tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32137178635993288562024-03-13T05:24:38.015-07:00Birding in Dorset & Poole Harbour AreaMartin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-71722107538284676842019-01-09T14:21:00.000-08:002019-01-09T14:21:50.002-08:00Bird Racing5th January,<br />
Saturday morning I was up at 0400 hours getting ready for my first ever bird race, for those not familiar with what a bird race entails. It is basically a team of birders that race a round a county ( in my case Dorset) to see and tick off as many birds we can see against a check list, all good fun. So by 0500 hours I was out with the team looking for Woodcock, Snipe and Jack Snipe some where round the harbour, but we did not find them so went went off to look for owls. While searching for Barn Owls we heard a Tawny Owl calling away, then out of the blue two Barn Owls started flying around, there white under body showing nicely in the half light.<br />
Then a dash to Lodmoor, but it was still a bit to dark to see anything, though we did hear Water Rail, we decided to head off to Portland to see if the Short eared Owls and Little Owls we about but again we failed on these.Though we did get Raven, Kestrel and surprisingly there were quite a number of Pheasants about the place. While at Portland we sea watched for a bit and soon ticked off Razorbills, Guillemot and Fulmar and the usual gull species. While here I had my first sighting of Purple Sandpipers, I have been a few times to try and see them here at Portland and at Sandbanks Ferry but always failed to see them, so it was very nice to see four of them on the rocks.<br />
It was very good day as I got to a few places that I had not be to before like Sandfort Castle, Thorncome Woods were we saw two wonderful Firecrest, It was a tiring day though the hours went quickly and it was soon time to get to the finishing line.<br />
At the end of the day I added a small number of birds to my Poole Harbour Bird List.<br />
Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Grey Plover, Knot, Greenshank,Salvonian Grebe, Cattle Egret and Chiffchaff are the ones I can think of the top of my head.<br />
The sounds coming off Brands Bay was just magical, Curlew,Greenshank Wigeon and Brent Geese calling as the light was fading.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSR8lDcgce3ABGwyIp_nkNmv873lUkBY2TK3IyPNltX50Ce3MI1NEBYuYkb3dGq-yynEXhONIHUEFAcTN5BYuZL7S00IXDeg3SPaBitJWopK1X-sBfxkziEWMvcBP_hAOx9LMfLtQtXS8/s1600/Bar-tailed+Godwit+1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSR8lDcgce3ABGwyIp_nkNmv873lUkBY2TK3IyPNltX50Ce3MI1NEBYuYkb3dGq-yynEXhONIHUEFAcTN5BYuZL7S00IXDeg3SPaBitJWopK1X-sBfxkziEWMvcBP_hAOx9LMfLtQtXS8/s400/Bar-tailed+Godwit+1-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bar-tailed Godwit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW6e9Aj127DXsY83tiex8t8AdPOJLRWEG3UKDg7pzjR5tzbGJHMcR5vQkZZfeRhZleJc5mE2g4b5tdhnbkokRklj8ZJYqcraDtpYRNeTEFXAq8xHy_O8aMldDf1YmzHmes1N9b6fsHTc/s1600/Brand%2527s+Bay-7714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW6e9Aj127DXsY83tiex8t8AdPOJLRWEG3UKDg7pzjR5tzbGJHMcR5vQkZZfeRhZleJc5mE2g4b5tdhnbkokRklj8ZJYqcraDtpYRNeTEFXAq8xHy_O8aMldDf1YmzHmes1N9b6fsHTc/s400/Brand%2527s+Bay-7714.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brent Geese</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp6sgQtaXsZ_tJI-OsQz3XtBvdIqqLEvH5iJuswQlS1EwHN2qQQtqHS0GkqSpiWyu1q5Zh8kkweRlIHEx_EC0hyphenhyphen5AssH5zrOeHNdCiY6RXjA2mw2E1nUwVmaIQ-KfGl6HZ5POV8ONFXQ/s1600/Brand%2527s+Bay-7719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp6sgQtaXsZ_tJI-OsQz3XtBvdIqqLEvH5iJuswQlS1EwHN2qQQtqHS0GkqSpiWyu1q5Zh8kkweRlIHEx_EC0hyphenhyphen5AssH5zrOeHNdCiY6RXjA2mw2E1nUwVmaIQ-KfGl6HZ5POV8ONFXQ/s400/Brand%2527s+Bay-7719.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brands Bay</td></tr>
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<br />Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-61602779794635830942019-01-02T14:44:00.001-08:002019-01-02T14:50:15.031-08:00Urban Birding1st January 2019<br />
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1144">
I kicked of the year with some urban birding for my Poole Harbour Year list.</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1137">
Started off at Baiter were I saw.</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1146">
Sandwich Tern x 1</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1136">
Great Northern Diver x 1</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1135">
Goldeneye x 3</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1134">
Great Crested Grebes x 4</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1133">
Brent Geese</div>
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Oystercatchers</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1132">
Redshanks</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1131">
Dunlin</div>
<div>
Turnstones</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1152">
these were the highlights</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOKeNZSpkEDa5Wvycaf2geHCctu1PS8tOuwbtJU5VIigHNymf79BpG_O3VqTTWhNCYJmBkREOr7QTqNAhsJam-u5G47ryIYmmKQilG86ud52W-EzbemtG2dUnC3MMcgEtodBdl0l10Vs/s1600/DSC02929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOKeNZSpkEDa5Wvycaf2geHCctu1PS8tOuwbtJU5VIigHNymf79BpG_O3VqTTWhNCYJmBkREOr7QTqNAhsJam-u5G47ryIYmmKQilG86ud52W-EzbemtG2dUnC3MMcgEtodBdl0l10Vs/s400/DSC02929.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Northern Diver</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXE0cR1C4mm7FpEmxL_Pg0pFnkdgW34ThurMM4qoOjmSu90za2IVsWtAkj42pWWg77TNQPrieDpS4bmC4KH_87DdQUZTEUh4k10Gq7RZrtiRupbp2vqtdw8DwhfI5K6uiz7Pef9Y__eng/s1600/DSC02930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXE0cR1C4mm7FpEmxL_Pg0pFnkdgW34ThurMM4qoOjmSu90za2IVsWtAkj42pWWg77TNQPrieDpS4bmC4KH_87DdQUZTEUh4k10Gq7RZrtiRupbp2vqtdw8DwhfI5K6uiz7Pef9Y__eng/s400/DSC02930.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Northern Diver diving</td></tr>
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<div>
Then I moved on to Poole Park for the Mandarin which I found on the small pond by the station and cafe.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5jyhk_ZJohmk9dqTg7gkNuF9-88ncftw9c_hhQlLuAwHmzrwJP8NRhjUuoeqK4to6bUAqF33M1bvaTm5o2sw2x0aMSf1bwJZxFzzDpilG3ClRXATs6GTzWKOylSt8p4lEdKvQiEoAZQ/s1600/DSC02935+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1600" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5jyhk_ZJohmk9dqTg7gkNuF9-88ncftw9c_hhQlLuAwHmzrwJP8NRhjUuoeqK4to6bUAqF33M1bvaTm5o2sw2x0aMSf1bwJZxFzzDpilG3ClRXATs6GTzWKOylSt8p4lEdKvQiEoAZQ/s400/DSC02935+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1130">
Also here</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1153">
Little Egret</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1154">
Little Grebe</div>
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Tufted Duck</div>
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Greylag Geese<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-W1mXhj_noVQ7FMErrTgpXTAG1hJ-zrc_o238HDHwuMS0J8djmX535vjM-gqs6Aos0DRMTsGuO4e66vGDcpvCPOAlWGNlauQPgoUC26b3S8LTzFRQkfHVT1lCN8hSj4ggEPfIX5isUI/s1600/DSC02931+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-W1mXhj_noVQ7FMErrTgpXTAG1hJ-zrc_o238HDHwuMS0J8djmX535vjM-gqs6Aos0DRMTsGuO4e66vGDcpvCPOAlWGNlauQPgoUC26b3S8LTzFRQkfHVT1lCN8hSj4ggEPfIX5isUI/s400/DSC02931+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drake Mandarin</td></tr>
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<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1155">
I
followed this up with a trip to Holes Bay/Upton CP one of the best
parts of the morning with stacks of Wigeon I would of thought there was
about C300<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyt3FeBBKLWh17eij61xBuKO07Dc-yit0xCkfecjr75mL5dUiMejyOmRFIQIpgT614RfJ20AkmEApZ4PIc5wh1-hVTI2xilMwiB3wkT3oYxoa0KPUk1E-MdxVdU3TksYb76QmME4YY81Q/s1600/DSC02936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyt3FeBBKLWh17eij61xBuKO07Dc-yit0xCkfecjr75mL5dUiMejyOmRFIQIpgT614RfJ20AkmEApZ4PIc5wh1-hVTI2xilMwiB3wkT3oYxoa0KPUk1E-MdxVdU3TksYb76QmME4YY81Q/s400/DSC02936.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wigeon</td></tr>
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<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1156">
and C200 Dunlin and C100 Redshank and it was wonderful to watch these wheeling about over the bay, watching from the cycle path.</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1157">
Also
here I found 8 Avocet, Shelducks, more Oystercatchers at least four
Pintail, Teal and Shoveler and by the stone bench a large group of
Black-tailed Godwits and Curlew.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8O8FOOZqwnd-hRo4vD4YJwyO4x_cEOsmj2XaR7Af_VRRRgIseJQoSKZ7Jk3mKijeSy4EFMitXvOmBJh-ZdHxM4G2lM-_7kX86xOjtWdOXC8jKdXCzAZypQvXvAoYp9a0zpn59luAAATE/s1600/DSC02938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8O8FOOZqwnd-hRo4vD4YJwyO4x_cEOsmj2XaR7Af_VRRRgIseJQoSKZ7Jk3mKijeSy4EFMitXvOmBJh-ZdHxM4G2lM-_7kX86xOjtWdOXC8jKdXCzAZypQvXvAoYp9a0zpn59luAAATE/s400/DSC02938.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHt1XHuujEX68p3Br90JzoLyKOJkY8i4wcb1ooHmf397TAKjaWVMm9DYJVjCpvFESFTYvIwy39MThbcy0_DgpgCz_z_-UZOOK5QqvqDW55qr-NXbgpq_TjnJG_LrP1Bxb11Vv6vCaH48/s1600/DSC02937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHt1XHuujEX68p3Br90JzoLyKOJkY8i4wcb1ooHmf397TAKjaWVMm9DYJVjCpvFESFTYvIwy39MThbcy0_DgpgCz_z_-UZOOK5QqvqDW55qr-NXbgpq_TjnJG_LrP1Bxb11Vv6vCaH48/s400/DSC02937.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleeping Wigeon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRAD3mlyMfj5whYS16CVrlPPjf668qb2APS0V4sWxD8WWsnvvF9L3vnUzjONhuhF8vSSax8-HXtFk-bFX8qloCITnBpgeoFtuNw7s1NuucJhv6eqL6rUVlZza4ZYwgeJx07a387NzWnU/s1600/DSC02939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRAD3mlyMfj5whYS16CVrlPPjf668qb2APS0V4sWxD8WWsnvvF9L3vnUzjONhuhF8vSSax8-HXtFk-bFX8qloCITnBpgeoFtuNw7s1NuucJhv6eqL6rUVlZza4ZYwgeJx07a387NzWnU/s400/DSC02939.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holes Bay looking towards the twin Sails bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrAfpkHtN7uFXY3X57NqnIjRxSwVshlrWUiBo_VIVXDYw6yaG-EAeVnO6EdHW9ZIAXNAUFFOvJPDxgimXR4nffyfAwubUaz72h7qyuPUy1rmxbSQLIKFzzCC0Nbj1guxPau3dN5waws00/s1600/DSC02940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrAfpkHtN7uFXY3X57NqnIjRxSwVshlrWUiBo_VIVXDYw6yaG-EAeVnO6EdHW9ZIAXNAUFFOvJPDxgimXR4nffyfAwubUaz72h7qyuPUy1rmxbSQLIKFzzCC0Nbj1guxPau3dN5waws00/s400/DSC02940.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking toward Poole Town</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvCX0C9AL_JnjDb0ZmJRBtl2jgq1ZQON1orwVzdzNHxkI_IBMmCRk4t1rcWAmeF0S-7mPsdg8o1PtsROrWQmrLE4tiKj3RmBL0iD05qEMrKQutJBTV8Ki5zhQrzgjvDGIHcDT_pDZxDw/s1600/DSC02941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvCX0C9AL_JnjDb0ZmJRBtl2jgq1ZQON1orwVzdzNHxkI_IBMmCRk4t1rcWAmeF0S-7mPsdg8o1PtsROrWQmrLE4tiKj3RmBL0iD05qEMrKQutJBTV8Ki5zhQrzgjvDGIHcDT_pDZxDw/s400/DSC02941.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Wigeon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhPALyEv5mcNP4f_yvVLq3i6tl2ZZ5nM3BcAj8_HADQtX9oIyrJ2bjP0pbGXUB93chC1HU6LNlcU6zkqmwKD9cXUsY0D7vJgLalP7jnziwUnd_6m7xJxMhHO9X1Ioc91Gw9OdAlumVZk/s1600/DSC02943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhPALyEv5mcNP4f_yvVLq3i6tl2ZZ5nM3BcAj8_HADQtX9oIyrJ2bjP0pbGXUB93chC1HU6LNlcU6zkqmwKD9cXUsY0D7vJgLalP7jnziwUnd_6m7xJxMhHO9X1Ioc91Gw9OdAlumVZk/s400/DSC02943.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Twin Sails Bridge</td></tr>
