I returned to Lodmoor this weekend in the hope of improving on my
record shots of the Short-billed Dowitcher from the previous week. Well, it's not every day you get a major rarity within 20 miles of home is it? I'm not sure I succeeded, but I certainly got good telescope views and a variety of shots. Eventually.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIkDa1iWMME4kFimC8FU7gtAcrxwZVdLG9WYOh2ho4OJnM_7tUFnVJVsyDf21gdQk8EdbXG_za4mi_kL6gNM2ZCez1tffhuWZDrEmwOi5PFKimgNBxjKlWXTH4oUvWZ7uhGvDXGA_Poc/s400/Blog+SB+Dow.JPG) |
A heavily cropped shot - the Dowitcher was just about at the limit of the range of my 400mm lens. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBR6y9PG1LOkCga5QPSOVDj2ldjjkyX98-oL-XvDPsOPULZGSUobEPNfzfEC-0hvlsMFxWy_NHL-8KnAlq8Cf2MfnUSRaMcheyxqK3us-udJR9C57QbE7pfC8t09peYdlGthGGWPyqmLU/s400/Blog+SB+Dow+6.JPG) |
Probably the best shot of the day - digiscoped as the Dowitcher paused during half an hour of otherwise frenetic feeding. |
Arriving some time before 0800, the Dowitcher was the closest I have seen it but directly against the light so photography was a dead loss. Then after only a few minutes on view something flushed it and it flew a short distance before walking behind its favoured patch of vegetation. Quite a lot of the largish crowd which was assembling on Saturday morning turned up soon after this, and they were in for a long wait.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_M-KtDBSh_KljyXd5n3rMQq8HIy1dtKQ3aYK3svRgpcqzQDQ7GLCAqVkl8uWKlSbHkLUaJIC2o1vONvXgEu-TpReItfcMsRwQF13oAk2E_N_oXN3X3h__wxjIh9fN80WYihu5Xx-l_E/s400/Blog+SB+Dow+8.JPG) |
A flight shot taken in the early morning light showing the 'more-white-than-black' tail and Spotshank-like white cigar shape reaching from the rump up the back |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIEcwwafuybIT8p5PSyTWV-Nc-igRf8Lj0ynOmgMLsEMxdGC-t79AV3jSLenOWUA_mMTbzYdi9ZeAzNjWwYbSSFAwT5RM15F6M-Ty2wU6Y1N5ESi5zu5h9XZlWWduuNdBsr-xRFR5pGA/s400/Blog+SB+Dow+9.JPG) |
The next time it opened it's wings - about four hours later! |
A bill and face were eventually spotted protruding from the reeds from an acute angle, and then it was only a matter of time before the rest of the bird revealed itself. Four hours worth of time in fact. Probably the longest I have had to wait for a rarity that I have already seen! With hindsight, I could have gone to Portland and back for a better view of the
Monarch which I saw in poor light on Sunday and not missed anything. Still, the weather was fine, spirits were good and it was a chance to chat to others who had come from as far away as Brussels to see this bird.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXioBdsf_nxn6vUyVk8pLKwBTZXbJORaMxaqwfw2ve5CmgCNZuALMdX7YTT7oNJAm91H0BFDRij9xnS4AXnUZY1ErrWwbh1nICUz0uY3MsTX5zBelbsl1ncqEf_t3RSvaaqWSezPg-kU/s400/Blog+SB+Dow+10.JPG) |
Another view of the tail as the Dowitcher lands |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmq9esZ6t_zx-o618hr1cJMoaUjArE4j7dQLp77qS0aXVqwA6e1MaLTh_E2agChkrf81nNRiHL1PMBB7Fp06zaVo__U3ORs7c9Kb-ll9Sb4g1KWbSQr-YCcX9xpVElRec-9AfYIO6kMqk/s400/Blog+SB+Dow+12.JPG) |
While feeding among the vegetation in the shallows the Dowitcher occasionally waded into open, deeper water |
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