tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44422731497042956492024-03-13T20:32:11.672+00:00The Great British Bird HuntMy quest to photograph every UK bird
All Images © Darran JonesDaz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-4033444736247611882021-03-20T22:59:00.001+00:002021-03-20T22:59:11.393+00:00Trying my hand at phonescoping<p> Yes it's been a long time and my blog hasn't been used for years.<br />Life gets in the way, but after picking up a spotting scope in December, I've been keen to get back to birding. Now that lockdown has begun to lift I've been able to visit Longham on a few occasions with aims to see the Ring Necked Duck there. I managed it this week, so here's a record shot of the bird in question. I'm going to try a little my scoping over the next few weeks and post my findings here.</p><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=AD6v5dwuU9qlJ0d0Ug-l08FcfGQw4HDEdSPGeeDTcr1nyOcwaNeaIgjjG2VExEkKEAGovjj5q8RHakeJ4_Iyt2PArg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p><br /><br /><br /></p>Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226922.473578763821152 -37.0704769 79.094046436178843 33.2420231tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-30678679291046999152017-10-01T19:30:00.002+01:002017-10-01T19:30:33.037+01:00Cattle Egret - New lifer and tick for the patch.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Busy weekends have meant that I've missed the large influx of Sandpipers that have been knocking around Dorset this last few weeks. Still, there's always next year...<br />
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I visited Longham Lakes on 30th Sep as they were having an open day. It was amazingly bush, with a rammed car park and lots of friendly faces and it was my first chance to catch up with Dominic Cousins, who has been recording birds at Longham since 2002. He was there to take birders around and sell signed copies of his book, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patch-Made-Heaven-Dominic-Couzens/dp/0709091125/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506881235&sr=8-1&keywords=a+patch+made+in+heaven">A Patch Made In Heaven</a>, which I can recommend.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just some of the Lapwings resting at Longham. I saw 28 birds, the most I've seen there.</td></tr>
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I also met up with George Green who is one of the regular contributors to Longham's bird listings and Martin Wood who had annoyingly seen a Cattle Egret earlier that morning. It's only the third record of the bird since 2002 so it's a real rarity and I hustled off with Alice to find it.<br />
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It had been spotted in the rear fields at the back of the causeway but it had long departed when I got there. Crestfallen I headed off with Alice around South Lake, marvelling at the insane amount of birds that were congregating there. I counted close to 30 lapwings and about 50 Canada Geese, along with countless coots and mallards and a fair number of Shoveler. My first sighting of these handsome ducks for the year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fair few Shovelers as well as returning Wigeon.</td></tr>
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Upon reaching the visitor's centre, Dominic mentioned he needed to take some birders out but was still waiting for Martin to return. I offered to look after his books and gear and chatted to a few other people who were eager to learn more about birds.<br />
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Martin returned and within five minutes had a text from Dominic stating the Cattle Egret had returned. Grabbing Alice were virtually ran up the causeway and desperately started scanning the fields. When I couldn't find it Dominic kindly lent me his scope and put me onto the bird.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A record shot of the Cattle Egret. My first ever sighting.</td></tr>
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It's a fantastic looking creature with a somewhat stocky build for a small heron and a bright yellow bill. It was picking up food around a small group of cattle and began to attract a small crowd of admirers. Sadly, the bird was extremely far away so I have only strict record shots. It was a delight to see though and I believe it's my first three-pointer for the year.<br />
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I'm now on <b>85</b> birds for the year.<br />The Cattle Egret puts my photographed birds for the blog up to <b>154</b>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This crop isn't too bad.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rather harsh crop.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And another of it foraging.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A final shot to highlight just how far away it was.</td></tr>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com1Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-75500910582377266192017-09-01T23:56:00.001+01:002017-09-01T23:56:08.904+01:00Ruff - A New bird for life and for the patch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bird watching always feels like a race against time and I'm incredibly lazy when it comes to chasing birds. Nevertheless, when Martin informed me that a Greenshank was at Longham I knew I had to see it.<br />
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I saw it a few days later of course, after meeting up with Martin and his son. Luckily it was still there, but it was far out in the middle of South Lake, making me once again regret not owning a swanky spotting scope.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a poor shot of a Greenshank, but it's a first for Longham.</td></tr>
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There were four Garganey on the lakes as well, but we couldn't find them for love nor money. With my youngest daughter getting impatient I decided to head home. 40 minutes later, Martin tweeted that they were on the lake. Balls!<br />
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I headed off to Longham for my birthday on the 31st of August, but aside from a fleeting glimpse of a Jay (my first for the year) it was relatively quiet. I watched a Kestrel hunt for a few moments, but a momentary swell of rain saw us all running for the car. The Garganey would have to wait.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kestrel, hunting over the lakes. Lovely looking bird.</td></tr>
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I headed off again on the 1st of September as Martin notified me that a Ruff was on the lake and that the Garganey were still there. I hunted through the crowds of Gadwall and Mallards, but those tiny ducks were nowhere to be seen.<br />
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I did find the Ruff though, as well as a Willow Warbler, which was another new bird for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pyKfWA6NuPA/WankU_oUkLI/AAAAAAAADho/QY0KaPXc9TEDU6nQ94Z1OX1dKtdQkN38gCLcBGAs/s1600/ruff-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="828" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pyKfWA6NuPA/WankU_oUkLI/AAAAAAAADho/QY0KaPXc9TEDU6nQ94Z1OX1dKtdQkN38gCLcBGAs/s400/ruff-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the Ruff, with some Black-Headed Gulls for scale.</td></tr>
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I'm now on <b>82</b> birds for the year, which is a personal best for me.<br />
The Ruff now puts me at <b>153</b> photographed birds for the blog :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rather fuzzy Wood Warbler.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several Chiffchaff I saw.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the farm cats was on the prowl.</td></tr>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-88405933056072276812017-07-16T20:47:00.000+01:002017-07-16T20:47:22.822+01:00Last Year's Record Beaten - 78 birdsWell that's not bad, just over halfway through the year and I've beaten last year's record of 73 birds.<br />
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Of course it helps that I've been out a lot more this year, but I'm still pleased and there's only the chance it will grow as I pick up more migrants in the Autumn.<br />
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Anyway, I headed down to Longham in the hope of seeing the Common Terns that Martin had spotted on the Friday. While they were no longer on the North Lake, the fledgling had moved to one of the buoys on the south lake and I was able to take a few photos of it, as well as the adult fishing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The juvenile was quite far out, but I'm pleased with this image.</td></tr>