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<div>
I then moved on to Hatch Pond but there was not much here a part from 17 Snipe on the cut reed bed.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGjTZfm2cCB5E6ZsgfeI2tEdiK59GSFbBRKwn2LgRhp7JEuU04uj_YuH3BCN3od311c-TpF40l9VokWb5pWDWSvHrZv6hy2GPopsVkkZd62Wn2b6hOOLd0t3NB8pIKvbcIkxMtcf872s/s1600/DSC02944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGjTZfm2cCB5E6ZsgfeI2tEdiK59GSFbBRKwn2LgRhp7JEuU04uj_YuH3BCN3od311c-TpF40l9VokWb5pWDWSvHrZv6hy2GPopsVkkZd62Wn2b6hOOLd0t3NB8pIKvbcIkxMtcf872s/s400/DSC02944.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of 17 Snipe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
By this time the call of Longham Lakes was to great to resist and I head over to my local patch</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1159">
were
I saw the Great Egret still in resident on the large island along with a
few Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted Ducks and a group of 50 Pochard on South
lake and a group of 30 Pochard on North Lake.</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1160">
Then
I found what I thought was a Red-crested Pochard by the large island in
South Lake, but with only ever seeing on male Red-crested Pochard
before in full male Plumage this one through me of a bit. It looked like
a RC Pochard expect the breast area was not the glossy black and the
back was a greyish flat brown and the flanks a mix of greyish brown and
white, like when a tufted duck is in eclipse type plumage. The head was
large and orange colour with a black hind neck, the bill was a croal
redish colour and the eye was red. </div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1171">
A 1st winter male Red-crested Pochard? Attached a couple of picture of the bird asleep.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2syf7reAJ1hk6JwaaL876LxuXcqwQ62ohM_UfP21ewSqj6N7BOFm7l4WSOdyrcyDZxdjWV1KCT06_baZbYoQGFXJSE_VU7VJz41Jt27daLqrPNgZyLf55SCiNno9yGp-TdzDHz2ikQHE/s1600/DSC02947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2syf7reAJ1hk6JwaaL876LxuXcqwQ62ohM_UfP21ewSqj6N7BOFm7l4WSOdyrcyDZxdjWV1KCT06_baZbYoQGFXJSE_VU7VJz41Jt27daLqrPNgZyLf55SCiNno9yGp-TdzDHz2ikQHE/s400/DSC02947.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possible Red-crested Pochard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAXExf-pV2PUvSVeAlv6lAwb91TZcBYK9Ek-uvN-y2O8P7THzCfhaDgRFEoRDt_qbyPZO34a-CH0d7ODZswuYvmFAPgkSPE98BJm9JEQZR0kElZLlDh1HHZ0c9HbMO05MiBGmTBan66Y/s1600/DSC02948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAXExf-pV2PUvSVeAlv6lAwb91TZcBYK9Ek-uvN-y2O8P7THzCfhaDgRFEoRDt_qbyPZO34a-CH0d7ODZswuYvmFAPgkSPE98BJm9JEQZR0kElZLlDh1HHZ0c9HbMO05MiBGmTBan66Y/s400/DSC02948.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">another of the possible Red-crested Pochard</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1170">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1161">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1169">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1168">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1167">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_15_0_2_1546383143892_1166">
<br /></div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-2844988171193666762018-12-31T10:35:00.002-08:002018-12-31T10:59:34.574-08:00The Eve of a New ProjectI have decided to fire up my old Blog as I have planned a new project for 2019 a Poole Harbour Bird list using the the recording area as defined by the map on https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/interactive-map<br />
At the same time I am going to donate 20p per bird I see to the https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/ for any one of there projects they will be running.<br />
I am going to kick off the year on the 1st January with a spot of urban birding a round Poole then if I have time I will nip over to my other patch Longham Lakes, it is going to be interesting how I am going to juggle my patch watching and my new project but I will give it ago.<br />
If anyone reads the blog please leave some comments and encouragement to help me keep the blog going.Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-53521092884585947822017-09-16T12:00:00.007-07:002017-09-16T12:00:56.553-07:00The American SearchOn Tuesday 12th September I had arranged to take my son to RSPB Radipole to see if we could get is first sighting of a Bearded Tit. Just before we were about to leave I received a tweet from a fellow birder Mark Andrews informing me that a Grey Phalarope was currently on Longham South Lake. This is a bird the breeds in Iceland and the high Arctic and as role reversal with female much bright coloured and after breeding leaves all the work for the male bird to incubate the eggs and rear the chick. So being a bird I had not seen before and only the 2nd since September 2009 I delayed our departure and headed of to see the bird. It was a lovely little bird though a bit distant and being a small bird was hard to get a shot of but I managed a couple of phone scope record shots<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8k6N-pIs7Jm6NulYUcFKrOGFl_xc8HrrAQpWzxifl3zh5fDBFVH5XNSHhR8FqfKakuLC9UklxpZGqirsAw0XSukMVCuIg1v769kRlqq2q-I6rIpDB7w-KBcs8Rfa3j0vADUQRC4DTCBE/s1600/GREY+PHALAROPE1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="797" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8k6N-pIs7Jm6NulYUcFKrOGFl_xc8HrrAQpWzxifl3zh5fDBFVH5XNSHhR8FqfKakuLC9UklxpZGqirsAw0XSukMVCuIg1v769kRlqq2q-I6rIpDB7w-KBcs8Rfa3j0vADUQRC4DTCBE/s400/GREY+PHALAROPE1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey Phalarope</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFj8BFWpl6GotIyQgzxg-eYOuUDismRJTQcthDMUs0kekXwRiTA2C7U4cp-tQJkQnCZcVC1h1dsdr_Ix2A1YTtZllQx9tEH7t3YI_B5DS40jcbtqOOVzefEzGIWyFBzeeSkoWZhqihLIw/s1600/Grey+Phalarope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="884" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFj8BFWpl6GotIyQgzxg-eYOuUDismRJTQcthDMUs0kekXwRiTA2C7U4cp-tQJkQnCZcVC1h1dsdr_Ix2A1YTtZllQx9tEH7t3YI_B5DS40jcbtqOOVzefEzGIWyFBzeeSkoWZhqihLIw/s400/Grey+Phalarope.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey Phalarope</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After this I shot back home picked my son up and headed of to RSPB Radipole, knowing that two rare North Amercian birds were present at Lodmoor. We got to Radipole and walked round the Buddila loop and down to the north screen hoping to pick up the beardie but this was not to be. So after a spot of lunch I decided we should go to Lodmoor to see the rare waders and we might just pick up a Bearded Tit there in the reed bed. As we arrived at the parking spot a birder was just walking back to is car so I asked it the Stilt Sandpiper and Least Sandpiper were still about, but the news was good and bad as he told me the the Stilt had just flown due to being spooked by a helicopter but the Least was still about and there was some Bearded Tits in the reed bed We mad our way through the reeds and caught a glimpse of a bird flying from stem to stem. I made my way round to the shelter by the hump were there was a lot of people so not much room. We managed to squeeze in and just about see the Least Sandpiper through the scrub! We made our way back to the reed bed,but stopped by two benches and managed to get good scope views of the Least Sandpiper which I was pleased with even though it was distant. While standing here I noticed a large crowd on the other side of the reserve . We made our way quickly to the reed bed were we waited a while to see it we could get better views of a Bearded Tit, one called very loudly then flew across the path in front of us a new bird for my son. On arriving round at the other side I inquired if the Stilt sand was still about,the answer that came back was not the on I wanted "its just flown over to the west side mate" just were we had come from! Never mind I thought as it was now time to head home I could come back in the week. <br />
<br />
Friday 15th I went down to Lodmoor in the morning hoping to catch up with the Stilt
Sandpiper. But that was not to be as I was told it had just flown again! to the
middle as of the reserve, like others spent the next two hours looking
and hoping it would show. In the mean time I had very nice views ( much better than Tuesdays sighting) of the Least Stint a very
interesting bird it was nice to see it next to Ringed Plovers and Dunlin
which looked rather big against the stint.<br />
<div id="ygrps-yiv-1213367193yMail_cursorElementTracker_1505498251987">
As
the other sandpiper was not showing I headed off to Portland were I got
some nice views of my 1st Wryneck a wonderful well camouflaged bird in
the grass bank to the right of the obs quarry. But no Buff Breasted
Sandpiper as asking around it had not been seen since early morning.
