it in his scope. What a wonderful bird, subtle colours and a real beauty and so Isabelline Shrike is added to my list at last (this bird is of the nominate race, sometimes called Daurian Shrike). As it happened it was a good job I looked through someone elses scope to see it as no sooner had I started to set my scope up the bird flew and we could not relocate it.
I also managed to add Siberian Stonechat to my Dorset list (this was also only the second I've seen in the UK) with a female-type bird seen really well in the next field...so two cracking birds in a few minutes. We also had a late Swallow pass overhead and then back to the car and home after a brilliant afternoon.