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I then met Steve Smith who runs <a href="http://birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/9-july-17-recent-dorset-immigrant.html">Birding Poole Harbour & Beyond</a>. He was out looking for the Lesser Emperor and other dragonflies and stopped for a little chat about why there had been so much interest this year at Longham for the insects.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The adult landed briefly on the closest buoy, allowing for a nice shot.</td></tr>
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Leaving Steve to his search I walked up the causeway seeing the usual Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings, but very little else. There were Coots, Tufted Ducks and Mallards on the North Lake and a large number of Coots and Canada Geese along the back.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coots and Canada Geese taking it easy.</td></tr>
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The island on South Lake was empty aside from a Mute Swan, Lapwing and Grey Heron, so I moved to the back of the lake where I saw 4 Greenfinches, a lone patrolling Kestrel and several more Reed Warblers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mute Swan and Grey Heron enjoying the quiet of the South Lake island.</td></tr>
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It was otherwise quiet so I headed back along the causeway stopping to take some photos of a Green Woodpecker. As I got to the end of the causeway I heard a commotion in the sky and saw a Sparrowhawk being mobbed by Swallows, my first view of the raptor this year.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSh41A2PZV8/WWvBSQyreeI/AAAAAAAADfY/dkQUPfQQCMMg74pOKqUQ25qS4otu71WlgCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A4327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSh41A2PZV8/WWvBSQyreeI/AAAAAAAADfY/dkQUPfQQCMMg74pOKqUQ25qS4otu71WlgCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A4327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sparrowhawk being mobbed by Swallows. Next time it will hopefully be a Hobby.</td></tr>
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I then caught up with Steve who was heading home and Martin, who was just arriving and had watched the Sparrowhawk from the car park.<br />
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So I'm now on <b>78 birds</b>, which beats last year's record by <b>5</b>. Let's see how many more I can get.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fulH_Bv2210/WWvBdzXTgWI/AAAAAAAADfc/ee02HLahv5wyvRiU9SU-aHVLYM3h6jIPACLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A4291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fulH_Bv2210/WWvBdzXTgWI/AAAAAAAADfc/ee02HLahv5wyvRiU9SU-aHVLYM3h6jIPACLcBGAs/s640/6L5A4291.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Woodpecker on the causeway. The Great Spotted still eludes me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TbRr-NQiULY/WWvB5eIXaRI/AAAAAAAADfg/quDsuCBXouInUtDE22uujHrf_BIpcKXpwCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A4233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TbRr-NQiULY/WWvB5eIXaRI/AAAAAAAADfg/quDsuCBXouInUtDE22uujHrf_BIpcKXpwCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A4233.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Massive crop of the Common Tern hunting.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuA5JoaaPQ0/WWvCfI71-kI/AAAAAAAADfk/PC6S-DD2TxowGqtYXO0Eq7hclzgNoqLwwCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A4238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuA5JoaaPQ0/WWvCfI71-kI/AAAAAAAADfk/PC6S-DD2TxowGqtYXO0Eq7hclzgNoqLwwCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A4238.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another heavy crop, but it's an unusual pose which I like.</td></tr>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-52298514037268827932017-07-09T14:50:00.000+01:002017-07-09T14:50:12.790+01:00Hobby Spotted At Arne + Patch Update<b>4th July</b><br />
Yup, it's that time of year when I'm swamped with work and I simply can't find time to get out. It also doesn't help that my local patch is incredibly quiet at this time of the year.<br />
<br />
Still, I'm on holiday this week and I kicked it off by going to Arne as Ospreys were regularly showing there. I arrived with my wife eager to see the birds, only to be told that they don't tend to show up until the afternoon. Damn.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fMq-tJmqqTs/WWIf63mMZbI/AAAAAAAADds/qTz0LsavssMI00lTLDl3MkrRXbhgqRN5wCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fMq-tJmqqTs/WWIf63mMZbI/AAAAAAAADds/qTz0LsavssMI00lTLDl3MkrRXbhgqRN5wCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3519.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olly Frampton identified this as a Black-Tailed Skimmer.</td></tr>
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Sadly it was a pretty quiet day and there were few birds around. We reached the first lookout point where the ospreys could be viewed from and started scanning the area, but there was nothing to see. My wife then pointed out a bird to me and said, what's that?<br />
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It was too small for an Osprey but I excitedly blurted out Hobby. I couldn't tell because the light glare was so harsh, but I couldn't think of what else it could be. I started having doubts that it was a Kestrel, but the wings didn't look right.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gtAyOcVO5Ds/WWIgHrRtJCI/AAAAAAAADdw/_cFrmfYQ7MArY66QvzEaTUyL8HEWVB5tgCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gtAyOcVO5Ds/WWIgHrRtJCI/AAAAAAAADdw/_cFrmfYQ7MArY66QvzEaTUyL8HEWVB5tgCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3528.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first ever Hobby, such a handsome looking bird.</td></tr>
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We walked down to the hide where we saw a pair of Sika Deer and a large number of Shelduck, but it was otherwise quiet and we headed back and went to Wareham river. It was relatively quiet there as well, although I saw plenty of Reed Warblers and around 20 Swallows that were perched in a bush in a bid to escape the rising heat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1bVJw3bNtA/WWIgTg_-q3I/AAAAAAAADd0/4f25t5ISB68oi0PbyF_9_WrG5LhBT6bVACLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1bVJw3bNtA/WWIgTg_-q3I/AAAAAAAADd0/4f25t5ISB68oi0PbyF_9_WrG5LhBT6bVACLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3559.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the deer we spotted from the hide.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qr8OIBwMk4s/WWIgeqicZcI/AAAAAAAADd4/E4YrZ72kaDs5ByMTPjwsIk5LCbRpY6mKgCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qr8OIBwMk4s/WWIgeqicZcI/AAAAAAAADd4/E4YrZ72kaDs5ByMTPjwsIk5LCbRpY6mKgCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3601.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallows are a lot easier to photograph when they land!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vqW-UavU08s/WWIhR9GKiVI/AAAAAAAADeA/iUkRRX2bXHEXO8y78sohznGD8Qx0-8QDgCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vqW-UavU08s/WWIhR9GKiVI/AAAAAAAADeA/iUkRRX2bXHEXO8y78sohznGD8Qx0-8QDgCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3614.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several of the Swallows that were resting. A bad pic as sun was directly in front of me.</td></tr>
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<b>5th July</b></div>
I headed to Longham in the late afternoon, but it wasn't the best time of day as it was absolutely sweltering. It was also a pretty unexciting walk around the lake, although it was nice to see a large number of baby Tufted Ducks on the two lakes.<br />
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Highlights for the day was a glimpse of my first Kingfisher of the year, around 70 Starlings that were hanging around the industrial site and a lone Sandwich Tern, my first record at the sight, which was a rather pleasant surprise.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-muRqmncNST8/WWIhvwgfCVI/AAAAAAAADeE/Jpv5JNed5AsQGv31Dw6IS_H-9MXDjNvsgCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-muRqmncNST8/WWIhvwgfCVI/AAAAAAAADeE/Jpv5JNed5AsQGv31Dw6IS_H-9MXDjNvsgCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3746.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very distant Sandwich Tern and my first seen at Longham.</td></tr>