So back to Lodmoor and still no Stilt Sandpiper, apparently after 5hrs one of the
birders there told me., at this point I decided to go back to Longham
Lakes for the early in the morning I had a tweet to tell me a Little Stint was showing. Arrived at Longham in the late afternoon and with some luck it was still there and with the
least still fresh in my mind if was good to see the Litter Stint and
compare the details. Both look different but the same if you get what I
mean . The legs were strikingly different with the least having a pale
straw looking colour the the legs and the little dark/ black legs and
the least having a brighter richer colour to the upper parts than the
little . A White Wagtails and Yellow made for a nice distraction at
Lomoor.</div>
<div id="ygrps-yiv-1213367193yMail_cursorElementTracker_1505498251987">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGRtBBiZNABDHhFWbpQHfbmRPyKSYogt1r87DweR29jwz_PuN4UmzqCsVjr2ExsgHSmSsz1NZLf_9Q70Tw46CDo50xjfe5v5Lpc1zI_fAmzwrty7jezJnf_iZZcRi47mBAF9P7RpeWak/s1600/Wryneck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="997" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGRtBBiZNABDHhFWbpQHfbmRPyKSYogt1r87DweR29jwz_PuN4UmzqCsVjr2ExsgHSmSsz1NZLf_9Q70Tw46CDo50xjfe5v5Lpc1zI_fAmzwrty7jezJnf_iZZcRi47mBAF9P7RpeWak/s400/Wryneck.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Record phonescoped shot of a Wryneck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-84368596864493344962017-07-05T14:30:00.001-07:002017-07-05T14:30:39.556-07:00Something Different<div style="text-align: center;">
A Budding Moth-er</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have been meaning to do a blog about Something Different but never seem to have find the time before now.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Back at the earlier part of June I commented on some very nice pictures of moth on my Twitter feed and stated that moth trapping would be something I would like ago at one day as it seemed very interesting . </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Little did I know that little sentence would lead me down in to a very absobing hobby, I started off thanks to a fellow Twitter follower and Dorset bird Mark Andrews ( Thank you Mark) you kindly lent me is Skinner Moth Trap and some small pots and a field guide. He came over one evening to show me how to set everything up and just looking through the field I was surprised how nice some of the moths looked. While sitting in the garden talk moths Mark spotted a moth on the house was under the bench , Mark quickly potted up the moth and showed me how to use the field guide and my first garden moth was a very worn and faded Green Carpet.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vqGOKDWYHUPSGf2seuJIBLKUlTgiWhGfIiJoJ6P0lVDzkuS64RRpgaYWmJwPNVMqP0zKxYr9JezFcNKwm1JvW_b6ZwAmQ97YJ3xco9NbkNH_6FdsLhjlsrkVCNHJwy7uq0AQq-9OOis/s1600/Robinson+Light+Trap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vqGOKDWYHUPSGf2seuJIBLKUlTgiWhGfIiJoJ6P0lVDzkuS64RRpgaYWmJwPNVMqP0zKxYr9JezFcNKwm1JvW_b6ZwAmQ97YJ3xco9NbkNH_6FdsLhjlsrkVCNHJwy7uq0AQq-9OOis/s400/Robinson+Light+Trap.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robinson Light trap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2Fuov1PYihpmcXGRrehZO6Gx4oNcrVS73emIXt_x64KCjqTdttO4ZBBHshn_LZXNXOGtmVUi9dRFSWZyE2YibCDO2lWRoQ5K8_gEPFzQbbj4KsD-ElAcuC2uzRQhixQs_9f6yi5farQ/s1600/Skinner+light+Trap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="954" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2Fuov1PYihpmcXGRrehZO6Gx4oNcrVS73emIXt_x64KCjqTdttO4ZBBHshn_LZXNXOGtmVUi9dRFSWZyE2YibCDO2lWRoQ5K8_gEPFzQbbj4KsD-ElAcuC2uzRQhixQs_9f6yi5farQ/s400/Skinner+light+Trap.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The light that started it all </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguoh_GbCxshnX4IIbKFZZ_uw1LjuJcbHS9yVyypo2YludLOTqYsoeOgcsyj0Zxs2VeKZ7hAb985nHciepwgM6Kfjt0n9bQJObRoHPf3aAacq4PE1QHZDMb4K_EK-iCZp7tFVE4wc5XOvY/s1600/Green+Carpet+faded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1132" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguoh_GbCxshnX4IIbKFZZ_uw1LjuJcbHS9yVyypo2YludLOTqYsoeOgcsyj0Zxs2VeKZ7hAb985nHciepwgM6Kfjt0n9bQJObRoHPf3aAacq4PE1QHZDMb4K_EK-iCZp7tFVE4wc5XOvY/s400/Green+Carpet+faded.jpg" width="376" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faded Green Carpet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So on the 10th June I set up the light and went to bed wondering what will be in the trap I woke up early on the Sunday excited to see what I had caught over night . There was not many which was not a bad thing for my very first go which helped as I I was not over whelmed with trying to find the IDs in the book. These were Riband Wave, Treble Brown Spot,Willow Beauty,Bee Moth and Heart and Dart.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
After this I could hardly wait to set up the light again specially after reading through the field guide and looking at all the wonderful moth with in. So on the 14th June it was back out in the garden for the night and once again I had that exciting feeling of what will the night yield. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It is amazing what I have discovered that is or could be flying round the garden on any given night.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrRHa2V3IqQg_Jggog5vxlbQhgKK397dRPkxOC6QbL6G3a98HtsjLeZrD9TbaxWoNWEL5pLHk1kDanj2KXQOhr9432gODcq5Gi1kcqw459CelThPrgLmTTn1EFjt5hutqy5yugjq99Eg/s1600/Heart+and+Dart-1217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrRHa2V3IqQg_Jggog5vxlbQhgKK397dRPkxOC6QbL6G3a98HtsjLeZrD9TbaxWoNWEL5pLHk1kDanj2KXQOhr9432gODcq5Gi1kcqw459CelThPrgLmTTn1EFjt5hutqy5yugjq99Eg/s400/Heart+and+Dart-1217.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heart and Dart</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZdHsXPc5e2jwPctV4ch6ARvqF4sUgGfdKgMHgnij_bNomwxRQgkgAV43DZRwnpIAKkxWLWFtGmIV5UMHrX9d2T43cJlxComE7xTleTpzws4GmkiTtjcZWBA4KwwnA7ddxoX2P4Ku-oY/s1600/Moth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZdHsXPc5e2jwPctV4ch6ARvqF4sUgGfdKgMHgnij_bNomwxRQgkgAV43DZRwnpIAKkxWLWFtGmIV5UMHrX9d2T43cJlxComE7xTleTpzws4GmkiTtjcZWBA4KwwnA7ddxoX2P4Ku-oY/s400/Moth.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willow \beauty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From those first few nights I was totally hooked on moths and whated to get myself a light trap so once again I put out Tweet asking if any body would know were I could get hold of a second moth trap from as I was very interested in obtaining one. Twitter can be a wonderful place at times as it was not long before I had a reply back from Nature Of Dorset ( Peter ) stating that he had a trap if I would like it, after a few emails late I went of to Peter's and picked up and wonderful moth trap.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Thanks to Peter I have also enjoyed many new moths in this trap. Thank you Peter, Iam certainly enjoying the the light trap.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Since starting this wonderful hobby I have so far gained 32 new species of moth for the garden and it is truly amazing to see these moth close up some of the details and colours are just a nice and perhaps a little better than some of the butterflies.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So here are a few of the moth that have been in my garden.</div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8BGOB855cKZR8YHda2YQGgCOMled31YuoWFPVs-Rf7DAhnCzsqoxX-dQ8fs7z_qk-a8EhC3R0YPdzWAx7GL2iobMbBbndsLf59I-Mo8PqhDl-mtf9l8gmIyUiwRlHHhMwM9NBCVjTdE/s1600/Barred+Straw-1220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8BGOB855cKZR8YHda2YQGgCOMled31YuoWFPVs-Rf7DAhnCzsqoxX-dQ8fs7z_qk-a8EhC3R0YPdzWAx7GL2iobMbBbndsLf59I-Mo8PqhDl-mtf9l8gmIyUiwRlHHhMwM9NBCVjTdE/s400/Barred+Straw-1220.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barred Straw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjlLzbjh81xjC2gJHZ-07kn8AlDAczayX3iCCo5Ff8PCig4ZD5rDFSLT0T8num8u0u5PLwULf9C-dayyzNioVMLuYOHxMHLkWei_ebp9fuP4o2XZ0iRieTGfhye6EMG7zbRToCCEq-aE/s1600/Buff+Arches-1364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjlLzbjh81xjC2gJHZ-07kn8AlDAczayX3iCCo5Ff8PCig4ZD5rDFSLT0T8num8u0u5PLwULf9C-dayyzNioVMLuYOHxMHLkWei_ebp9fuP4o2XZ0iRieTGfhye6EMG7zbRToCCEq-aE/s400/Buff+Arches-1364.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buff Arches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUC48dFpagKjA6xTVyKx-aCnPF0lNjxpB6r3Wc_9iMw1sAq3QBrPnQz_MRU1Q-bfZ0SmaW8yKmkCLucgqnPT_M38cmpud4e90sAwrZe2wsoigvu9JGo8LzaqF-JtMGgvwy7OEVUXii0k/s1600/Buff+Ermine+male-1360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUC48dFpagKjA6xTVyKx-aCnPF0lNjxpB6r3Wc_9iMw1sAq3QBrPnQz_MRU1Q-bfZ0SmaW8yKmkCLucgqnPT_M38cmpud4e90sAwrZe2wsoigvu9JGo8LzaqF-JtMGgvwy7OEVUXii0k/s400/Buff+Ermine+male-1360.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Buff Ermine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAk6ksxSIwxRJXV2KDeKq_9lGj0FHoZZHMegF7Wc0PLBQVCOwF282Sldc8YX07ieE8FAWMXQe2mbAmwMAgM7IfmwOgurvkHDOdHEnx5aruq4Eu3iqlqfjQhyphenhyphen9f1WxqWosxqMRQ6vlGADs/s1600/Buff-tip-1401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAk6ksxSIwxRJXV2KDeKq_9lGj0FHoZZHMegF7Wc0PLBQVCOwF282Sldc8YX07ieE8FAWMXQe2mbAmwMAgM7IfmwOgurvkHDOdHEnx5aruq4Eu3iqlqfjQhyphenhyphen9f1WxqWosxqMRQ6vlGADs/s400/Buff-tip-1401.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buff Tip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6zqTtfeLXDWd_JghoX82nDDIDkCSthXHwkrnYCkdFDAvH1hG1M4jl1CMxkqcQkPu1PbmYdPLQrefdsQ8kUu2qvYqXsTaboc4FFqqhie0doI77dxZDQl-Vadsm5KU6Bjb690ciAZCSvs/s1600/Elephant+Hawk-moth2-1274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6zqTtfeLXDWd_JghoX82nDDIDkCSthXHwkrnYCkdFDAvH1hG1M4jl1CMxkqcQkPu1PbmYdPLQrefdsQ8kUu2qvYqXsTaboc4FFqqhie0doI77dxZDQl-Vadsm5KU6Bjb690ciAZCSvs/s400/Elephant+Hawk-moth2-1274.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant Hawk-Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCfiK4_I1jzknpjbmhNXwtJnq94uz8HevKJmfwvggSa36Z5xfhdW6VMxM-ED0YfbGoqYXVbYAtlQFuqgfi9qq0LYLz4ElkfobzykJJCA6TTDRSJf2g2fm4Bab0yjgfzDgFQsMi5hokYA/s1600/Plain+Golden+Y-1224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCfiK4_I1jzknpjbmhNXwtJnq94uz8HevKJmfwvggSa36Z5xfhdW6VMxM-ED0YfbGoqYXVbYAtlQFuqgfi9qq0LYLz4ElkfobzykJJCA6TTDRSJf2g2fm4Bab0yjgfzDgFQsMi5hokYA/s400/Plain+Golden+Y-1224.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plain Golden Y</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_CI7p7gnAT9FTOwpfxHjkat737wcErc_STwiPIw07CXZt2IY_XMpS78OHZ-zRKAnOx89WrwB2pG_FP-eor4fHuomaXMSG5GxzkXfSKrEzyDXBnXAL6nSm6PZ_VzeM4-6XH2rfVyOHeI/s1600/Poplar+Hawk-Moth-1320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_CI7p7gnAT9FTOwpfxHjkat737wcErc_STwiPIw07CXZt2IY_XMpS78OHZ-zRKAnOx89WrwB2pG_FP-eor4fHuomaXMSG5GxzkXfSKrEzyDXBnXAL6nSm6PZ_VzeM4-6XH2rfVyOHeI/s400/Poplar+Hawk-Moth-1320.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poplar Hawk-Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrOO1h8ypiB83SgPYEJ32JxJFM5HBol9UbHUl36wjVy-p8OPBnGuWrawG5q-kYA9FoDd7KW2kkJu7TEzns3CSm-yLcxBxkJ2oWuqnF1RL2K3umJDVQuMH3YYf_Hzg4-jQCFmc7a5EGng/s1600/Small+Magpie-1309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrOO1h8ypiB83SgPYEJ32JxJFM5HBol9UbHUl36wjVy-p8OPBnGuWrawG5q-kYA9FoDd7KW2kkJu7TEzns3CSm-yLcxBxkJ2oWuqnF1RL2K3umJDVQuMH3YYf_Hzg4-jQCFmc7a5EGng/s400/Small+Magpie-1309.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Magpie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-I8Uyr6m-fuoq5K8iw25M91ExAgopsIGRqBdqVV3WYLpUQ1nwGumO8BExU-ZEnbxdzB1Er88iMHKL24EiWx2fS0ftC4k9Tv7eBZksWZG-E5wfUAVcj5b1Uo8UGRCtr52udVEuT0OAC4/s1600/Green+Pug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1027" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-I8Uyr6m-fuoq5K8iw25M91ExAgopsIGRqBdqVV3WYLpUQ1nwGumO8BExU-ZEnbxdzB1Er88iMHKL24EiWx2fS0ftC4k9Tv7eBZksWZG-E5wfUAVcj5b1Uo8UGRCtr52udVEuT0OAC4/s400/Green+Pug.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Pug</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwGWYt17EWcSk6dPpxJLAKDJx-3OlPnda7mk39HajdNnbCRbqjNphwIzCk0SST9Z7eX7qAwE5fYUjIhAJxWPfY668cw9Jc7GJHzfQQRVku4_xkZui8IsGdrYckSf_ixSX_y1xzZ92KXY/s1600/Sliver+Y-1293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwGWYt17EWcSk6dPpxJLAKDJx-3OlPnda7mk39HajdNnbCRbqjNphwIzCk0SST9Z7eX7qAwE5fYUjIhAJxWPfY668cw9Jc7GJHzfQQRVku4_xkZui8IsGdrYckSf_ixSX_y1xzZ92KXY/s400/Sliver+Y-1293.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sliver Y</td></tr>
