What's red, white and black all over...

...the local paper of course, which featured the White Stork now seemingly settled in the water meadows around Wareham. With better light on offer, I thought I would try to improve on Thursday's images taken in the near dark. At first it appeared to be hiding amongst a herd of fresians, but eventually came not just into the open but very close to the road. The bird seemed unperturbed by a steady stream of admirers, the occasional idiot blasting his horn as he passed, and rubber-neckers slowing down for a good 'car-tick'. Quite an event, in fact.

It appeared to be feeding well, apparently on Leatherjackets, with no doubt the occasional frog copping it as well. Some observers thought the Stork was suspiciously approachable, though with an unringed bird I suppose it is impossible to be sure of its origins.

Spot the Sandpiper

Set off from Poole at 0600 hoping to get to the Exe Estuary just after first light, but by the time I had waited for a garage to open in sleepy Dorset, arrived on site to find the access road closed, and walked the wrong way down the canal for a bit, it was 0900 before I got to the Turf Hotel. I immediately saw the juvenile Spotted Sandpiper on the edge of the River Exe near some abandoned boats. The promised sunshine hadn't emerged, so I positioned myself to the south hoping that the bird's direction of travel and incoming tide would bring it within range for the camera. Just as it was getting close, a microlight flushed it a long way upstream. It eventually came back down as a steady stream of birders appeared, so I went back to my earlier vantage point only for a photographer who had moved closer to flush it as he retreated. Soon after, everyone else had gone and, thinking it wasn't my day, I walked north up the river bank for one last look. Fortunately I found the bird at point blank range in a muddy patch above the tideline. I spent a very rewarding 10 minutes in the wet grass and mud taking these images and when I looked round, there were a group of about 20 behind me, being led by another visitor from Dorset, Dominic Couzens - all enjoyed good views of the bird. In addition to the plumper, greyer body, yellow legs, and distinctive bill shape/
colour, the bird gave a cheeky
'peep peep' alarm call when flushed to help distinguish it from its Common cousin. Kingfisher and Rock Pipit also put in regular appearances on the bank of the Exe.

Sterling Stork

A timely text from my good friend and colleague Phil Sterling enabled me to twitch the White Stork in Wareham tonight on the way home from Dorchester to Poole. Phil is Dorset's County Ecologist and a moth expert by trade but didn't need his Observer Book of Birds to ID this monster. I had already missed it (twice) last weekend when it was reported around Blandford so this was a welcome addition to my Dorset list. The bird fed actively on the east bank of the River Frome, seemed approachable (it actually approached us on more than one occasion) and was still there when the gathering gloom caused us to beat a retreat at about 18:00. Cheers Phil!

Empidonax? Who needs it...

...me, evidently. I missed the 2008 Alder Flycatcher in Cornwall due to some lame life-or-death work/family excuse, so news of an Empidonax in Norfolk breaking on a Saturday was a no-brainer for a Sunday twitch, right? Except for the very expensive, pre-booked, bought and paid for day out at Longleat to which the family and I were being treated by doting grandparents. More rock 'n'roll birders blogs would at this point explain how they blew out their entire genetic line for a tick, but I didn't go, so I can't. Consoling thoughts as follows: (i) seeing it wouldn't have made me a better birder (ii) marital/parental brownie point jar is still half-full (iii) it's not even October yet (iv) I appear to have retained a shred of decency. A modicum of compensation came in the form of Buzzards and Ravens feeding on the carrion that the lions didn't want, and a Kingfisher skitting over the heads of Californian sealions. Weird. So I will dwell no more on yankie flycatchers, not be bitter and put it down to bad timing. Mind you, I could probably get Wednesday off...

Luck turns at Christchurch Harbour

Headed to Christ- church Harbour early morning in search of a Pope-free zone, and the Glossy Ibis reported last night at East Marsh. There was no sign of it (or His Holiness) there at 07:30 but as I approached Priory Marsh 20 minutes later I could see it in flight heading towards the golf course. By the time I had walked around there it had returned to the central marsh. The bird fed close to the path until a couple out for a stroll flushed it - though at least this provided an opportunity for some flight shots. This was the first Glossy Ibis I had seen in Dorset, missing a recent one as it arrived the day I was heading off on holiday. The previous one was an even closer miss - I was actually driving along Chesil Beach road when one was reported on the pager at Ferrybridge, but by the time I has rounded the roundabout and gone back it had flown. So the close views this morning were very welcome.

Across the river a Wryneck had been reported at Hengistbury Head, and although on arrival it has flown some distance away it returned to the corner of the Barn Field to show very well for a few minutes. I have struggled to photograph both birds well for many years, so was pleased with these pictures.

Not many other birds around - a Kingfisher, some confiding Green Woodpeckers and a few Chiffchaff being the highlights.

On the water at Blashford Lakes

I was unable to capture a fleeting Kingfisher on film at Blashford but this Great Crested Grebe (top) proved more obliging - a smart bird in any plumage. Along with the usual fayre, a pair of Egyptian Geese and this Common Sandpiper (bottom) adorned the shore of Ibsley Water. The hide overlooking Ibsley is an excellent place to photograph any passing waders - well known for its nesting Little Ringed Plover, I have also had captured good images of Lapwing and Redshank from this hide.

Feeding time at Blashford Lakes

Returning home from a family weekend camping in the New Forest (punctuated by the Arctic Warbler twitch - see post for 11 Sept) it seemed rude not to pop into Blashford Lakes on the way. Waiting for a sleeping bairn to stir in the car provided an opportunity to photograph whatever chose to visit the feeders in the car park.

This Blue Tit (bottom) posed nicely in nearby bushes, but the Nuthatch (top) remained well hidden unless actually on the feeders themselves. Attempted some flight shots which made me appreciate the skill of the pros who manage to capture anything of small birds in flight!