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<b>6th July</b><br />
I went down to Poole Park today because I'd seen a Swan Goose and wanted to get better pictures. It's a weird looking goose and very distinctive due to its large heavy bill. It's typically found around China and Russia, so this one was most likely an escapee. The big surprise is that as I was watching it blend in with a small flock of Greylags and Canada Geese it was soon joined by a second!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9kGIWlizus/WWIzqljLFWI/AAAAAAAADeY/8RVKiGHJT5AXXiy5LHpGjRT-N6eTmIqUQCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A4047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9kGIWlizus/WWIzqljLFWI/AAAAAAAADeY/8RVKiGHJT5AXXiy5LHpGjRT-N6eTmIqUQCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A4047.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of two Swan Geese that I saw at Poole Park.</td></tr>
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I headed down the lakes again this evening but it was another dull day, most likely due to the insane heat. Highlights were 9 Lapwings on the small island (the most I've ever seen there) and around 120 Starlings in the car park when I first rolled up. I also saw 5 Song Thrushes bounding around the car park.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b7ft-uMpzVY/WWIh-pSiE4I/AAAAAAAADeI/JMmLIsVkeFEFUCpK6GkfmuJ-vPMBMJaVQCLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b7ft-uMpzVY/WWIh-pSiE4I/AAAAAAAADeI/JMmLIsVkeFEFUCpK6GkfmuJ-vPMBMJaVQCLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3979.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how natural this Song Thrush looks.</td></tr>
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7th July<br />
Another trip and this time I went with Martin Wood, who also has his own blog. It was easily the quietest trip out of the three, with the only real excitement being provided by a Roe Deer which was grazing in the bushes at the end of the causeway. Oh and we saw a Tufted Duck with a staggering 17 chicks.<br />
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I've had a pretty quiet week, but that was through my own choice. I was tempted to got to Nottingham to see the Bee-eaters, but travelling around the UK for birds is a dangerous game that I'm not prepared to play just yet. I'm simply happy pottering around Dorset.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JOMFAAlN5Pc/WWI0B0FQlyI/AAAAAAAADec/1p3HTg0W-H4nSm4i3CaIASkD_QCbg_NzACLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JOMFAAlN5Pc/WWI0B0FQlyI/AAAAAAAADec/1p3HTg0W-H4nSm4i3CaIASkD_QCbg_NzACLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3691.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitethroat hiding in the reeds at Longham Lakes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu71Hhd4zEM/WWI0XAxa61I/AAAAAAAADeg/TwNbl508kKQbGumXv8UGHZUypJlrjEZ0ACLcBGAs/s640/6L5A3732.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I quite like this reflection shot of a Great-Crested Grebe.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu71Hhd4zEM/WWI0XAxa61I/AAAAAAAADeg/TwNbl508kKQbGumXv8UGHZUypJlrjEZ0ACLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu71Hhd4zEM/WWI0XAxa61I/AAAAAAAADeg/TwNbl508kKQbGumXv8UGHZUypJlrjEZ0ACLcBGAs/s1600/6L5A3732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-48906686428812392242017-05-14T20:23:00.000+01:002017-05-14T20:23:13.586+01:00Brand new lifer seen on patch (07-14 May) 73 birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the 7th I headed off to my local patch.<br />
I'd been invigorated by the many new birds that had been seen and was eager to find more so I took my 600mm prime lens as it gives me the best chance at record shots.<br />
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The car park was relatively full when I got to the lakes, but it didn't register really as I was quite late in the morning and model boat enthusiasts were normally there. Wondering around I casually walked up to a man and asked him if he'd seen anything of interest. "Well the Black Terns are over there".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YxQwOzSIssQ/WRiruO7PsvI/AAAAAAAADbI/rF1rTYAt12wd5n6BM5SLICb5pPeWaD_nACLcB/s1600/6L5A1813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YxQwOzSIssQ/WRiruO7PsvI/AAAAAAAADbI/rF1rTYAt12wd5n6BM5SLICb5pPeWaD_nACLcB/s640/6L5A1813.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several Swallows and a House Martin on the right hand side.</td></tr>
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"You what?" I replied, immediately excited because I'd never seen one before. He kindly let me look through his scope but as the birds were moving too quickly I couldn't see one. Quickly getting frustrated my rising anger turned to sudden elation when one flew straight past me.<br />
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Shaking with excitement (because it is exciting when you find a brand new bird I thanked the man for his help and hurried off to the far side of the lake, notifying my rival Martin as I went.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uahB8KnGCO4/WRir6D_GaAI/AAAAAAAADbM/0rdgRV6KLbkH7s3MuW3Ueu_Z6yLu7T98QCLcB/s1600/6L5A1988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uahB8KnGCO4/WRir6D_GaAI/AAAAAAAADbM/0rdgRV6KLbkH7s3MuW3Ueu_Z6yLu7T98QCLcB/s640/6L5A1988.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Black Terns were resting on a bouy, but a high crop and heat haze stopped me getting anything better than this.</td></tr>
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I found lots of Swallows resting on some branches in the middle of the lake, as well as my first Sand Martins of the year. Rushing around the side of the lakes were the terns were flying I finally caught up with some more birders. And that's were it all started to go wrong...<br />
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No matter how I tried I simply couldn't lock onto the birds with my camera. I couldn't work out whether it was poor technique, the dull weather or my lens, but I was struggling to get any sort of decent pictures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MFgE67NRvVk/WRisJDAFRzI/AAAAAAAADbQ/cykHoQuThwcg4o4rdYmiczbt661zoKOlQCLcB/s1600/6L5A2044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MFgE67NRvVk/WRisJDAFRzI/AAAAAAAADbQ/cykHoQuThwcg4o4rdYmiczbt661zoKOlQCLcB/s640/6L5A2044.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the greatest of shots, but it does highlight what beautiful birds the Black Tern is.</td></tr>
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Incredibly frustrated I kept taking snaps, eventually filling my card and decided to head home. I'm glad I saw the terns as they're relatively rare and incredibly graceful birds, but I was greatly upset that my gear had seemingly let me down.<br />
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Still I'm now on <b>73 birds</b> for the year on patch and now have a total of <b>151 birds</b> for the blog.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NYSy_ubNy1w/WRisVFoj6iI/AAAAAAAADbU/ED1Rfhgrj8YnZByxQszclmu8KwgJ8VO3QCLcB/s1600/6L5A2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NYSy_ubNy1w/WRisVFoj6iI/AAAAAAAADbU/ED1Rfhgrj8YnZByxQszclmu8KwgJ8VO3QCLcB/s640/6L5A2025.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This juvenile Herring Gull highlights just how small the Terns are.</td></tr>
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I headed back down to Longham on the 14th as a Bar-Tailed Godwit had been spotted the previous day, but I saw very little of interest aside from a singing Whitethroat and around 5 Cetti's Warblers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U_y_k0nf7d4/WRiskgxsNVI/AAAAAAAADbY/DSbD6JwFSxozdPAxJ_MHgSv3zzYZNCrRACLcB/s1600/6L5A2054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U_y_k0nf7d4/WRiskgxsNVI/AAAAAAAADbY/DSbD6JwFSxozdPAxJ_MHgSv3zzYZNCrRACLcB/s640/6L5A2054.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot of the Black Tern in flight.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3AUdXn1-WU/WRisu-JHseI/AAAAAAAADbc/m0zy6GeT0xgOL5I67REc03FeU8ZPO96TwCLcB/s640/6L5A2257.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm glad I have a prime, as I wouldn't have got this shot otherwise.<br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3AUdXn1-WU/WRisu-JHseI/AAAAAAAADbc/m0zy6GeT0xgOL5I67REc03FeU8ZPO96TwCLcB/s1600/6L5A2257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R3AUdXn1-WU/WRisu-JHseI/AAAAAAAADbc/m0zy6GeT0xgOL5I67REc03FeU8ZPO96TwCLcB/s1600/6L5A2257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></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://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jf6B27Fnt0/WRitYMfFrsI/AAAAAAAADbk/Pxtce-71LkciATmgv3cudRZIyU2Sih_dgCLcB/s1600/6L5A2256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jf6B27Fnt0/WRitYMfFrsI/AAAAAAAADbk/Pxtce-71LkciATmgv3cudRZIyU2Sih_dgCLcB/s640/6L5A2256.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here's a non-cropped shot to highlight just how far out they were.</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;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E5WrSu2ws0s/WRiuO1T_3zI/AAAAAAAADbs/tDiGXpUmUtI-T-hkmqeK16BzLjWwJ00_QCLcB/s640/6L5A2585.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had no problem locking onto fast-flying Swifts in the evening, so I think the poor light was against me.</td></tr>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-23124619211779709902017-05-07T15:37:00.000+01:002017-05-07T15:37:21.285+01:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 12 (01 Mayl) 71 BirdsHeaded off down the patch again today as I heard that rare Black Terns had been spotted the previous day. I never saw them, but within moments of getting to the patch I heard my first <b>Cuckoo</b> of the year calling.<br />