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<br />Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-29665243001071784862017-05-21T08:24:00.000-07:002017-05-21T08:24:16.186-07:00Longham Patch 18th May 2017While at work I was contemplating whether to go down to Portland in the evening to see if I could catch up with the Golden Oriole that was reported the day before. But news of one turning up near Corfe Castle and with the weather starting to turn for the worst, I decided not to go to Portland as I thought the bird had moved on and it was not wise to travel after work in the pouring rain just for a may be there bird.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzxE-0KG_z7vywZkMdf84cl4fouAN2rWjVO7EWUb167_feegkmCeDdayY8pUYmcQlwl40to_SOSVCL3vcSBJg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
On the way home from work it chucked it down and I began to wonder if the weather had grounded any birds at Longham. I arrived at the lakes round about 18.00 hrs and soon found the Bonaparte's Gull on North Lake after take a few pictures and a video of the bird as it is quickly moult in to its summer black hood. I moved on up along the causeway and round South Lake hoping for some new birds but everywhere seemed very quiet and it did not bode well with the Ducks canoeist group just about to go on the water. At this point while on the west side of the lake I noticed to little ducks swim out of the reeds and to my surprise it was a wonderful pair of Garganey and male and female. For those that read my blog and do not know about these wonderful little ducks. They are roughly the (37-41cm) same size Teal perhaps a little bigger. They are a rare summer migrant from sub-Sarharan Africa with less than a hundred or so pairs that arrive to breed. It was very nice to see a pair together as I have only seem males by them selves and a lone female at this little inland wet land site in May expect last year when I either missed them or which I think is most likely one never turned up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8OFgq3ncm-qQ8XkEZnRBiYLboGrXV0xslkF2QEISrIVi-NQJA0mUxAK1ROWXAVp7RrLZZT_vAXnhmP6S_nwz9hlHJBVLi_jqnQBwlVxHabnJ4qVLE6IdQUGewxdRtyREP-XH5szcppo/s1600/+Garganey+Male-00317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8OFgq3ncm-qQ8XkEZnRBiYLboGrXV0xslkF2QEISrIVi-NQJA0mUxAK1ROWXAVp7RrLZZT_vAXnhmP6S_nwz9hlHJBVLi_jqnQBwlVxHabnJ4qVLE6IdQUGewxdRtyREP-XH5szcppo/s400/+Garganey+Male-00317.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Garganey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfcIXX2prZpAtaM8-e8wKmXRWxf27u2t5BZ6AM-oJm7hA9L-YiOh-Df2ZiZqpPDWBFRscR2Ki2zRsEXH4CkyhGSbA01KsJzAUuGr8tKBPHXOHG4ElBclxmWOG_Ytm3v0fvAcvWNmQIsc/s1600/Female+Garganey-00308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfcIXX2prZpAtaM8-e8wKmXRWxf27u2t5BZ6AM-oJm7hA9L-YiOh-Df2ZiZqpPDWBFRscR2Ki2zRsEXH4CkyhGSbA01KsJzAUuGr8tKBPHXOHG4ElBclxmWOG_Ytm3v0fvAcvWNmQIsc/s400/Female+Garganey-00308.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Garganey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbwfkEafXleJqF3WeFg_xJdbYYsWCvDr356LMkB72b7z0b2BdXtSmbh7c77cvKbrGSviH73Ds6C_aBoqavXSfyNYtXXPP4_kftbsa3HT_2Y5hCHRrLduGHcwE-Su6sGmlJqB4zqY_iAQ/s1600/Grey+Wagtail-00323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbwfkEafXleJqF3WeFg_xJdbYYsWCvDr356LMkB72b7z0b2BdXtSmbh7c77cvKbrGSviH73Ds6C_aBoqavXSfyNYtXXPP4_kftbsa3HT_2Y5hCHRrLduGHcwE-Su6sGmlJqB4zqY_iAQ/s400/Grey+Wagtail-00323.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey Wagtail</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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This Garganey now puts me on 95 species seen at the site and what a nice little duck one of my favourite ducks.Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-79200372493459670092017-05-14T06:11:00.003-07:002017-05-14T06:13:55.627-07:00Longham Patch 13th May 2017I do not now how past springs have been at Longham ,but I am having a very good spring this year.<br />
Last
year doing the Patch Work Challenge i finished the year on 96 species,
by the end of the first quarter this year (January - April ) I was on 89
species with 63 of those species found in January alone.<br />
Though
April - May top the bill with finding a Nuthatch my first for the site,
then finding a wonderful male Whinchat followed up with two lifers with
the Bonaparte's Gull and Red-rumped Swallow . One stunning Dunlin in
summer/breeding plumage.<br />
Then today I find a lovely Bar-tailed
Godwit, still in its winter/none breeding plumage on the large island in
South Lake. My first for the site and looking through the Bird List and
Past Records on Dominic's web site <a data-rapid_p="3" href="http://www.birdwords.co.uk/" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1494767210591_1139" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.birdwords.co.uk</a> it looks to be only the 2nd record since 1st May 2007.<br />
I
am really getting in to this patching watching now and as I sit here
typing this I am wondering what if any birds I could be missing at the
site,and I am missing some good birds to at my other favourite place
Lytchett Fields,but I feel I am becoming part of Longham Lakes and want
to be there all the time, the wife thinks I am daft and becoming
obsessed but who cares birds are just wonderful and exciting . What will the Autumn passage bring?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBHWhW8nwupOtu9AKJu2W0jQqn5LeBu91cFtqP9dJmPMdgWwLbYQd7sMQRdOoWGJ03x-DMk3lDd3Ah04XHbQe6gzehNbAMaxvF-BZjElUfX5es2JQtYVcr_vN7OeEWhngnyJJ-kKkbm4/s1600/Bar-tailed+Godwit+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBHWhW8nwupOtu9AKJu2W0jQqn5LeBu91cFtqP9dJmPMdgWwLbYQd7sMQRdOoWGJ03x-DMk3lDd3Ah04XHbQe6gzehNbAMaxvF-BZjElUfX5es2JQtYVcr_vN7OeEWhngnyJJ-kKkbm4/s400/Bar-tailed+Godwit+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bar-tailed Godwit 2nd record in 10 years!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-31833207505850330632017-05-11T05:36:00.000-07:002017-05-11T05:40:57.566-07:00Longham Patch May 7thJust a short Blog this time as I did not have any time to go birdwatching on the week of the 6th-7th May.<br />
Saturday I spent most of the day doing D I Y stuff and running round shops for various items and in the late afternoon and all evening spent my time in the Poole A&E department with my wife.<br />
<br />
Getting late home from the hospital Saturday night I slept well and was up late on Sunday morning not expecting to do much, expect for doing a large water change on my 4 foot fish tank I was having a lazy morning. That was until I had a Tweet from Darran Jones ( Thanks Darran) a rival ;) birder/competitor of the Patch Work Challenge were we both have a go at seeing as many birds we can at Longham Lake Darren is catching me up slowly but I do have the advantage of being able to get to the site more often and have a scope, though Darran does take some very nice picture and the are a lot better than my efforts.<br />
So when I read is tweet I dropped everything and said to the wife I am going to Longham I have just got to go! As there are certain birds I would like to see at Longham and read 3 Black Terns resting on a buoy on South Lake that was it I was off like shot.<br />
I quickly arrived at the lake and scanned from the slipway and found one of the Terns flying around, see Darran and other birds on the west side of the lake I hastily made my way to them were I had very good views of the Terns resting and hawking over the lake, a few record shots were taken so I made my way along the causeway were I saw the long staying Bonaparte's Gull again on North Lake getting harassed by the Black-head Gull.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wzPdKI7dGMWm-6hpEawngCStBU8KjhJLtjHRMdScgeOSZpQT04nU96qgD65wklnrTau_wnfeCyiy329OkJobrv0hccCoG_45zAaZX0DhorrGpnkUU4W52bgC6ObxXeuIfigz-Vea99c/s1600/Black+Tern-1172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wzPdKI7dGMWm-6hpEawngCStBU8KjhJLtjHRMdScgeOSZpQT04nU96qgD65wklnrTau_wnfeCyiy329OkJobrv0hccCoG_45zAaZX0DhorrGpnkUU4W52bgC6ObxXeuIfigz-Vea99c/s400/Black+Tern-1172.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Tern</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyylhrVJx8dI2RCxwvKa5YLIJsHWjUbgq2aK9LlAYlAOvc1ls0ofwuG94C5qyBsVZQ116E9BIgPYZrjnK2BzoSzfEFs4e5Gb9kc0LLDgXP4t_p06FsFLoCxq6-2VB25V6Aw-lOXTHr0U/s1600/Black+Tern-1173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyylhrVJx8dI2RCxwvKa5YLIJsHWjUbgq2aK9LlAYlAOvc1ls0ofwuG94C5qyBsVZQ116E9BIgPYZrjnK2BzoSzfEFs4e5Gb9kc0LLDgXP4t_p06FsFLoCxq6-2VB25V6Aw-lOXTHr0U/s400/Black+Tern-1173.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Tern showing a black head and smokey grey upper parts</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02QlCqfsgkwT12TQkX9adtQ8UUT49fNzcbw1CQ3L5FBaaCd3d1-2qgdPUT9NW4JIcs_Nl0E21KxQzBsJa4TPuAR6UXh-ODDWAIHv8N_-j4ufoYmKYnDIa1yn7MU8wM6zwtt-gvKOeVSo/s1600/Black+Tern-1181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02QlCqfsgkwT12TQkX9adtQ8UUT49fNzcbw1CQ3L5FBaaCd3d1-2qgdPUT9NW4JIcs_Nl0E21KxQzBsJa4TPuAR6UXh-ODDWAIHv8N_-j4ufoYmKYnDIa1yn7MU8wM6zwtt-gvKOeVSo/s400/Black+Tern-1181.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Tern- black under parts contrasting with the smokey grey under wing</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Thanks to Darran tweets these Black Tern brings me up to 93 species for the site this year..Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-79163931170323386732017-05-08T15:01:00.001-07:002017-05-08T15:01:24.766-07:00Longham Patch May 5thDropped in to Longham Lakes after work this afternoon . Lots of shifts
hawking over the causeway whizzing past at eye level and close at times.
Then high I head shifts screaming as they do so looked up expecting a
Hobby, but there was not one about it was a very large group of swift
easily c 200 birds. The best way I can explain what it was like is like
this a large dark mass like when you see a large herring ball on the
documentary programs. All the birds were travelling in a west ward
direction it as spectacular. On the south side of the island two
Shelduck we're a sleep, but the best bird of the afternoon was a
wonderful Osprey that came in from the southeast over south lake. It was
harassed by the gulls so turned drifted over Samuel's Wood and looked
like it was following the river going south southeast? I was quite
excited to see an Osprey over Longham Lakes a site first for me but at
the same time I was annoyed with myself for leaving my SD card of the
Slr in the laptop after down loading the recent pictures I took of the
Bonaparte's Gull, which was still on north lake in the north west corner
of the lake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIWoSsLph_5ARnmFcs4xsUpKND7qkugCsKworlptG2K4C6cbBFP8A8xRlL5OHRkd5PB27_cuBqDMMvGhlrIbEHuyUKHdVqonrBCLDO_0TIY7CBqWgek2wC4adEKPCKi0Kea68hBqzsWg/s1600/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-1122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIWoSsLph_5ARnmFcs4xsUpKND7qkugCsKworlptG2K4C6cbBFP8A8xRlL5OHRkd5PB27_cuBqDMMvGhlrIbEHuyUKHdVqonrBCLDO_0TIY7CBqWgek2wC4adEKPCKi0Kea68hBqzsWg/s400/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-1122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintAVRsw6Fs5Ff0KfxBEop3kWZn2HvGnVJYDql8Qez3PtkYoybZiUizIdo86AiYNHuw1kIA2KNaTX7RxVPPhVMYXFqOgrf6vOUVM7tzRugY7u5NThpMe7LmCYCD-jyNcX8ZRA7ehETWoQ/s1600/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-1133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintAVRsw6Fs5Ff0KfxBEop3kWZn2HvGnVJYDql8Qez3PtkYoybZiUizIdo86AiYNHuw1kIA2KNaTX7RxVPPhVMYXFqOgrf6vOUVM7tzRugY7u5NThpMe7LmCYCD-jyNcX8ZRA7ehETWoQ/s400/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-1133.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the above picture of the Bonaparte's Gull were taken om 3rd May</td></tr>
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<br />Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-52734059478090373932017-04-30T11:44:00.002-07:002017-04-30T14:29:31.685-07:00Longham Patch 22nd/26th/ 27th April 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a few days it as been at my local patch Longham Lakes, the patch is a in land wet land on the south coast ( for those that do not know the place) comprising of two large lakes the North Lake and South Lake with a causeway running east to west between the two and gravel paths going round both lakes, at the west side is the river Stour and Hampreston meadows.<br />
