I had booked on to the http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/ guided walk with Paul Morton for Saturday 18th 2014. The day dawned dark and very wet when I left the house at 7am to meet Paul at Greenlands Farm layby for 8am . By the time I had got on to the Upton bypass the rain was hammering down and I was beinging to think perhaps the day was going to be a wash out.
Though I need not of worried as by the time I reached Wereham the weather had started to clear and as I drove along Ferry Road the sun had started to come up give some very nice colour to the sky as I drove to the location.
When every one had arrived Paul suggested that we go off to Brand's Bay as the Great White Egret was out in the bay and some members had not seen the GWE. So off we set to the hide and sure enough the GWE was out in the bay along with Little Egrets some Great Crested Grebes .
After thwe had been there a while Pual suggested that instead of going up through Greenlands farm that were head over to Middle Beach to look for the Black-necked Grebe, As I have never been to Middle Beach before and the thought of possible being able to see a YBW I thought it was a very good idea.
So I followed the rest of the group not know which way it was from the layby to Middle Beach
it was only a very short drive to the car park.
This was a good move as at this location I added to new Species to my ever growing Dorset List and all lifers. Scanning the sea I spotted Brent Geese, Black-necked grebe and my first Common Scoter which was pointed of for me. After watching the sea a bit we headed off down to the scrubs to see if we could find any Firecrests but had no luck with these, but heard and found Goldcrests and among a mixed tit flock along with a good number of Chiffchaffs then a member of the group spotted a bird that had two yellow wing bars, this bird turned out to be the Yellow- browed Warbler a lovely little bird not much bigger than a Goldcrest and not as big as a Chiffchaff, That would of been a great way to end the mornings walk but no it got a bit better for me after everyone said their goodbys and went on our way . I decided to go home the long way round as I like this way better than going over the ferry . Driving along I was thinking to myself should I drop down to Hartland Moor on the way home
When all of a sudden I noticed Paul at the view Point along Ferry Road that looks out across Godlingston Heath . Paul was waving me into to the layby and my first thought what has he seen
I pulled in and open the window and Paul tells me that a bird I have wanted to see for a long time was out in the field just below, the bird in question was a lovely Ring Ouzel so a had a good luck through Paul's scope as I packed mine away after looking through the scope I got my bins and watched the bird for a while before it flew off to the right in to some scrub a great way to end the morning.
New birds for the list
138 - Common Scoter # Lifer
139 - Yellow-browed Warbler # Lifer
140 - Ring Ouzel # Lifer
Other birds seen
Great White Egret
Great Crested Grebes
Brent Geese
Black-necked Grebes
Pintail
Meadow Pipits
Grey Heron
Red Wing
Pied Wagtils
Skylark
Blackbirds
Blue Tits
Cole Tit
Great Tits
Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tits
Chiffchaff
wow what an amazing set of new birds! I saw nothing this week really, and the weather is getting more and more miserable. Maybe I should look at booking on one of these trips as well.
ReplyDeleteSomething good useally turnsup on these walks. If you want I can show you round some of the places sometime?
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