<br />
The reeds were absolutely thriving with singing Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings and I must have counted close to 20 birds of each as I spent a couple of times walking around the lakes.<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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k_Jy8dwKKOs/WQ8wMctwahI/AAAAAAAADaU/GLF76y7_eIAbdIU0N00kxYSGhrthqpKqACLcB/s1600/6L5A1700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k_Jy8dwKKOs/WQ8wMctwahI/AAAAAAAADaU/GLF76y7_eIAbdIU0N00kxYSGhrthqpKqACLcB/s640/6L5A1700.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cetti's Warblers are a right pain. This is the best I could manage!</td></tr>
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I found a <b>Pheasant</b> in one of the back fields and then I caught up with Martin at the far end of South lake and chatted with him and his son as we walked the remaining section lake. We didn't see anything of note, other than a fox carrying something which looks like a small badger from the photo I took.<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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i_eBQw56-5w/WQ8wZ2hbXqI/AAAAAAAADaY/iBZdZL1WNpMWmAGMPXiRfarU73aJPls9gCLcB/s1600/6L5A1418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i_eBQw56-5w/WQ8wZ2hbXqI/AAAAAAAADaY/iBZdZL1WNpMWmAGMPXiRfarU73aJPls9gCLcB/s640/6L5A1418.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the greatest shot, but it will do.</td></tr>
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Once we reached the small island Martin found some <b>Shelducks</b> (my first at Longham) giving me three new birds for the day. I'm now very close to beating last years record so I'm going to make a lot of effort as I'm still missing a fair few relatively easy birds, including Kestrel, Sedge Warbler, and in total there's still 29 common to uncommon birds that I've not seen yet.<br />
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<b>Total birds = 71</b><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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sDeJtdcJYt4/WQ8wje9vX5I/AAAAAAAADac/-I1lDjxjiywt-CjcibJi_9SFItyDvUfqgCLcB/s1600/6L5A1434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sDeJtdcJYt4/WQ8wje9vX5I/AAAAAAAADac/-I1lDjxjiywt-CjcibJi_9SFItyDvUfqgCLcB/s640/6L5A1434.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the fox Martin spotted. Opinion is divided on what it's carrying.</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;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2SOd8FapIw/WQ8wwVwibUI/AAAAAAAADag/RIM04iat42EJBTtZLqE12weYHqlAbIEAACLcB/s640/6L5A1373.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Carrion Crow trying to trick me into thinking it's a Raven.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2SOd8FapIw/WQ8wwVwibUI/AAAAAAAADag/RIM04iat42EJBTtZLqE12weYHqlAbIEAACLcB/s1600/6L5A1373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2SOd8FapIw/WQ8wwVwibUI/AAAAAAAADag/RIM04iat42EJBTtZLqE12weYHqlAbIEAACLcB/s1600/6L5A1373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cRWGytID00/WQ8w6UZqk0I/AAAAAAAADak/PUlJ06mpx4I2QYThxF0A4oIRlglrWekcgCLcB/s1600/6L5A1427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cRWGytID00/WQ8w6UZqk0I/AAAAAAAADak/PUlJ06mpx4I2QYThxF0A4oIRlglrWekcgCLcB/s640/6L5A1427.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really like how elegant this Mute Swan looks.</td></tr>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-81897497074637271142017-04-28T23:06:00.001+01:002017-04-28T23:06:18.474+01:00Bonaparte's Gull On Patch! 68 Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VKSmdBGFjS8/WQO8ooFr2eI/AAAAAAAADZk/ycszbHTfDFYlgKneuKfMVku6U20vbhWFQCLcB/s1600/6L5A1358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VKSmdBGFjS8/WQO8ooFr2eI/AAAAAAAADZk/ycszbHTfDFYlgKneuKfMVku6U20vbhWFQCLcB/s640/6L5A1358.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The brilliance of bird watching is that you never know what's going to happen. Equally, a really shitty thing about bird watching is you never know what's going to happen.</div>
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Take this week for example. Longham Lakes is a solid patch with a great number of decent birds but it rarely (ho ho) gets anything that's astonishingly rare. Sure it's had some megas in the past, but in general it was starting to feel like last year's Great White Egrets were going to be the highlights of my patching there.<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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F98usHtvJpE/WQO2PmjqIjI/AAAAAAAADYw/2Bwb1CwJ_FwsXrVDuYsQ5xIRF5nXcpFDgCLcB/s1600/6L5A1334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F98usHtvJpE/WQO2PmjqIjI/AAAAAAAADYw/2Bwb1CwJ_FwsXrVDuYsQ5xIRF5nXcpFDgCLcB/s640/6L5A1334.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Sandpipers were still present. This is a heavy crop but holds up well.</td></tr>
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I was wrong. Of course, I'm often wrong, but on Wednesday there was some excited tweets that a Bonaparte's Gull had been spotted at the North Lake. This is a big deal, as this small gull is typically an American bird, meaning it was a long way from home.<br />
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Frustratingly, I was carless as my daughter and wife were scouting universities whilst I looked after our youngest. Thursday was even worse as my competitor Martin not only saw the Bonaparte's but also a Red-Rumped Swallow of all things. Both are firsts for the site.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKlnnDS9oj8/WQO46RxKMEI/AAAAAAAADY8/iEO5xE7kp28MlLddLag3xsvkx1l-Oxl-wCLcB/s1600/6L5A1357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKlnnDS9oj8/WQO46RxKMEI/AAAAAAAADY8/iEO5xE7kp28MlLddLag3xsvkx1l-Oxl-wCLcB/s640/6L5A1357.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another dull pic of the island. I thought this was a Yellow Legged Gull, but it's a Lesser Black-Backed Gull.</td></tr>
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There's nothing worse than when you're sitting at work or at home knowing great birds are being seen on your patch and you're completely unable to do anything about it. Longham is too far to go by bus and too expensive to taxi so all I could do was hope.<br />
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Hoping only gets you so far and when I went into work the next day there were already reports that the Swallow had long gone. So then you sit there thinking 'what if the Bonaparte's goes as well', 'will I know what it looks like', 'what if I never see one on patch again'. You convince yourself of the worse and the day drags for an eternity.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uxy_IedKow4/WQO5JKUQTGI/AAAAAAAADZA/_uTHzqmHmrciC7RBSpUXs61XDeYW4racACLcB/s1600/6L5A1347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uxy_IedKow4/WQO5JKUQTGI/AAAAAAAADZA/_uTHzqmHmrciC7RBSpUXs61XDeYW4racACLcB/s640/6L5A1347.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quite frankly awful shot of a Reed Warbler. Still, it's a new bird for the patch this year.</td></tr>
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Reaching Longham carpark I was dismayed to see no cars there. The Bonaparte's is a pretty big deal and you'd typically get a fair few birders wanting to see it, but the lot was empty. Panicking I set my lens and tripod up as quickly as possible and sprinted across the green.<br />