On the 22nd I arrived late at 10.40 at the lakes on a cloudy but with sunny spells hoping for a Wheatear or some migrant that might of dropped in over night. It did not take me long to find 3 Egyptian geese resting on the east side of the large island in South Lake. Walking up the causeway I flushed 3 Common Sandpipers, stopping at the gap in the willow scrub to look over the north side of the island two of the Sandpipers were on the exposed shoreline. I had a pleasant walk round south lake with Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff singing but did not locate anything new and reaching the start of the causeway I paused for a moment. As it was a very nice day and the cloud cover was almost gone I decided to walk back up the causeway and go round the North Lake. That was a very good dession to make as I arrived at the western side of the lake I looked over Hampreston Fields scanning the fence posts and ground for Wheatears or Yellow Wagtails. I noticed a small bird flitting about between fench posts and a patch of bramble, I was expecting it to be a Stonechat but through the binoculars the bird did not fit for a Stonechat. So I got the scope fixed on to the bird and it was a wonderful male Whinchat,these are very rare spring migrants for the patch and I believe it is only the 10th one and the first since 2014.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaqnvYmpH-jOVLZYhrqWIzNCABNFQ-iZ5WISP4dCYreoJtHQ-lKdmDJdneEw1yvj3fdEVSZKI9vvMVL2QCeaJyIJJb_bJH07ciDyar6XOf9Zx6-ilvLW2GHjRudIEUGAKKTGDrSYGTaE/s1600/Whinchat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaqnvYmpH-jOVLZYhrqWIzNCABNFQ-iZ5WISP4dCYreoJtHQ-lKdmDJdneEw1yvj3fdEVSZKI9vvMVL2QCeaJyIJJb_bJH07ciDyar6XOf9Zx6-ilvLW2GHjRudIEUGAKKTGDrSYGTaE/s400/Whinchat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Whinchat</td></tr>
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On the 26th April while at work I checked the BirdGuides app just to see what was about just before going back to work after my lunch break, only to read a Bonaparte's Gull! had been seen a round the north west corner of South Lake so I was kicking myself for not checking the app at the beginning of my lunch break as Longham is only a 5 minute drive depending of traffic from my place of work.<br />
The rest of the afternoon I was thinking do I wait until tomorrow or shoot over after work. 4.30pm could not arrive quick enough and I phoned the wife that I would be late in for tea as I had made up my mind to go after work.Arriving in the car park my heart sank a little as it was empty so I thought the gull had gone, but luckily there were to birders sat on a bench on the west side of South Lake . We searched and searched but not having my scope or my best binoculars with me I was finding difficult with birds out in the middle and towards the south side of the island. Lucky one of the birders had picked up the bird and kindly let me have a view, so I got my 1st distance view of my 1st Bonaparte's<br />
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All day on the 27th I was hoping that the bird would stay until the weekend as I knew I was unable to make my usual Friday afternoon trip. Getting home after work I kept mulling over whether to go back and see if I could obtain a better view of the gull. So after tea I decided that's it I have got to go and boy was that great decision .Arriving to find the car park almost empty apart for a couple of angler's cars I made my way up the causeway scanning North Lake as I went and half way up the causeway I stopped and scanned again with the binoculars , I said to myself is that the bird so I got the scope fixed on to it and yes a wonderful view of the gull. I managed to get a very ropey phone scoped record shot of the bird just before it lifted off the water and watched fly towards me and dropped down behind some reeds. At this point Two birders (Terry Elbon and Mike Gibbons) arrived and I told them gull was just behind the reeds, we moved a little to the right to get a better view along the edge of these and the gull was sitting on one of the small artificial floating islands giving very good views. While the bird was sat on the island I managed again to get a couple of record shots of the bird but the light was not great. An angler started putting in some bait and the the Black-headed Gulls that were settled on the water lifted off and the Bonaparte's joined them give spectacular close flight views.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx6M3EHE_J4B2kWjzCtSelQADDELcSCo6IPcs3J58Lxjf3cbojE1VjPRG2Q1ac0j83AcwiZD97nDfuGWjaAdM67m-43bke6rxeKvKNn409epU7Hh4viLApWWTMn6dm_F3IXfBsRFrZvI/s1600/Bonaparte%2527s+record+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx6M3EHE_J4B2kWjzCtSelQADDELcSCo6IPcs3J58Lxjf3cbojE1VjPRG2Q1ac0j83AcwiZD97nDfuGWjaAdM67m-43bke6rxeKvKNn409epU7Hh4viLApWWTMn6dm_F3IXfBsRFrZvI/s400/Bonaparte%2527s+record+shot.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ropey record shot of Bonaparte's Gull</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcmZDmoxOVDQKYzrhLPyNIU6__7a1vf_NO0-eLIzq1iLjtFzZ_M8sRaT0EYapP-EOYY6V3353P2KKKXa47RJcsAh6R4MXIl0CfS3yQR_nK5SPkdWZmgVBM9VX06fFY5oHSg-s4CL9hyphenhyphenw/s1600/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-00273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcmZDmoxOVDQKYzrhLPyNIU6__7a1vf_NO0-eLIzq1iLjtFzZ_M8sRaT0EYapP-EOYY6V3353P2KKKXa47RJcsAh6R4MXIl0CfS3yQR_nK5SPkdWZmgVBM9VX06fFY5oHSg-s4CL9hyphenhyphenw/s400/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-00273.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gull on the island</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3UG-qMUVGn87tuylFI7ZuF3ZEAwTAN5P0Be3ta_NHwEcUHs2QHFW-w84Jl2GJ_IhbIcXhPqJWV5rQ0Q_ukdSwLto20Hx46tBriudAW4El9-FUvjRuuNbvOnQZyIINwg7m1cyY4ldYQo/s1600/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-00276+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3UG-qMUVGn87tuylFI7ZuF3ZEAwTAN5P0Be3ta_NHwEcUHs2QHFW-w84Jl2GJ_IhbIcXhPqJWV5rQ0Q_ukdSwLto20Hx46tBriudAW4El9-FUvjRuuNbvOnQZyIINwg7m1cyY4ldYQo/s400/Bonaparte%2527s+Gull-00276+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's in poor light</td></tr>
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While the gull was flying a round with the Black-headed Gulls we all lost sight of it and started searching the sky and speculating whether it had gone off to roost somewhere , when Mike Gibbons shouts out Red-rumped Swallow hawking over the causeway, it them promptly flew towards the three of us. Tweets were sent out and slowly a few birders joined use to see the spectal of the Red-rumped Swallow wizing about hawking over the causeway at eye level at times The Red-rumped Swallow is an over shoot from Southern Europe were it comes to breed after spending the winter in tropical Africa . With the many Swallows, Sand Martins and a House Martins along with a couple of Swifts it was not long before a Hobby shot through cuasing a stir. What a carzy, exciting wonderful evening it was with one bird from North America and the other from Southern Europe. It was great to be part of it all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7C_4EJ8lhwzaWJBE2lwV1XbA_SUWf8601l2z5xsIyBw19CitfB2lm2E-bgwOKwkcNdcRNprbcmk8tQlJw-MOGeZfX6qL-rB6JTJ20o5AnFNPKtirN_nkH8d9iyjyF0T17EjBEdcdU1MQ/s1600/Swallow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7C_4EJ8lhwzaWJBE2lwV1XbA_SUWf8601l2z5xsIyBw19CitfB2lm2E-bgwOKwkcNdcRNprbcmk8tQlJw-MOGeZfX6qL-rB6JTJ20o5AnFNPKtirN_nkH8d9iyjyF0T17EjBEdcdU1MQ/s400/Swallow.jpg" width="363" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPADgnJci7iEUxXYtGbVNeuHXhvWqSiIIyk3rKzU5b-w3YeopTkcjV5LAvikuChH1mtI-c4CT7fQch1fkMQg7D9e2n4iLdQmYX1jJDKPNFz7GbheVV09qvEm7kmD2jJU2d-J6DktyZ48/s1600/Sand+Martin-0513+%25281280x853%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPADgnJci7iEUxXYtGbVNeuHXhvWqSiIIyk3rKzU5b-w3YeopTkcjV5LAvikuChH1mtI-c4CT7fQch1fkMQg7D9e2n4iLdQmYX1jJDKPNFz7GbheVV09qvEm7kmD2jJU2d-J6DktyZ48/s400/Sand+Martin-0513+%25281280x853%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand Martin</td></tr>
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<br />Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-88532722442775919292017-04-15T01:52:00.001-07:002017-04-15T01:52:22.606-07:00Longham Patch 14th April<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Had a wonderful morning at Longham Lakes today from 09.00 -11.40hrs,
on getting out of the car and setting up the scope I was greeted to the sounds
of goldfinches flying across the car park. A Cetti’s Warbler blasting out its
short song just south of the study centre, going south towards the causeway I
heard the wonderful song of a Willow Warbler which was quickly located by the
bench opposite the causeway. Stopping off at the slipway to look across to the
large island I noticed the Common Sandpiper on the little jetty, two Lesser
Black-backed Gulls a Lapwing and Tufted ducks on the east side of the island. I
made my way up the causeway past the carp fishers that were bivied out along
the shore of North Lake, and stopping at the gap in the willows to scan the
island from this point where I found two Redshanks a sleep on the exposed shore
line of the island. With Reed Warbler and Reed Buntings call/singing and
another Cetti’s Warbler shouting at me as I made my way up to look over
Hampreston Meadows. While standing here I heard my second migrant of the
morning and was located singing on top of some hawthorn it was a lovely
Whitethroat, and a gain another Cetti’s shouting out its song north from my
position.</div>
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As I scanned the island from the west bank of South Lake I
thought I saw two Common Sandpipers fly from the causeway and land on the
island but could only see one. Though a sighting of two sandpipers were
confirmed later on in the morning. I carried on up the west bank listening to
Blackcaps singing the hearts out. I stopped and scanned up and down the oak
trees with binoculars like I have done on every visit for the past four years
with the hope of seeing a Treecreeper or the holy grail of Samuel’s Wood a
Nuthatch, with only finding my 1<sup>st</sup> Treecreeper last year working an
Oak. I was very surprised to find working a large limb of an Oak at the back of
the wood a wonderful Nuthatch!</div>
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Eventually I arrived at the small ponds at the south end of
the lake were I found the Great White Egret working the edge of the reeds,
before flying up in to the large Oak at the back of the ponds. Working along
the reeds looking for hiding snipe or anything else that could be in them I was
surprised to find a fresh water terrapin out up on the bank warming up in the
sun, not sure what type of turtle it was but it was pretty large, obviously
