Morden Bog in March

A singing Woodlark at Morden Bog today provided further evidence of spring's arrival. This bird sang from the top of a pine and then came surprisingly close after dropping to the ground. With family waiting in the car I was unable to locate the Great Grey Shrike reported near the Decoy Pond from some distance in a brief search. A Dartford Warbler was singing, and male Stonechat were also very vocal. We returned to Poole via Knoll Beach, where winter-plumaged Slavonian Grebes, summer-plumaged Black-Necked Grebes and a pair of Velvet Scoter were present. Taking the short cut home through Poole Park we saw the Ring-billed Gull close the road and couldn't resist a few more pictures in the evening light.

Hatch Pond Bitterns

After this morning's success adding new birds to the list of species I have seen within walking distance of home, I decided to push my luck a bit further and carry on to Hatch Pond.

This seems such a short drive from home but on foot, once you leave the sweep of Holes Bay, it is a fairly thankless trudge past McDonalds, PC World, the Premier Inn and Lidl. When you smell the sewage treatment works and see the bright lights of Burger King you know you are getting closer.

Immediately on arrival the small crowd gathered pointed out a Bittern in the reedbed immediately below the viewpoint. Two more showed further out even though it was still only four o'clock. A Cetti's Warbler also sat up in the reeds - 2 excellent species for the 'walked from home' list! Water Rail heard but not seen would have been a good hat-trick...

Holes Bay Sunday

No car today so a good opportunity to add to my list of birds seen within walking distance of home. Living on Poole Quay, woodland birds are not exactly on the doorstep. Although Upton Country Park is easily walkable, I realised I hadn't actually done it yet, so headed there first to add Green Woodpecker (right), Nuthatch and Treecreeper to said list.

A single Spotted Redshank (right) was also in Holes Bay with good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit and Redshank further out.

Wigeon were noticeably fewer in number today, but plenty of Teal (right) and a few Red-breasted Merganser were busy pairing up.

Last of the Lyme light

Finishing work in Charmouth late this afternoon allowed for a quick detour to Lyme Regis before heading home. A Dipper (above) on the River Lym was my first in Dorset, and gave much better views than the one which treated me to a whirring fly-past in Scotland last week. Down on the Cobb, Herring Gulls were gathering and half a dozen Purple Sandpiper (above) were catching the last few rays of the sun.

RIP Ray Turley

I was very sad to hear this week of the recent death of Ray Turley, who was very much part of the Dungeness landscape, not to mention the birding scene, when I lived in Kent. I did not know him well but had the benefit of his sharp eyes and wit during several sea-watching sessions at the Point. Next time I think I see a distant Pom or Sooty scudding past at sea, and wish I had someone more knowledgeable alongside to talk me through the finer points of their identification, I will remember him.

Tits and Treecreepers

Some more pictures taken during a rare bit of sunshine this week: from top, Crested Tit (x2), Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Treecreeper

SAS Crestie

This Crested Tit visiting feeders at Loch an Eilein today appeared to have had SAS training: it's mission was to get in an out without anyone noticing. Unlike its showier cousins it would approach from the rear of the tree laden with feeders, sneak through the branches, drop in to grab a peanut and go. Much more obliging was this Treecreeper in the same area which also had the decency to pose for photographs during the only hour of sunlight of my five days in Scotland.