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"Have you seen the Bonaparte's?" I asked, a little desperation creeping into my voice. "He was over there a minute ago," was the reply. I looked over there and I didn't see it. I looked again and there was nothing. I desperately scanned the skies and the North Lake but all I saw were the black heads of summer Black-Headed Gulls mocking me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3pn8hUIALbo/WQO5UK6-J4I/AAAAAAAADZE/3RyXaqEvNTYquiGzj039P0K3aFxdf-glACLcB/s1600/6L5A1291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3pn8hUIALbo/WQO5UK6-J4I/AAAAAAAADZE/3RyXaqEvNTYquiGzj039P0K3aFxdf-glACLcB/s640/6L5A1291.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a cracking bird. The Bonaparte's Gull in all its glory.</td></tr>
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I walked up the causeway and stopped. Was that it? I couldn't be sure because my id skills for gulls is about as good as my bass playing is. Terrible. It looked like the bird, but I couldn't be sure. I knew it was smaller than the Black-Headed Gulls, but couldn't remember how small. I'd seen one through a scope a year or two back at Blashford but I couldn't be sure. I needed to be sure.<br />
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"I called out to another fellow birder who was also scanning the gulls. "That's the Bonaparte's right?", I literally whispered. "That's right, the pink legs are the giveaway," can the wonderful reply. "I soaked the bird up, marvelling at its colouration and the thought that the little bugger had crossed the North Atlantic Ocean to get here.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d53PI0X3i6Q/WQO5c1PJ95I/AAAAAAAADZI/V0M1px_I5cUo41-XdsC86wDIHJSf1ZXSwCLcB/s1600/6L5A1275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d53PI0X3i6Q/WQO5c1PJ95I/AAAAAAAADZI/V0M1px_I5cUo41-XdsC86wDIHJSf1ZXSwCLcB/s640/6L5A1275.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A comparison shot with a Black-Headed Gull. The Bonaparte's is on the right.</td></tr>
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It was a great addition to the patch, but I was greedy. I wanted the Red-Rumped Swallow as well. Hell, I'd even take the Osprey that had been seen earlier that day. I was hungry for new birds and now I'd consumed the <b>Bonaparte's</b> I wanted more.<br />
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I didn't get it, but I did see five <b>Reed Warblers</b>, another new bird for the patch, as well as several <b>House Martins</b> hawking after the midges that swarmed the area. Plopping down next to another birder who was looking for the Swallow, we explained pleasantries and he informed me that I'd just missed four Shelducks. Bugger...<br />
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I'm now on 68 birds. Getting very close to passing last year's target.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HUmuMY1vtPs/WQO7H93AqMI/AAAAAAAADZY/sWM6VSa5rtA_BGQlHqGHndZCWK4XhnptwCLcB/s1600/6L5A1284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HUmuMY1vtPs/WQO7H93AqMI/AAAAAAAADZY/sWM6VSa5rtA_BGQlHqGHndZCWK4XhnptwCLcB/s640/6L5A1284.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a fair crop, but still looks nice :)</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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uaOSzkNWFYc/WQO622qDweI/AAAAAAAADZU/3jGvs78x9Pku1a2JFlVlf4cknNCqnTergCLcB/s1600/6L5A1287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uaOSzkNWFYc/WQO622qDweI/AAAAAAAADZU/3jGvs78x9Pku1a2JFlVlf4cknNCqnTergCLcB/s640/6L5A1287.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaparte's Gull in flight. The underneath of the wings is a good way to distinguish it from the Black-Headed.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-81614590173601506732017-04-23T19:42:00.000+01:002017-04-23T19:42:10.713+01:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 10 (23rd April) 65 BirdsEagle-eyed readers will notice that there are two missing entries. That's because I had very little to report other than a small group of <b>Rooks </b>and a <b>Lesser Black-Backed Gull</b>, which I initially mistook for a <b>Yellow-Legged Gull.</b><br />
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Work has also been a nightmare lately, so I've had precious little time to get down the patch. During my absences Martin has picked up a cracking number of birds, including Shelduck, Egyptian Goose and Willow Warbler and is currently on 83 for the year, which is a great number for the site.<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vxWi1oH7q_c/WPzzhJQRQHI/AAAAAAAADXg/_bw590DB4pALqP0bjkMAktsMiDhv1raagCLcB/s1600/6L5A1196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vxWi1oH7q_c/WPzzhJQRQHI/AAAAAAAADXg/_bw590DB4pALqP0bjkMAktsMiDhv1raagCLcB/s640/6L5A1196.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pretty dull view of the island with nothing of note there.</td></tr>
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I actually caught up with Martin this morning, just as I was arriving at 8.30. He informed me that there were Common Sandpipers and a summer-plumaged Dunlin about so after about 10 minutes I went off to look for them.<br />
<br />
Before I even reached the island a lone <b>Common Sandpiper</b> flew past me. Upon reaching the island I saw no sign of the Egyptian Geese but I did see a number of Mediterranean Gulls, Tufted Ducks and Canada Geese. There were no other small waders to be seen though.<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o8WAbo-_PBU/WPz0ANrQ3gI/AAAAAAAADXo/pPoHmk3W3TUQwQlVJMGfZV7wf3QXK4hCQCLcB/s1600/6L5A1216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o8WAbo-_PBU/WPz0ANrQ3gI/AAAAAAAADXo/pPoHmk3W3TUQwQlVJMGfZV7wf3QXK4hCQCLcB/s640/6L5A1216.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Dunlin in summer plumage, the first I've seen at Longham.</td></tr>
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After making me way past a group of annoying midges, I managed to get a better spot of the middle part of the island, no small task when hand-holding my 600mm lens. After about five minutes another Common Sandpiper appeared and then I found the lovely <b>Dunlin</b> hiding in the undergrowth. As I was taking photos screaming <b>Swifts</b> caught my atttention and I looked skywards to find five of them wheeling through the sky.<br />
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Powering up the causeway I reached the end of the fields where I scanned the brambles for any passing migrants. I saw and heard plenty of Great Tits, Read Buntings, Blue Tits and Gold Finches, but very little else. I looked skywards at the pylon where Cormorants always roost, and seeing none, scanned it more closely. Amazingly, there was a lone <b>Peregrine Falcon</b> perched up high. My first ever on patch and a nice two pointed for me. A singing <b>Whitethroat</b> and <b>Blackcap</b> then appeared in rapid succession, moving to fast for me to take photos.<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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HrjGj0_ObPM/WPz0LnUMiGI/AAAAAAAADXs/vTLwElTr-hYgx6hYQNK069neSiJDV5tRgCLcB/s1600/6L5A1237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HrjGj0_ObPM/WPz0LnUMiGI/AAAAAAAADXs/vTLwElTr-hYgx6hYQNK069neSiJDV5tRgCLcB/s640/6L5A1237.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another site first for me! This time a magnificent Peregrine Falcon.</td></tr>
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I scanned the horse paddocks where a Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear had been spotted the previous day but after 15 minutes of searching I decided to head home to do some work. It was at that moment that a lone <b>Swallow</b> darted past me and flew across the lake. All in all I was only out for just over an hour, but added seven new birds. Here's hoping I can pick up a few more summer visitors next weekend.<br />
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I'm now on <b>65</b> birds for the year, which is 10 more than I managed this time last year.<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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ComrXiWkQrE/WPz09TJgaKI/AAAAAAAADX0/YVvnGiR005ooxnF0Susxc6t2rE-8cyWvgCLcB/s1600/6L5A1236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ComrXiWkQrE/WPz09TJgaKI/AAAAAAAADX0/YVvnGiR005ooxnF0Susxc6t2rE-8cyWvgCLcB/s640/6L5A1236.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A poor crop as I couldn't get anywhere close to this Common Sandpiper.</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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmpTis9DReA/WPz1PuwK0YI/AAAAAAAADX4/7StWrm3cpNE2uEzf3DU0c3x-UDFBdGTAgCLcB/s1600/6L5A1237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nmpTis9DReA/WPz1PuwK0YI/AAAAAAAADX4/7StWrm3cpNE2uEzf3DU0c3x-UDFBdGTAgCLcB/s640/6L5A1237.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my original image of the Peregrine.</td></tr>