released by someone when it got too large for their terrapin tank.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfaPx6RoyDyZM_8ug84iclMzO5NI-d3l68E2J9whXOYn6tXPuFuQOMjW3Kz1w0RX3t12Gln1iMzshQgWQTlPlqU5a1A3m99lbaJTQz85FOvmFekjkosqYHaOaM-UPDVgTEjm2Ly5sq7Q/s1600/GW+Egret+in+a+tree+%2528765x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfaPx6RoyDyZM_8ug84iclMzO5NI-d3l68E2J9whXOYn6tXPuFuQOMjW3Kz1w0RX3t12Gln1iMzshQgWQTlPlqU5a1A3m99lbaJTQz85FOvmFekjkosqYHaOaM-UPDVgTEjm2Ly5sq7Q/s400/GW+Egret+in+a+tree+%2528765x800%2529.jpg" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great White Egret</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRnZS_v9TOVW50i5P41RRQCkC6GMHkI8by-XNAhUBCnPAaf_IAsonONy_L4hNeCKMs-I0hEcpnRc_1_sTNkFi0K83KVm7nI08DSYa-iYflaX8RaGM5J9IcJGuJp9HgpJMdQqdLk7J728/s1600/Whitethroat-00256+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRnZS_v9TOVW50i5P41RRQCkC6GMHkI8by-XNAhUBCnPAaf_IAsonONy_L4hNeCKMs-I0hEcpnRc_1_sTNkFi0K83KVm7nI08DSYa-iYflaX8RaGM5J9IcJGuJp9HgpJMdQqdLk7J728/s400/Whitethroat-00256+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitethroat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUD39FhyVRnPbhFXAW1ct8L5jFIhRUKUjOuzhdbTIADmdn6-Y7LoGRe7DzQ9-A7763jfukJvgpJD5-fMIRaAc4902imYoKGtQ81l4wgZOvDzM-nPYblMrth-pmdvAw8VerAXhjwz07Vqg/s1600/Turtle+1+%2528800x737%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUD39FhyVRnPbhFXAW1ct8L5jFIhRUKUjOuzhdbTIADmdn6-Y7LoGRe7DzQ9-A7763jfukJvgpJD5-fMIRaAc4902imYoKGtQ81l4wgZOvDzM-nPYblMrth-pmdvAw8VerAXhjwz07Vqg/s400/Turtle+1+%2528800x737%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terrapin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This time last year I was on 70 species and ended the year with 96 species seen.<br />This year I am on 81 species so far, can / will I get to a hundred this year with a bit more effort I hope so.<br /><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-61731472492619338992017-04-08T15:42:00.005-07:002017-04-08T15:42:51.674-07:00Longham Patch 7th AprilOn the Friday afternoon of the 7th April I headed off to Longham Lakes, after a very busy and slightly stressful morning at work. I am a C.N.C ( computer numerically control) programmer/operator machinist which means I program machines to machine parts out of steel or aluminium. So after rushing to get a job done by 1.30pm only to be told it can wait until next week after I finished the work.It was very nice to be able to get over to the lakes on a wonderful sunny afternoon and bright blue sky and a gentle warm breeze.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JSvfKyJ0RzPSlMpfvfoReorZBZcBRanmaLZjxSE-cUPt4cQN2nydtNwj3yj0gI8m07IyxaEbI3lZ3MAFFGQ5-uSbjhyphenhyphenyAxVy0Ay1rLEdLyg4RrkKMsyvuPjIQ0DE90DWJitk8eN6jW8/s1600/East+Side+of+lake-00245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JSvfKyJ0RzPSlMpfvfoReorZBZcBRanmaLZjxSE-cUPt4cQN2nydtNwj3yj0gI8m07IyxaEbI3lZ3MAFFGQ5-uSbjhyphenhyphenyAxVy0Ay1rLEdLyg4RrkKMsyvuPjIQ0DE90DWJitk8eN6jW8/s400/East+Side+of+lake-00245.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking down the east path</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Walking round the large lake I found there was not really much about except for Tufted Ducks, Coots and a few Great Crested Grebes. Two of the grebe were half heartly doing the courtship weed dance again,it is interesting to watch this happen but I still have not seen them get up on the feet, only a lot of head shaking with the chestnut hoods/frills spread wide and diving for weed.<br />
<br />
It was very nice to hear the bird song as I walked the path ways round the lake Cetti's Warblers, Wrens, Dunnocks, Chaffinches and best of all two male Blackcaps giving it the all which presumed was to entice a female which was spotted near by to in to the territory? I did make a lovely sound to the ear as I stood there listening to the beautiful melodic song.<br />
I scanned the gulls out on the water still hoping to find my first Ringed billed Gull but once again no luck just Herring Gulls and to my surprise 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.<br />
As the sky was cloud less and clear blue I was hoping I might spy a Red Kite or an Osprey flying over as they have been reported in the past but I have never seen on over Longham Lakes and today was no different with only one Buzzard seen displaying with it climbing high the pulling its with a plummeting towards the ground and pull and start again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiworlkSw5WwyTGawAy9ZBjODBBYbIql9NckEWdf-ubNjLLf1BO1NChY6j0dANdUamB2TUHxHVXY7yEM44FURYYZNrUb-vQCWXL7rg522-rCwUMPbhvTxDNX0NL-kjskZBq-isUVm_Eb0c/s1600/Female+tufty-00247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiworlkSw5WwyTGawAy9ZBjODBBYbIql9NckEWdf-ubNjLLf1BO1NChY6j0dANdUamB2TUHxHVXY7yEM44FURYYZNrUb-vQCWXL7rg522-rCwUMPbhvTxDNX0NL-kjskZBq-isUVm_Eb0c/s400/Female+tufty-00247.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Tufted Duck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWNvdmJXBKPsELH1bJLAyus_SML17esnWjPpAPOUI86ydDX00BB_NCw0_cecVSzgoK7EjjLUjfgOSDuqA6b80X_y4wrW49SKMSgB5Dg-WWKIlf5h81DPr6jPM90jODbGhQhANtMIEhe0/s1600/Male+Tufty-00248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWNvdmJXBKPsELH1bJLAyus_SML17esnWjPpAPOUI86ydDX00BB_NCw0_cecVSzgoK7EjjLUjfgOSDuqA6b80X_y4wrW49SKMSgB5Dg-WWKIlf5h81DPr6jPM90jODbGhQhANtMIEhe0/s400/Male+Tufty-00248.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Tufed Duck with female in the back ground</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWNvdmJXBKPsELH1bJLAyus_SML17esnWjPpAPOUI86ydDX00BB_NCw0_cecVSzgoK7EjjLUjfgOSDuqA6b80X_y4wrW49SKMSgB5Dg-WWKIlf5h81DPr6jPM90jODbGhQhANtMIEhe0/s1600/Male+Tufty-00248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWNvdmJXBKPsELH1bJLAyus_SML17esnWjPpAPOUI86ydDX00BB_NCw0_cecVSzgoK7EjjLUjfgOSDuqA6b80X_y4wrW49SKMSgB5Dg-WWKIlf5h81DPr6jPM90jODbGhQhANtMIEhe0/s1600/Male+Tufty-00248.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-17125802268468141662017-04-02T14:12:00.002-07:002017-04-02T14:16:51.537-07:00Longham Patch 2nd April<div>
Went back to Longham today with my son, but found the car park mega full
as the canoeists were there in force this afternoon so parked at Green Lane and
walked down past the horse paddocks.</div>
<div>
Chiffchaffs and Chaffinches singing away as we walked down the lane, out on
north lake it looked like most of the Tufted Duck were on the water with a few
med gulls and G C Grebes.</div>
<div>
A Cetti’s Warbler was calling on the western side of the lake, scanning
over the fields I found the Great White Egret down on the river up stream from
the dead tree, going through my records I have seen Great White Egrets ( most likely the same individual or one of the three) more than Little Egrets this year 17 times, also there was 2 Shelduck in the pool in the shire horse field. We did not
stay long as Dan as been very unwell most of the year and was starting to feel a
bit under weather especial in the sunny parts round the were it was quite warm, so we made our way back the same way as we came in and found a
Great Spotted Woodpecker, but still no sign of those darn Bullfinches. </div>
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72GY_nmJJHxg0wlWcIoVR4jXlYiiepfOK-R3JN0OhtCSLV_c64N36bfpU-H_imrQ1DQYlrRX_Q90xliijq6nQNZml9ryo_niBOcy1o5dom6HnQwQFpS2Aq7gE9Pe8EGX9FiYlj26b2Go/s1600/GWEgret-00039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72GY_nmJJHxg0wlWcIoVR4jXlYiiepfOK-R3JN0OhtCSLV_c64N36bfpU-H_imrQ1DQYlrRX_Q90xliijq6nQNZml9ryo_niBOcy1o5dom6HnQwQFpS2Aq7gE9Pe8EGX9FiYlj26b2Go/s400/GWEgret-00039.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One from earlier Great White Egret</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjnpOGBb5IawN5aHfjaLpt9saMnhSIh5wT8IZUdEToVWkzg8nJel5ZkAhLVcEGjTRted7iZ9WRguJRf-Su8Pq_jGKG1aLDKaVvAeno1rVC-hCrsaQW2ByQGyE-4BnDMQBT6PP9-jSbxw/s1600/Shelduck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjnpOGBb5IawN5aHfjaLpt9saMnhSIh5wT8IZUdEToVWkzg8nJel5ZkAhLVcEGjTRted7iZ9WRguJRf-Su8Pq_jGKG1aLDKaVvAeno1rVC-hCrsaQW2ByQGyE-4BnDMQBT6PP9-jSbxw/s400/Shelduck.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shelduck one of a pair in the flooded pool in the field</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAdFkdgN2Rt_8zUOWkpzyXH41qOhbLvqPYjamPaj5458dh2NjQWo5q8wDUdxYM-2BdJ5b_tbQqdiktnr5cdJcFXyNjthFG8rTzQrtKtwRCg_jgkcVzgmWDutfrILxPLXhKTtZNa908DY/s1600/Chaffinch-00237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAdFkdgN2Rt_8zUOWkpzyXH41qOhbLvqPYjamPaj5458dh2NjQWo5q8wDUdxYM-2BdJ5b_tbQqdiktnr5cdJcFXyNjthFG8rTzQrtKtwRCg_jgkcVzgmWDutfrILxPLXhKTtZNa908DY/s400/Chaffinch-00237.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Chaffinch that was singing is heart out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-56678752073277268152017-04-01T13:44:00.000-07:002017-04-01T13:44:14.931-07:00Longham Patch 1st April 2017<div id="ygrp-text">
Spent a couple of hours walking round the lakes this afternoon. 120 Tufted
Duck, 11 G C Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 7 Shoveler, 20 Mediterranean Gulls came in
and settled for a short time. 2 calling Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and a male
singing Blackcap which was very nice to see and listen too<br /></div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-12808818276465846582017-03-29T08:36:00.001-07:002017-03-29T08:41:41.683-07:00Out & About29th March 2017<br />
<div>
Had the day off work today and after an early morning appointment, I
headed down to Lytchett Fields another one of the patches I record for the Patch Work Challenge, though I have not been down as regular as last year.</div>
<div>
Had a nice calling Nuthatch and a Jay as I walked down Slough Lane, A
couple of Bullfinch as I walked down to the Pools Field view were I hoped to
locate a Water Pipit but no luck with those but 15 Black-tailed Gowits and a few
Redshanks working the flooded Pool. Down on Sherford Pools plenty of Teal and
the Green Winged Teal was on the far pool a Lapwing flying over going in the
Bakers Arms direction, 34 Black-tailed Godwits.</div>
<div>
After the going to the Fields I decided I would go and see if I could find
my first Great Grey Shrike, I headed of to Morden Bog with some advise from Ian
on rough location of the bird ( Thanks Ian ) I made my way to the decoy pond,but
first I looked over the bog forest first but did not see anything so walked
along the path next to the pond scanning the trees on both side hoping for a
glimpse of the shrike.</div>
<div>
As I was scanning a Swallow came it to view and I followed it with the bins
as it flew across the lake and headed in Wareham direction,a Water Rail called
from the edge of the pond as I started to make my way a long the path back to
the car another birder asked if I had seen the shrike to which a said no that's
what I’ve been looking for, We parted company and for some reason I stopped and
started to look at the trees again round the lake, When I noticed the other
birders waving at me so I hastily made my way over to them and the told me they
located the shrike! The guy who was from Bath let me have a look through is
scope just in case it flew off, after a little while we managed to get my scope
fixed on to the bird which had it back to me by now but turn to show it nice
mask and flew off. After a little bit of searching it was relocated sat on top
of a dead tree given a very good but distance view but by the time I thought of
getting a phone scoped record shot it flew off again and I could not locate the
bird. My first Grey Grey Shrike a cracking bird hope to see one again
soon.</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-26780983808967518392017-03-26T02:30:00.003-07:002017-03-26T02:30:52.596-07:00Longham Patch 25th March<div>
Had an early morning (well not that early 8.30am) walk round the lakes
today. it was a very pleasant walk with singing Song Thrush, Chiffchaff at least
4 round the site and two seen also 4 Cetti’s Warbler singing with one sighted
on the west side of North lake. Dunnock busy chasing each other and singing also
with 5 seen along with Wren blasting out there loud song for such little bird
was a wonderful sound ringing round the lakes. </div>
<div>
The 2 Great White Egret were on the large island in South Lake, 4 Sand
Martin over North Lake, two pairs of Great Crested Grebes performing there
courtship dance, with lots of head shaking with their chestnut frills held wide
open but not much else going on.</div>
<div>
A nice spring sighting of 12 Mallard ducklings by the slip way first
ducklings of the year at Longham?</div>
<div>
And the first butterfly at the patch was a Peacock </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXpzwSix1L_dw61esv7p6MGZfwTvtWVdJzoaf7BTnVOUO12ICbl-fUwNt2XTUqrxbC8JgN7AVK3rAPHRxRpy4Xs-Udh6AIgns2zLBDKfY33ipM94sbwHuwDku31E2kEMs9-foHV6FE8k/s1600/Peacock-00223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXpzwSix1L_dw61esv7p6MGZfwTvtWVdJzoaf7BTnVOUO12ICbl-fUwNt2XTUqrxbC8JgN7AVK3rAPHRxRpy4Xs-Udh6AIgns2zLBDKfY33ipM94sbwHuwDku31E2kEMs9-foHV6FE8k/s400/Peacock-00223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peacock taken in the garden on the same morning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegFLpc-36wGyKziB14t32Ws-eEX2eso9bZwIjDcbN6XUEttT2MvlZ9hhJPLjTJRTtK-KbyEVxXRxr_yWqILUUSOIszgEfc2OGfRIXLt7gBWgJmxxec3hJ8TE3LzH1-kD5ZD6ultatSSw/s1600/Mallard+family-00216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegFLpc-36wGyKziB14t32Ws-eEX2eso9bZwIjDcbN6XUEttT2MvlZ9hhJPLjTJRTtK-KbyEVxXRxr_yWqILUUSOIszgEfc2OGfRIXLt7gBWgJmxxec3hJ8TE3LzH1-kD5ZD6ultatSSw/s400/Mallard+family-00216.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Mallard (mum)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvoJNsfxa3RF9jCeo5lJtIp_dfhy8t8d_En33nMs5j-GNj5XV6zhDeHDZnsLPUTdLvR15hAWNw-ditu7vP9Kpf8vzm2XhmDsYE0qoxD8KZ8rOBJ-Inj_nl-bbSZ3n_ufnCSNqYYl25HM/s1600/Mallard+family-00217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvoJNsfxa3RF9jCeo5lJtIp_dfhy8t8d_En33nMs5j-GNj5XV6zhDeHDZnsLPUTdLvR15hAWNw-ditu7vP9Kpf8vzm2XhmDsYE0qoxD8KZ8rOBJ-Inj_nl-bbSZ3n_ufnCSNqYYl25HM/s400/Mallard+family-00217.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mum and some of her brood</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS7rAK8g26nn6G-kbJQ3FFolePP8dxqLl1-QYe-T5na6GzEAQvd2-NNcB3pBwpBz0WK6JzBv_uJpwy7OhBk28i_p6Kr8QjlF2MZ5GjgWBSwcRwXXc2sLzDvUN9s2mxphvXxgAWujyrdI/s1600/Mallard+family-00219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBS7rAK8g26nn6G-kbJQ3FFolePP8dxqLl1-QYe-T5na6GzEAQvd2-NNcB3pBwpBz0WK6JzBv_uJpwy7OhBk28i_p6Kr8QjlF2MZ5GjgWBSwcRwXXc2sLzDvUN9s2mxphvXxgAWujyrdI/s400/Mallard+family-00219.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 of the 12 ducklings</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-12057598126684548222017-03-18T13:53:00.003-07:002017-03-18T13:53:34.334-07:00Longham Patch 18th March<div>
