Hesketh Bank RSPB Reserve

 This was a visit to check out Hesketh Bank and hope to see a Spotted Redshank that had been present

Spotted Redshank approaching summer plumage.  It then flew much further away

Arctic Terns - Both Arctic and Common Terns breed here.

Avocets - There probably 30 sitting  birds present.

Redshank

Lodmoor Birding

 I had a few visits to Lodmoor during the week, all but one with my daughter Katherine.

It was rather quiet but a few nice birds were seen.

Whimbrel - This bird was one of four present on one visit.  The other three birds were feeding in the tall vegetation in the background.

Spotted Redshank - A scarce visitor to Lodmoor with one or two sightings a year.

Reed Warbler - One of many new arrivals to the reserve.

Portland Bill Birding

 A visit to the Bill, firstly a brief visit with other family members and secondly with my daughter Katherine.

Stonechat in song.

Wheatear very close to the end of the Bill

Raven - A very tame individual on the next table to us!

Razorbills - Just off the west of the Bill

Guillemot - A 1st summer individual taking flight

Bluethroat Twitch

 We were staying in Weymouth for a week with my daughter Katherine and granddaughter Jess.  It just so happened that a Red-spotted Bluethroat had been found a month earlier on 17th March at Swineham GPs near Wareham.  The bird was refound on 8th April and seen daily since that time.

We went to see the bird on a Saturday afternoon.  Apparently the narrow path on which the bird was feeding and in the morning the path was rammed with birders and photographers.  However by the time we arrived there were just a few people watching it.  We had to wait about 10 minutes before the bird dropped onto the path to feed on some mealworms.  It came within about 10 feet of where we were.

The Red-throated sub-species breeds in Northern Europe.  The bird was singing from time to time but unlikely to attract a mate!

Every so often the bird would stand still and peer up at the sky.

The bird can be seen a short distance down the path

A brief video clip of the Bluethroat

Osprey - After leaving the Osprey a quick scan of Poole Harbour
produced this Osprey carrying food.

Lesser Scaup at College Lake

The news about this bird broke late on Thursday afternoon.  That was fairly convenient as the following day was Good Friday and a lot of people managed to get over to College Lake to see this Bucks first!

The bird had been at the site for a couple of news but was initially reported as a hybrid.  On closer examination it looked to be a genuine Lesser Scaup making it my 260th county tick!.

The drake Lesser Scaup was very interested in this female Tufted Duck and was seen copulating.

Ribble Estuary Birding

 This was a morning visit with my daughter Katherine.  We started at Marine Lake and then called in at Marshside RSPB, Crossens and Banks Marsh.  There were staggering numbers of wildfowl, Geese and waders present.  Photography was not easy due to the distances.

Goosander - A 1st winter bird on Marine Lake.

Smew - A 1st winter drake seen on Marine Lake

Pintail - Large numbers of this species were seen on Marshside RSPB

Teal - 1000s of Teal were present in the area.

Marshside RSPB seen from Crossens Road. 
Thousands of Lapwing and Golden Plover were present as well as the wildfowl.

The following video shows just a few of the 50,000 Pink-footed Geese that spend the Winter on the Ribble Estuary.  The video was taken at Banks Marsh.  Sorry about the shaky video.

Hesketh Bank and Banks Marsh

 

A visit to Hesketh Marsh late in the day with daughter Katherine.  We did manage to see Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine, Ruff, Curlew and lots of Pink-footed Geese.

Hesketh Bank RSPB Reserve

The following day we visited Banks Marsh which is just a short distance from Hesketh Marsh.

Banks Marsh

Twite - We were hoping to see some Twite and sure enough a party of about
50 landed reasonably close.  

Also seen were Little and Great White Egret, Curlew and about 5000 Pink-footed Geese.