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Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-87351886839830869192017-03-19T19:05:00.001+00:002017-03-19T19:06:09.324+00:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 7 (19th March) 56 Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a whole month away I was finally able to get back to the patch at Longham. It's a great time to potentially get new birds, as migrants are already on their way and they appear to be getting earlier and earlier.<br />
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Due to having no phone, I decided to record everything on paper, something I haven't done for ages. The bracing wind made it quite cold, but it went well and I began to list a large number of birds.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oFGRZa1rZ_o/WM7VS-koKHI/AAAAAAAADWI/icrKMEbEmhEF8-uhOQgurihPNedkkt1FQCLcB/s1600/6L5A0938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oFGRZa1rZ_o/WM7VS-koKHI/AAAAAAAADWI/icrKMEbEmhEF8-uhOQgurihPNedkkt1FQCLcB/s640/6L5A0938.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few of the Mediterranean Gulls that were on the lake.</td></tr>
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I was really hoping to see grebes in courtship, but I'd clearly missed the boat as nothing was happening with the few pairs I saw on the lakes. Coots were building nests however and there were a large number of Reed Buntings about. In fact, I saw around 8, which is a large number myself.<br />
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As I got to the corner of north lake I noticed that most of the winter ducks had long departed and only a few Tufted Duck were swimming around with the coots. Heading to the thicket I stood on top of the stile and spotted Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins and my first <b>Bullfinch</b> of thee year and my second on patch.<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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hm6RFdoSNiI/WM7Vfv6EFoI/AAAAAAAADWM/yj34t5MdLfgBlNg91pVeowyKt9y9VDA5wCLcB/s1600/6L5A0895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hm6RFdoSNiI/WM7Vfv6EFoI/AAAAAAAADWM/yj34t5MdLfgBlNg91pVeowyKt9y9VDA5wCLcB/s640/6L5A0895.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One day I'll get a half-decent shot of a Bullfinch. One day...</td></tr>
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The walk along the back of the fields yielded Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinches and more Blackbirds and I heard the unmistakable sound and saw the back end of a <b>Cetti's Warbler</b>. My second new bird of the day.<br />
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Upon reaching the second stile I hopped over to check the empty fields. I saw around 37 Mute Swan and, surprisingly, three Redwings. I scoured the bushes desperately for the Fieldfares I'd missed earlier in February, but had no luck.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnRkgLx_FEY/WM7VyUqyOkI/AAAAAAAADWQ/9WNntoro53MUlnYM8REaBTms97pInseHQCLcB/s1600/6L5A0897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnRkgLx_FEY/WM7VyUqyOkI/AAAAAAAADWQ/9WNntoro53MUlnYM8REaBTms97pInseHQCLcB/s640/6L5A0897.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice to see the Redwings are still about. </td></tr>
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I received a surprise when I saw that one of the Great White Egrets was still around, awkwardly perched in a tree above the small pond at the end of south lake, but otherwise my walk was relatively uneventful. Walking towards the visitor's centre I thought I saw a Wheatear on the path, but I was unable to identify it as I lacked my binoculars.<br />
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The small island on south lake had a lone Shoveler and a large number of Teal, Gadwall and Tufted Duck, but all in all it was a pretty quite day. I'm still missing lots of obvious birds like Kingfisher, Rook, Kestrel, Common Sandpipe, Common Gull and Lesser Black Backed Gull to name a few, so plenty more to find.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5vMTOCeweqI/WM7V89HvGmI/AAAAAAAADWU/rAUdHwVzSUwQHXI9T9TCOfCIBk2-xVzDQCLcB/s1600/6L5A0923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5vMTOCeweqI/WM7V89HvGmI/AAAAAAAADWU/rAUdHwVzSUwQHXI9T9TCOfCIBk2-xVzDQCLcB/s640/6L5A0923.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will never tire of taking photos of this bird.<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zTiRODQJixQ/WM7WJIkM8aI/AAAAAAAADWY/nO76r1T8Sr4ZsVP3PqPxI1T-I1bFYdkNwCLcB/s1600/6L5A0934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zTiRODQJixQ/WM7WJIkM8aI/AAAAAAAADWY/nO76r1T8Sr4ZsVP3PqPxI1T-I1bFYdkNwCLcB/s640/6L5A0934.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My best Reed Bunting shot of the day.</td></tr>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-81390514963407699342017-02-16T22:24:00.003+00:002017-02-16T22:24:33.131+00:00Chasing Waxwings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My second twitch of 2017 (150 Birds seen)</h3>
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I've always had a fascinating with Waxwings, ever since first discovering them in my books when I was a younger birder. It's arguably my second favourite UK bird, after the Hoopoe and I've always wanted to see one.</div>
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When I was a youngster I would desperately crane my neck skywards whenever I went out bird watching, not realising that both birds are fleeting visitors to the UK and normally seen at very specific times of the year.</div>
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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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XZfrhZIbN3s/WKYhoBx0A5I/AAAAAAAADUM/u-7o6i_4abUPjTGzKyNBhLah5c9b9ydUACLcB/s1600/6L5A0635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XZfrhZIbN3s/WKYhoBx0A5I/AAAAAAAADUM/u-7o6i_4abUPjTGzKyNBhLah5c9b9ydUACLcB/s640/6L5A0635.jpg" width="588" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Waxwings were high up in the trees, making photos quite a difficult task.</td></tr>
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So when I heard that Waxwings had been spotted a short drive from my house I knew I couldn't pass up the chance to see them. Nomadic by nature, they typically move around in large flocks, breaking up into smaller groups as food becomes more scarce. Annoyingly, the birds where nowhere to be seen the afternoon I had off, so I missed my chance to see them.</div>
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As I've been off on holiday this week I decided I was going to head off to Weymouth in search of the Bitterns that had been spotted at Radipole Lake. I changed my mind when I found out that a small group of six Waxwings had been spotted at Corfe Mullen, some thirty minutes from my home.</div>
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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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LOwxl2VIixk/WKYinFuj5cI/AAAAAAAADUU/bqDcwtu0bSc4qWRDwJENCnw81_nk-pWDwCLcB/s1600/6L5A0712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LOwxl2VIixk/WKYinFuj5cI/AAAAAAAADUU/bqDcwtu0bSc4qWRDwJENCnw81_nk-pWDwCLcB/s640/6L5A0712.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A half decent shot, took from the other side of a busy road. </td></tr>
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I set off early in the morning (well 8 is early for me) and located the birds relatively easily thanks to great directions from the ever helpful Ian Ballam. There were a small group of photographers there when I arrived, so I quickly set my camera up and waited for the birds to move.</div>
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They were flitting between two locations, staying to peck at berries for a few minutes, before heading off to a larger tree. Sadly, the light was atrocious so it was extremely hard to get shots that would do the birds justice.</div>
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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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hcL3UXwEEc/WKYkBew--yI/AAAAAAAADUc/i8gW3oSgfCYfNbhp3VJklhhvxGY60h2awCLcB/s1600/6L5A0690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hcL3UXwEEc/WKYkBew--yI/AAAAAAAADUc/i8gW3oSgfCYfNbhp3VJklhhvxGY60h2awCLcB/s640/6L5A0690.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the shots were with my 600mm prime lens and 1.4 TC. Expensive, but worth it for getting close.</td></tr>