Had a very good morning at the lakes the long staying Great White Egret was
on the large island in south lake with two Little Egrets.</div>
<div>
The wintering duck have departed as no sign of any Pochard or Wigeon only 3
Shoveler and 6 Teal and 6 Gadwall.</div>
<div>
Singing Chiffchaffs calling Cetti’s Warblers, c20 Sand Martin ( first count
was 6 then out of now were there was a more appeared and counted all a long the
west side of south Lake) and a wonderful sight and sound of 103 Mediterranean
Gulls settled on South Lake.</div>
<div>
Looks like the farmer of Hampreston fields as been busy cleaning out the
ditch and cutting some willow down along the ditch and on the river.</div>
<div>
Up to 71 species seen now with the Sand Martins it was good to see them back.</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-5401823540769773062017-03-12T05:44:00.000-07:002017-03-12T05:44:04.359-07:00Longham Patch 11th March<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyW1GQaBCkThHXQ4Qlht9xN-cmL4MFcJWs_medCwFwgWmjbUb5PZ34Juk40Q1Xy7sd5ByA5wzBjxGbYwLTHijA-1oCKGlLjYRphzVsBuKfnnDqtQBTCfmMp1MDy_7zx7vP1XSU3Po-OHM/s1600/Lake-00198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyW1GQaBCkThHXQ4Qlht9xN-cmL4MFcJWs_medCwFwgWmjbUb5PZ34Juk40Q1Xy7sd5ByA5wzBjxGbYwLTHijA-1oCKGlLjYRphzVsBuKfnnDqtQBTCfmMp1MDy_7zx7vP1XSU3Po-OHM/s400/Lake-00198.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the South West corner seat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12pt;">
<div>
I was going to go for the Snow Bunting this morning but had to go in to
Winton in the morning first so decided to drop in to Longham on the way home
instead.</div>
<div>
It was a nice walk round the lakes with birds singing and calling, those
Bullfinches are still eluding me I looked all round the hedges of North lake,
Reed Buntings, Goldfinch, Long tailed Tits and the first Cetti’s Warbler ( a
total of 3 heard round the lakes) of the morning heard and out of the thicket
shot a male Sparrowhawk that flew low right over the top of me a wonderful
sighting.</div>
<div>
Two Great White Egrets were on the Stour by the cattle drink opposite the
causeway, out on South lake, 9 Pochard still remain but numbers going down with
them 16 Wigeon, 9 Teal, 2 Shoveler and 6 Gadwall plus Mallards Tufted Duck and
Coot. Looking through the gulls I had 1 common Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed
Gulls, 1 Great Black-backed Gull and 11 Mediterranean Gulls mixed in with the
Black-headed Gulls. Besides all of these there were the usual woodland species
like Blue Tits,Great Tits, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker a Kestrel and and new
bird for the Patch Work Challenge a pair of Jays which brings the years patch
list up to 70 species of bird and 4 mammals seen of far.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-78447908929941229522017-03-05T02:20:00.000-08:002017-03-05T02:20:19.620-08:00Waxwing Blues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The Waxwings turned up again early Saturday morning but I did not have a car until 10.30 as I was picking up a new second hand car, luckily they were still there when I went to collect the car, but as usual my luck was not with me as they apparently flew off 5 minutes before I got there!:( I Stuck around for a bit but with no sign of them, ( will I ever see them my 6th trip) I decided to shoot of to Longham Lakes on arriving there was a light shower which turned in to a very heavy shower but luckily a friend was fishing the north lake so I sheltered under is big brolly, I watched a Kestrel hovering over the causeway and a Sparrowhawk fly low over the edge of the lake and along the causeway just before the shower started. After the rain had stopped I walked up the causeway to look over Hampreston Fields,the 2 Great White Egrets were still there along with a number of Canada and Greylag geese, Mute Swans and Gulls and a few duck in the flooded pools in the fields mainly Wigeon with a few Gadwall, Teal and a couple of Shoveler. Out on the lake it seemed very quite with the birds mostly Tufted Ducks and Coots spread across the lake, and the only reason I can think of was they got disturbed as my friend told me that the model yacht enthusiast were sailing their boats first thing in the morning. the highlight of the afternoon besides seeing the Great White Egrets again was watching 36 Mediterranean Gulls fly in and settle on the water for a while before flying off again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8mDLoYI82ZXC-WHJ5VkeoWneYaY6wF2cuY3Fe-_VQAQ5OIFhFf6ckB5IvqEJW9pLZIAwz1ryCeYr7T7fIuOsImEiJ0csSdLKJBL2DTRdg4W_8NoKBdnMst2LzlggbJTSwTZhjZ29i08/s1600/car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo8mDLoYI82ZXC-WHJ5VkeoWneYaY6wF2cuY3Fe-_VQAQ5OIFhFf6ckB5IvqEJW9pLZIAwz1ryCeYr7T7fIuOsImEiJ0csSdLKJBL2DTRdg4W_8NoKBdnMst2LzlggbJTSwTZhjZ29i08/s400/car.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new car</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-35974937584331295632017-02-26T10:17:00.001-08:002017-02-26T10:17:28.759-08:00The Longham Patch February 26th<div>
Had a couple of spare hours this afternoon so made the most of them and
headed of to Longham Lakes, glad I did as well even though it was a bit blustery
there and the wind had bit of a bite.</div>
<div>
At first the lakes especially south lake looked devoid of any birds besides
a few Coot and Tufted Duck in the very choppy water. But looking carefully there
was a lot more than first thought,on the causeway there were 3 Stonechat a
couple of Reed Buntings and 32 Pied Wagtails. On the river the Great White Egret
was fishing and in the fields 54 Canada geese and 38 Greylags which took flight
and landed on the south lake after this happened I lost sight of my 1st patch
record of a male Goosander and could not relocate him so I am presuming it took
off while I was watching the geese fly in. Up at the top end of south lake mixed
in with the Black headed Gull were 5 Mediterranean Gulls, and while up at this
end I watch 23 Shoveler fly in and land on the lake.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ71xmkw33yjYVMJkkRWEw2jqhptZkntBU96WvOAJe37qmVOgYZyDnNHZ4KMJ9zt3fhJb3c9ywbYFnfoGH5PUdajJAn2zAwYsLaVbg_TuwgLRk1Wa7-hn4ed2nYMtiHfNFrRtSyBqg-dM/s1600/Goosander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ71xmkw33yjYVMJkkRWEw2jqhptZkntBU96WvOAJe37qmVOgYZyDnNHZ4KMJ9zt3fhJb3c9ywbYFnfoGH5PUdajJAn2zAwYsLaVbg_TuwgLRk1Wa7-hn4ed2nYMtiHfNFrRtSyBqg-dM/s400/Goosander.jpg" width="388" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Goosander</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-61155727214018062672017-02-25T11:49:00.001-08:002017-02-25T11:49:53.061-08:00The Longham Patch February 24th<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>The Angel of Longham Lakes</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJDqyVEZqCGvUhJiqcw4CkSDzVnaGysI8qGU6gn6eAVzHfrEp12d3H78jt52N4ZvSmrdZkZprxniZG0jTv1HCj6yQAZdOb2baEYDpA5Et2T5DS4jF_MIfNFP8EZDc1j5op4ylTC46OEg/s1600/Angle+of+Longham-00190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJDqyVEZqCGvUhJiqcw4CkSDzVnaGysI8qGU6gn6eAVzHfrEp12d3H78jt52N4ZvSmrdZkZprxniZG0jTv1HCj6yQAZdOb2baEYDpA5Et2T5DS4jF_MIfNFP8EZDc1j5op4ylTC46OEg/s400/Angle+of+Longham-00190.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great White Egret posing as an Angel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Friday afternoons at Longham Lakes seem to becoming a reguarly feature for me on the way home from work. Though the birding is good it is increasingly becoming hard to find new and intersting birds and one bird is proofing difficult for me to spot, and that is the Bullfinch I know they are there and the area they seem to favour but the are never about when I am.<br />
I walked all way round North Lake pay particual attion to the thickets round the smaller of the two lakes.But no Bullfinches showed them selfs only Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits and in the horse paddocks 26 Pied Wagtails.<br />
Arriving at the west side of the lakes I spotted one of the Great White Egret down the little wooden bridge that goes over a ditch. The bird flew towards the river and dropped down behind a high bank, I scanned the scrub along the the river bank hoping for another sighting of an otter. No signs so I carried on up a long the west side of South lake and scanned across to the island were another GWE was tuck up in the long grass.<br />
<br />
I checked all the Tufted Ducks hoping to find a Scuap that might be lurking undiscoverd among them but no such luck. Then I started to check the gulls as I am sure an interesting gull is going to turn up soon,but all I could find was a Mediterrnean Gull and a couple of Lesser Black backed Gulls.<br />
<br />
After this I parcticed taking some some picture with the new bridge camera I brought to take out when I go birding as carting an SLR and a 300mm or 400mm lens and telescope can be a bit heavy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKbNu6AVF01xsuvFSqMo8LmtD8FlQtbJuvzQDBcY-M40o1WEMtElcvN_CzFreyMRSZcOYUcKFarA42X_1Ww3E9nIbBTjJW-HbSYo_4ZHyUZB_NCi9c7kBQAvXCG26jYSZQYGIdE-A4UY/s1600/GWEgret+in+tree-00192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKbNu6AVF01xsuvFSqMo8LmtD8FlQtbJuvzQDBcY-M40o1WEMtElcvN_CzFreyMRSZcOYUcKFarA42X_1Ww3E9nIbBTjJW-HbSYo_4ZHyUZB_NCi9c7kBQAvXCG26jYSZQYGIdE-A4UY/s400/GWEgret+in+tree-00192.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great White Egret </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6yOQgh1d31Iwd_T405U7g7ktizOqntzrhdtoJrZYySQmRGDXJJ-4vP3D4NVDEjdrvve93thUZSgzoyjDNs46pKqgjNobIzYG3LKKWBbb9t8IrJ1yLFshQwCjVW3Vvpig-RDzb9UtWVc/s1600/Mallard-00187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6yOQgh1d31Iwd_T405U7g7ktizOqntzrhdtoJrZYySQmRGDXJJ-4vP3D4NVDEjdrvve93thUZSgzoyjDNs46pKqgjNobIzYG3LKKWBbb9t8IrJ1yLFshQwCjVW3Vvpig-RDzb9UtWVc/s400/Mallard-00187.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drake Mallard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Though I have found that with the electronic view finder it is a lot harder to lock on to a bird especieally little bird like Chiffchaff as I tried to get a picture of one of four birds theat were flitting about after insects on the side of Samual's Wood.Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-37348859309715469592017-02-18T10:24:00.000-08:002017-02-18T10:24:10.922-08:00The Longham Patch 18th February<div>
Went back to the lakes this afternoon for the Bullfinch did not see any,
but what a wonderful afternoon to spend walking round the lakes in search of
birds. With the sun shinning and bird singing away what more could you want, how
about a nice surprise while you are looking through the scope. This is exactly
what happened at the end of the walk I was scanning the fields from the west
bank look towards the river when one of the Great White Egrets flew up from the
river and head up river. Then something caught my eye moving in the
undergrowth, can it be, no it is, I could hardly believe my eyes as the
creature emerged from the undergrowth with a lovely sleek brown coat and ambled
a long the bank. It was an Otter no less but in my excitement and just
overwhelmed to be watching it through my scope I forgot about grabbing a record
shot.It was not my first sighting of an Otter as I have seen them many times
before on the River Stour from the late 1990’s and through the early 2000 but
this was the first one I have seen from the Longham Patch.</div>
<div>
<img alt="Smile" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" src="" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none;" /> There were 15 Shoveler),30 Teal, 2 Great White Egrets, one
