A Lytchett Fields Visit - A visit to Lodmoor

 Friday 21st August.

As I had some time off from work I decided to go and visit Lytchett Fields and other areas like the bay and sang fields.

I had hopes of seeing Whimbrel, Spotted Flycatcher and dreamed of getting Little Stint, Ruff , Curlew Sandpiper and the hope of seeing a Honey Buzzard drifting low over head, but one can only dream of such luck.

Over the years Lytchett Fields have been good to me with some excellent rarity's and I have a little joke with myself that I still haven't seen the rarest yet the Green Woodpecker. Considering all the first I've  had from this place Like Black Winged Stilt, Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellow Legs and others, the Woodpecker still alludes me still.

I made my way across the dry and parched sang field and headed towards the lane that would take me to the Rockley View Point with House Martins chittering away overhead, the lane was surprisingly quiet with hardly and birds moving through the trees except for the odd Blue Tit and small flock of Long tailed Tits.

I arrived at the bay expecting the tide to be out, but it was just exposing some mud round the outer edges to my right and some over by what I think is called Otter Island. So I was a little disappointed as I always seem to get the tides wrong here a learning day about tides again. I scanned the right hand mud margin and the first bird I picked up with the scope ( having already seen Little Egrets, Oystercatchers), was a Whimbrel I was very pleased to see this bird my 159th species and with 24 Curlew and in the distance to Osprey which seemed to be practicing  their hover and dive technic.  I had a slow walk down the lane to the to the fields scanning the trees and hedge for birds.

It was when I walked through the gate and started to watch the top of the gorse that runs down  the middle of the field following the drainage ditch for Whinchat that I started to see birds Stonechats, Kestrel and the woodpigeons. I noticed a small bird lifting off the top of dead tree flitting here and there in the manner of a flycatcher and instantly thought Spotted Flycatcher with the binocular views . So I got the scope on the bird to confirm and yes a wonderful Spotted Flycatcher.

An archive picture of a Lytchett Fields Spotted Flycatcher

there Black tailed Godwit in winter grey appearance to some of the brick red colour breast and the wonderful mark upper plumage.

# Spotted Flycatcher 161

Sunday 30th August,

I woke to the news of a Grey Phalarope at Lodmoor, and since I was going birding for the day, I decided to try to see it. While having breakfast, my good friend George Green called to say he was thinking of heading there too, so I offered to drive. After picking him up, we set off but were soon delayed by a slow-moving farm tractor and trailer. We eventually arrived at Lodmoor and headed to the west scrape, where a few birders told us the phalarope had just disappeared behind a clump about ten minutes earlier. Moving to the next viewpoint, we scanned the area until George suddenly shouted that he’d spotted it just left of a cormorant. I got my binoculars on it a smart first winter Grey Phalarope, but unfortunately hadn’t brought my camera because the battery was flat, and I couldn’t find my spare. While struggling to extend my scope to see over a tall hedge, the bird flew towards us, landed briefly for another great view, then took off toward the bandstand, where it was lost for the rest of the day. It turned into a lovely late morning exploring Lodmoor, with sightings of Greenshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, a juvenile Spotted Redshank, Ringed Plover, and hundreds of Mediterranean Gulls. Some Yellow Wagtails brought my Dorset county list up to 163 species, and besides the Grey Phalarope, the highlight was an adult Little Gull. All in all, it was a fantastic day in great company with George, enjoying beautiful birds at a place that’s been good to me this year. Sadly, I have no photos from today, but the memories will last.

# Grey Phalarope 162

# Yellow Wagtail 163