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And they really are quite magnificent to look at. Beautifully coloured and with amazing erect crests, they get their name from the small red marks on their wings that look like candle wax. They have a weird, almost sculpted look to them compared to many other birds, giving them a very unique looking appearance.</div>
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I managed to spend 30 minutes with the birds before they flew off. We headed over to a second location where they had been feeding previously, but they were nowhere to be seen. After waiting for nearly two hours, the general thought was that the birds had found a more suitable food source and were feeding there instead.</div>
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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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gYJyUo7TCJQ/WKYkVhkKVDI/AAAAAAAADUg/z8mRFN1lH_IoEP0EXyZ1vVqn12WdFucwgCLcB/s1600/6L5A0664.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gYJyUo7TCJQ/WKYkVhkKVDI/AAAAAAAADUg/z8mRFN1lH_IoEP0EXyZ1vVqn12WdFucwgCLcB/s640/6L5A0664.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the bottom bird shown here.</td></tr>
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I'll try and connect with these birds again this year, but it's been a particularly busy season for them, so it's unclear if we'll see anywhere near as many this coming winter. I'm certainly glad I made the effort to see them, even if my shots weren't the best. </div>
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Oh and it's my <b>150th bird</b> since starting my blog nearly three years ago, so that's worth celebrating, too.</div>
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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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tIKO5UtayKQ/WKYmS06ZEnI/AAAAAAAADUw/CLtd6r5xjGAsU5LPmmtO-hpLruj0UPnLgCLcB/s1600/6L5A0716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tIKO5UtayKQ/WKYmS06ZEnI/AAAAAAAADUw/CLtd6r5xjGAsU5LPmmtO-hpLruj0UPnLgCLcB/s640/6L5A0716.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wasn't fast enough to get good shots when they were on the berries.</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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KQw35XPa5-U/WKYkiLn9JwI/AAAAAAAADUk/qzIWDQ4v30gVU47DFvfgb5vmTSPaRZ64wCLcB/s1600/6L5A0629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KQw35XPa5-U/WKYkiLn9JwI/AAAAAAAADUk/qzIWDQ4v30gVU47DFvfgb5vmTSPaRZ64wCLcB/s640/6L5A0629.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here's a shot showing off how the Waxwing gets its unusual name.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AEWfD0unFI8/WKYls4e5CYI/AAAAAAAADUs/mh8If8Eb5w4V4tFLAZXTkZ_CjoI-JB86ACLcB/s1600/6L5A0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AEWfD0unFI8/WKYls4e5CYI/AAAAAAAADUs/mh8If8Eb5w4V4tFLAZXTkZ_CjoI-JB86ACLcB/s640/6L5A0688.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've whacked up the vibrancy here, I don't think it ruins the shot too much.<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Corfe Mullen, UK50.767870601456956 -2.01937926773678150.765360101456956 -2.0244217677367811 50.770381101456955 -2.0143367677367809tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-48085745162785804862017-02-16T14:19:00.000+00:002017-02-16T14:19:08.745+00:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 6 (14th February) 54 Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Valentine's Day saw me getting up early for two things: flowers for the wife and a chance to spot the Fieldfares that had been spotted by Martin at Longham Lakes.<br />
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I headed right over to the usual spot, spying one lone Great White Egret, around 21 Pochard and a small group of Tufted Ducks and Great Crested Grebes, but very little else.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWOlCYYJ-YU/WKWziXcjkYI/AAAAAAAADT4/i9rycfqq0CMhlgmznxqmb7uBLfyjt1ZgQCLcB/s1600/6L5A0604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CWOlCYYJ-YU/WKWziXcjkYI/AAAAAAAADT4/i9rycfqq0CMhlgmznxqmb7uBLfyjt1ZgQCLcB/s640/6L5A0604.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See if you can spot the two rarer gulls here.</td></tr>
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It was quite windy and there wasn't a lot of bird song around. As it turned out there weren't any Scandinavian thrushes either and despite checking several key areas for extensive amounts of time I found nothing other than Blackbirds and the odd Song Thrush.<br />
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Martin's gap has been slowly increasing over the last few weeks so as I walked along the back of the lakes I was scouring the reeds and the skies for Water Rails and Falcons of any description. I came up short and the back fields were also light on action, with a large group of Carrion Crows being the only notable action.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kcSAgu-wIcY/WKWz0bpMAJI/AAAAAAAADT8/-rWwWAaMJXcLwXWsRxVjsFT3wNgtFBHtACLcB/s1600/6L5A0607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kcSAgu-wIcY/WKWz0bpMAJI/AAAAAAAADT8/-rWwWAaMJXcLwXWsRxVjsFT3wNgtFBHtACLcB/s640/6L5A0607.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A harsh crop showing the different between the two gulls. The Mediterranean is far white with no black on the wingtips.</td></tr>
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I found my new birds over the far side of South Lake but I really had to work for them. Martin had already seen some Mediterranean Gulls, so I scoured the large group of gulls that were floating around and causing a ruckus. I counted 127 Black-Headed Gulls, two of which were <b>Mediterraneans</b>, Success!<br />
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<b>New Bird Total = 54</b><br />
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-21458454886604668802017-02-05T17:16:00.000+00:002017-02-05T17:16:08.972+00:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 5 (05th February) 53 BirdsPursuing Pintails<br />
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I'd already missed the first lot of Pintails that had appeared in January, so when Martin mentioned that he spotted more on his Saturday visit I knew I had to try and find them.<br />
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I arrived at Longham the following day at 8.20 and was greeted to a largely deserted car park and even fewer birds. A few blackbirds and carrion crows were wheeling around but it was otherwise quiet.<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FIz6nDhmR_s/WJczOqmBe1I/AAAAAAAADS0/rfyunll0dAw_b1mKScWBcpDJDvL9HSOUQCLcB/s1600/6L5A0096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FIz6nDhmR_s/WJczOqmBe1I/AAAAAAAADS0/rfyunll0dAw_b1mKScWBcpDJDvL9HSOUQCLcB/s640/6L5A0096.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The island was pretty disappointing with just Cormorants to be seen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Heading to the large island on South Lake where most of the exotics and waders are typically found I saw no sign of the Pintails, although I did spy what looks like the last two Great White Egrets (the other appears to have flown off now).<br />
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As I got to the back fields I saw that everything had flooded, pushing all the geese and swans further away than usual. I tried to scan the large groups with my bins, but it's a folly without a telescope so I gave up.<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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_aReab8gz84/WJczYGVj9zI/AAAAAAAADS4/3nELC78m6_0MPgx93dXDhHSPjsx_69XhgCLcB/s1600/6L5A0111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_aReab8gz84/WJczYGVj9zI/AAAAAAAADS4/3nELC78m6_0MPgx93dXDhHSPjsx_69XhgCLcB/s640/6L5A0111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Great White Egret and Grey Heron fishing.</td></tr>
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I walked along the back of North Lake in the hope of spotting Water Rails but saw nothing other than one of the Egrets and a Grey Heron, a small number of Great Tit and a flock of around 17 Pochard. Other than that it was pretty quiet so I headed back to South Lake.<br />
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Halfway along the back of South Lake I saw the <b>Pintails</b>, they were right in the middle of the lake, so my shots are pretty poor, but you can still make out how dainty and charming they are.<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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wUrVgOipm1o/WJczhBS5ftI/AAAAAAAADS8/3CXE0HDVEIwUkNGAJ50y5yM7wfWFGmhjwCLcB/s1600/6L5A0119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wUrVgOipm1o/WJczhBS5ftI/AAAAAAAADS8/3CXE0HDVEIwUkNGAJ50y5yM7wfWFGmhjwCLcB/s640/6L5A0119.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the greatest of shots, but you can see how dainty these ducks are.</td></tr>