down on the river and another in the field of the west bank of North island, C46
Pochard, 91 Tufted Ducks, 3 Buzzard over, a new bird for the Patch Work
Challenge with a Cetti’s Warbler which brings the species list for the patch to 68 birds seen. Two Great Crested Grebes perform there
courtship weed dance yesterday and today's are the first time I have seen this
happen and today was very nice to watch though they did not get up on the feet
and run. Just a lot of head swaying back and fourth preening motion and the pair
diving coming with big chunks of weed and facing up to each other then swimming
over parallel with each other fast. So an absolute wonderful afternoon was had. </div>
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoE00PDlb3g_xp9x9XLMrbF8zEzJWdEsq0ojKLjNdtFi_5Nof_DHOWauFfuaqOJCsdW2ZKTIVHZmtuv2xQ-BZCDPDI15VO3gaov2iRkep5Hhg4qPyO5ORJP-1DdwM19kRu-44DhsFkwd8/s1600/Stonechat-00174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoE00PDlb3g_xp9x9XLMrbF8zEzJWdEsq0ojKLjNdtFi_5Nof_DHOWauFfuaqOJCsdW2ZKTIVHZmtuv2xQ-BZCDPDI15VO3gaov2iRkep5Hhg4qPyO5ORJP-1DdwM19kRu-44DhsFkwd8/s400/Stonechat-00174.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stonechat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-91098859188551658072017-02-17T14:01:00.002-08:002017-02-17T14:04:19.709-08:00The Longham Patch 17th February<div>
After a long awkward and tricky morning at work, you know one of those mornings
when the gremlins get into everything.</div>
<div>
When 1.30pm came round it was good to be going and off to Longham Lakes my
plan was to search for a Bullfinch as last year I did not find one until the
18th November.</div>
<div>
I know they are there but they do not show or call when I am about. Walking
round North lake first head up past the vistors centre scanning the hedge row
and trees along they way for the Bullfinch.</div>
<div>
But the only birds I found there were a couple of Chaffinches, Dunnock a
Great Tit and Robins,out on the lake 12 Pochard some Tuftys and a pair of Great
Crested Grebes attempting( half heartily it seemed) a weed dance.</div>
<div>
Making my way up to the causeway the Great White Egret flew from the island
in South Lake and landed in one of the pools on Hampreston fields there was not
much about in the fields a part for a few Teal on the remaining pools.</div>
<div>
I scanned the island from the west side of South Lake and had a nice
surprise with a Water Rail showing well and feeding along the edge of the island
until someone started flying there boat plane about which made the fly in to the
reeds/ willow roots a long the causeway and 11 Lapwings from one side of the
island to the other. With 20 Shoveler near the western shore made for a very
enjoyable sight with the colour of the males and the drab females and the long
bills.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Song Thrushes, Dunnock and Robins singing made a very pleasant and relaxing
walk round the lakes after work.</div>
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgfBSB5vfBr7ysbCyw0Str8TZsw7yDrpbzBoGO9h1dLkrqeQUDj1m-66RM8-1pHVY3_MCgGHKLFmg0YDtBW-TrwgbRgEJR1oDGLFWYjQmndLFrfbuB3X0tliFooO4QUHpK9l0nzsL8Lo/s1600/GWE5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgfBSB5vfBr7ysbCyw0Str8TZsw7yDrpbzBoGO9h1dLkrqeQUDj1m-66RM8-1pHVY3_MCgGHKLFmg0YDtBW-TrwgbRgEJR1oDGLFWYjQmndLFrfbuB3X0tliFooO4QUHpK9l0nzsL8Lo/s400/GWE5.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great White Egret</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-63790765298662051922017-02-12T03:30:00.000-08:002017-02-12T04:51:28.583-08:00The Longham Patch 11th February<div style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 12pt;">
<div>
A very cold walk round the lakes this afternoon produce three new birds for
the Patch Work Challenge and Longham year list with Fieldfare, Pheasant,
Kingfisher and Goldcrest.</div>
<div>
There was no sign of the Great White Egrets when I arrived, but later on
when I was walking round the East side of South Lake a Great White Egret flew
over the settling marsh area and dropped down somewhere behind Emily’s Wood and
another was on the large island. In Hampreston Field there were 27 geese and I
hoped one or two might be a winter visitor but they were all Greylags.</div>
<div>
I counted a good number of Pochard 44, but only 3 Wigeon on this vist also
Shoveler numbers were up prior to my last visit with 15 tucked up on the island
as the water level is very low and is exposing large areas of shore line round
the lake and islands.</div>
<div>
A full list of birds</div>
<div>
Mute Swan, Greylag Goose –27, Canada Goose – 4, Wigeon – 3, Gadwall, Teal
– 16, Mallard, Shoveler – 15, Pochard – 44, Tufted Duck, Pheasant – 1 male,
Cormorants, Little Egret – 1, Great White Egret – 2, Grey Heron –1, Little Grebe
– 16, Great Crested Grebes, Buzzard, Moorhen – 2, Coots, Black-headed Gulls,
Common Gull – 1, Lesser Black backed Gull – 3, Herring Gulls, Woodpigeon,
Collared Dove – 2, </div>
<div>
Kingfisher –1, Green Woodpecker – 1, Magpie, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows,
Goldcrest – 2, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blackbird – 3, Fieldfare – 20, Song
Thrush, Redwing – 30, Robins, Grey Wagtail –1,</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As you a can see not to bad a haul for such a cold windy day round the
lakes, they may be just the usual fare but with out them the place would be a
boring one.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
On the large island there was a Cormorant that looked unusual from the rest of the Cormorant it was with so I took the time to study it and came to the conclusion
that it was a Great Continental Cormorant ( Carbo sinensis)type,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
due to the gular pouch along with not so much white
round the throat patch and the extensive white on the head and down the side of
the neck. creating a C like shape of black on the side of the face between the
white throat patch and the neck side. </div>
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwAXrnAkhs_SnLdwumuWL_GXxnwRPekUSUsMkDb7eFieHMF93RBRcUmeQ6Y5WPKY6AFWffrTP5ogRYge40soo7mDShoGYypqoPrvIXwV5rNKsM01x00iPIXteh8hdfJGD38UxxSp-rGk/s1600/Fieldfare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwAXrnAkhs_SnLdwumuWL_GXxnwRPekUSUsMkDb7eFieHMF93RBRcUmeQ6Y5WPKY6AFWffrTP5ogRYge40soo7mDShoGYypqoPrvIXwV5rNKsM01x00iPIXteh8hdfJGD38UxxSp-rGk/s400/Fieldfare.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fieldfare</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3213717863599328856.post-88830965120650114412017-02-05T08:13:00.000-08:002017-02-05T08:13:13.827-08:00The Longham Patch February 4th<div>
Before going off to Longham on the 4th February, I had to nip in to town because when got to make a cup of tea and a flask for the moring the kettle broke and I need to start the day with a good cuppa tea. </div>
<div>
I t was late morningby now so I headed of down to Lytchett Fields with the hope of catching
up with the Green Winged Teal and my luck was in it was still on Sherford Pools
and showing well and watched it doing some display moves. Then watched a Marsh
Harrier from the black pipe over on the other side of the bay near the Turnlin
Moor screen fly past the houses and boats then crossed the water over to otter
island and disappeared behind the tree. Then watched to Buzzards displaying they
were talon grappling a plummeting to the ground then flying back up they did
this a few times one pulled is wings in and dived very fast it seemed and came
back up just as fast wonderful to watch. I did not stay until the tide went out
as I headed of to Longham Lakes.</div>
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_d9IB2slu3rOHXvlCaC9p0oer0KH6AuqWHVghPVRGDzPAXWrdxhgjybxVDTwHNTP4UN9FSSOKNEDEDB27tk9Tmg6_kn5-Q9B2HH8KjDsHuq6OkbkKfSU_ZgYmN91k1c_v2I6OuaR9HA/s1600/Green+Winged+Teal1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_d9IB2slu3rOHXvlCaC9p0oer0KH6AuqWHVghPVRGDzPAXWrdxhgjybxVDTwHNTP4UN9FSSOKNEDEDB27tk9Tmg6_kn5-Q9B2HH8KjDsHuq6OkbkKfSU_ZgYmN91k1c_v2I6OuaR9HA/s400/Green+Winged+Teal1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Record shot of the Lytchett Fields Green winged Teal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YqATNpjfNnzZEZILeISRkn_IikTY8LHb8cFoMNOs_CEfcP2LNxxyK1HWI8EtMvxIO9CbR_kA5gIw-O2gbqLagrxo1cleTTGrSrgck2SO1s7gwRnbZISBBngAxRUbWxBv7mpky94r19A/s1600/GWT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YqATNpjfNnzZEZILeISRkn_IikTY8LHb8cFoMNOs_CEfcP2LNxxyK1HWI8EtMvxIO9CbR_kA5gIw-O2gbqLagrxo1cleTTGrSrgck2SO1s7gwRnbZISBBngAxRUbWxBv7mpky94r19A/s400/GWT.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Record shot of Green Winged Teal</td></tr>
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<div>
By the time I got to Longham Lakes it was late afternoon. </div>
<div>
As I walked up to the slip way I could see the water level was down on the large lake exposing
large areas of shore line of the island and sides of the lake.While standing there I could hear Wigeon calling, but was not
expecting to see a large raft of them just of the island I counted them as it
seemed a lot and to my surprise there was 152, ( another 4 out in the flooded
meadows) Wigeon and 6 Pintail. Hampreston Meadows were very flooded scanning the
fields I found a Grey Heron a Lesser Blacked backed Gull and luckily thanks to a
couple that were birding who pointed out to me the Great White Egrets-2 on the
far side of the field on other side of the river,also in the flooded meadow I
found 7 Teal and the males began to display. I also heard a Water Rail at the
south east corner down by the river, out on the lake spread about I counted 20
Pochard but probable moor about than this as they kept on diving.</div>
<div>
Looking across to the island from were they fly the model planes I could
see a male Pintail a sleep among the Canada geese, Shovelers a.nd Wigeon that were resting on the exsposed shore of the island.<br />
Even though no new birds were sighted this day it had be a most enjoyable day bird watching the patches after bad weather we had in the week. Still there is hope out I my next trip I could find something a Bullfinch would be nice or a Green Woodpecker at Lytchett as not seen on there yet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ76G53rP7ubQezfjC5lI7LNnw7R-Fa5AmkTWe1INM8U397Q0JiqKET3wlOtHgH8O-FxCxexe5k9Rw3ecM75H4eg5flW8Si-2o0bsax_CskFwDVQW9ZBg3CFu-hc46t4EqMFY-OiUN9JA/s1600/Fields-00138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ76G53rP7ubQezfjC5lI7LNnw7R-Fa5AmkTWe1INM8U397Q0JiqKET3wlOtHgH8O-FxCxexe5k9Rw3ecM75H4eg5flW8Si-2o0bsax_CskFwDVQW9ZBg3CFu-hc46t4EqMFY-OiUN9JA/s400/Fields-00138.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flooded Hampreston Fields</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kcT655as98-GlPsbFtY_2HUQ2XVXYrhVCMmHOM_UDSlSVEo9kSwwxke6dWCBHBaF6s9vGgpeBMrejvbOczccJHDLfLONcKUgPke_d-Dw61nNUfdplBMUg2Nc0-xRBIDrUKSdo7gKItA/s1600/Fields-00140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kcT655as98-GlPsbFtY_2HUQ2XVXYrhVCMmHOM_UDSlSVEo9kSwwxke6dWCBHBaF6s9vGgpeBMrejvbOczccJHDLfLONcKUgPke_d-Dw61nNUfdplBMUg2Nc0-xRBIDrUKSdo7gKItA/s400/Fields-00140.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tufted Ducks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwMptrXUjgsFT8-2d5_T8B8cZzZDI8suy-fP4mspwrI5t45GQvNgcAIesOrcE-MOqXgXCHpDM4n3na7d_0X9y1eckkG_NzSRmvDL4kOHGAH4E4UcCaPviuOEm4BkB60s-PVSkuwSEu8k/s1600/Fields-00146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwMptrXUjgsFT8-2d5_T8B8cZzZDI8suy-fP4mspwrI5t45GQvNgcAIesOrcE-MOqXgXCHpDM4n3na7d_0X9y1eckkG_NzSRmvDL4kOHGAH4E4UcCaPviuOEm4BkB60s-PVSkuwSEu8k/s400/Fields-00146.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pochard</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVU5JCxpUVud0IJ3oDaUrsx73icN5-hvynFVizUuE79nlTVeV8_EFHYSk0b28VjYmsaPIV-ILH5n3erbhNtMqZQo4tUSkgmiuegfbLcJ1nFJpif7TCZ1r5kQyxi9L7dFk94gaEbKO_XRQ/s1600/Fields-00148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVU5JCxpUVud0IJ3oDaUrsx73icN5-hvynFVizUuE79nlTVeV8_EFHYSk0b28VjYmsaPIV-ILH5n3erbhNtMqZQo4tUSkgmiuegfbLcJ1nFJpif7TCZ1r5kQyxi9L7dFk94gaEbKO_XRQ/s400/Fields-00148.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Pochard </td></tr>
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<br /></div>
Martin Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15743219008174093612noreply@blogger.com0