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Other than the Pintails my walk was pretty uneventful with the only new bird being a <b>Green Woodpecker</b> that was flushed by a pair of joggers.<br />
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<b>TOTAL BIRDS SEEN: 53</b>Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-49837179896323125682017-01-30T19:33:00.000+00:002017-01-30T19:33:56.991+00:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 4 (22nd January) 51 Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was unable to get out this weekend due to work, so here's an update from last weekend instead.</div>
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I'm going to keep it short because there was very little of note to report. It was absolutely freezing, but not enough to tempt out any Water Rails, so I feel I'm rapidly missing my chance to see them until Winter.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XpffiL5YasM/WI5fXSnEt3I/AAAAAAAADR4/j_kj16abBrknjNsKBhywox50dW3He7xzgCLcB/s1600/6L5A0059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XpffiL5YasM/WI5fXSnEt3I/AAAAAAAADR4/j_kj16abBrknjNsKBhywox50dW3He7xzgCLcB/s640/6L5A0059.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Egrets were too far away for good shots, so here's a Grey Heron.</td></tr>
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There were the usual assortment of geese and gulls on the fields and the three great white egrets were still to be found. Annoyingly I saw no trace of the Fieldfares that Dominic had spotted earlier in the week and I couldn't find Mediterranean Gulls either. I scoured what felt like hundreds of Black-Headed Gulls, but couldn't spot any at all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YZd78UMnnKI/WI5fiPbDoWI/AAAAAAAADR8/_M46Y9nkruoxMzfZ64LXrFuLb0mHVqw8wCLcB/s1600/6L5A0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YZd78UMnnKI/WI5fiPbDoWI/AAAAAAAADR8/_M46Y9nkruoxMzfZ64LXrFuLb0mHVqw8wCLcB/s640/6L5A0045.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small flock of Long-Tailed Tits was the highlight of the walk. They were everywhere!</td></tr>
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The only stroke of luck came from finding a pair of <b>Shovelers</b> on the lake which I discovered when I was processing my photos. The highlight of the walk was discovering a flock of 20 Long-Tailed Tits that were feeding along the path on the far side of South Lake and a Buzzard getting mobbed by a Carrion Crow.<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IMrs9m9GZSI/WI5gHgN9r2I/AAAAAAAADSI/8mJZwiaYoNUU9wRW90xRvnsPfu0wxLQ4QCEw/s1600/6L5A0074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IMrs9m9GZSI/WI5gHgN9r2I/AAAAAAAADSI/8mJZwiaYoNUU9wRW90xRvnsPfu0wxLQ4QCEw/s640/6L5A0074.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's an awkwardly lit shot, but I still quite like this Buzzard image.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3zIra7JKzHk/WI5f3hMr69I/AAAAAAAADSA/_jtwNHeeFJ0Y_Om7HUGYpXZnKMw2YeLjACLcB/s1600/6L5A0085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3zIra7JKzHk/WI5f3hMr69I/AAAAAAAADSA/_jtwNHeeFJ0Y_Om7HUGYpXZnKMw2YeLjACLcB/s640/6L5A0085.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a heavy crop at long distance but the chestnut patches of the Shovelers are easy to see.<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;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lcOHi2CJEOs/WI5glNvJujI/AAAAAAAADSQ/ns3H6h8JXewlERO2JewkNxlZDq7toUSyACLcB/s640/6L5A0077.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here it is being mobbed by a Carrion Crow.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lcOHi2CJEOs/WI5glNvJujI/AAAAAAAADSQ/ns3H6h8JXewlERO2JewkNxlZDq7toUSyACLcB/s1600/6L5A0077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-17386078489058112422017-01-15T18:10:00.000+00:002017-01-15T18:10:56.835+00:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 3 (15th January) 50 Birds<h3>
New bird blow out!</h3>
<div>
Birding is all about opportunities. Sometimes they are fortunate, sometimes they are happy and other times they big, but every now and then they are missed and fleeting. Sadly, this falls squarely in the last two examples...</div>
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I was in town shopping with the family when Martin Wood tweeted that he'd seen a large number of Pintails over at Longham. If you're not aware, Pintails are incredibly dainty ducks, which are typically identified (on the males at least by they're long tails). "I'll go tomorrow", I told myself and thought no more of it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hr14BkjUdUQ/WHuz2NlKRhI/AAAAAAAADQw/8bZL2veYPc4d4FwphPH7kUpFcEjls1x7QCLcB/s1600/6L5A9966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hr14BkjUdUQ/WHuz2NlKRhI/AAAAAAAADQw/8bZL2veYPc4d4FwphPH7kUpFcEjls1x7QCLcB/s640/6L5A9966.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were plenty of Teal about on the lake but no Pintails.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I reached Longham around 8.20 on Sunday morning and paid little attention to the car park as I wanted to find those ducks.I reached the south island and eagerly scanned it for the large number of Pintails that had been spotted there the previous day. Damn, nothing. Oh wait up, there's a small group of <b>Wigeon</b> mixed in with a small group of Teal. Bird one of the day.</div>
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Walking up the cause I paused briefly to marvel at 12 Little Egrets which had been flushed by a dog walker. Joining them was a Great White Egret , making it the largest flock of Egrets I've seen here in the last few years.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CblLFHmvagU/WHu2x8p98vI/AAAAAAAADQ0/OccWGLnBMMspTqDb5d4i2a1GqP1mqvcwQCLcB/s1600/6L5A9972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CblLFHmvagU/WHu2x8p98vI/AAAAAAAADQ0/OccWGLnBMMspTqDb5d4i2a1GqP1mqvcwQCLcB/s640/6L5A9972.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Pintail, but I did spot some Wigeon.</td></tr>
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<div>
I scoured the bag area of the fields where there was a large number of Mute Swans (30) and around 60 Canada Geese with the odd <b>Greylag</b> thrown in for good measure. I tried scouring the flock for rarities, but my binoculars weren't really up to the task. I crossed the stile and tried to get a little closer and saw a <b>Dunnock</b>, my first of the year. I then found a small flock of Long-Tailed Tits, with a straggling <b>Goldcrest</b> following them. I excitedly went to take a picture of it but I couldn't focus as it was too close. Darn.</div>
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I walked around the back of North lake in the hope of Water Rails and Bullfinchs, but despite careful searching I found neither. I did flush a Wagtail, but it was too low to see what sort it might be. As I approached the style that leads to Green Lane two <b>Collard Doves</b> alighted on a telegraph pole. I then located the wagtail and was delighted to discover it was a <b>Grey Wagtail</b>, so that was another new bird.</div>
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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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S5NaBOgeSkc/WHu6XNmrVUI/AAAAAAAADQ4/b0CIG-2mgowDl4MkivEfbRUfEyBsT0eYgCLcB/s1600/6L5A9962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S5NaBOgeSkc/WHu6XNmrVUI/AAAAAAAADQ4/b0CIG-2mgowDl4MkivEfbRUfEyBsT0eYgCLcB/s640/6L5A9962.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I saw plenty of Wood Pigeons, as well as these two Collard Doves.</td></tr>
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<div>
I approached the open field by the boathouse, hoping for a Green Woodpecker, but the pastures where relatively empty. I did spy a <b>Buzzard</b> on one of the fence posts on the second field, making it my first raptor of the year. It had been lightly raining all morning and I began to head back to the car park, but something made me head to the causeway again. I passed blackbirds, great tits and chaffinches and spotted the odd Magpie and Carrion Crow, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.</div>
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I had a moment of excitement on the causeway as I thought I had located a Water Rail moving along the bushes, but after much scanning it turned out to be a Song Thrush. I checked the island again, but the Pintails were still nowhere to be seen, so I continued my walk and found a solitary male <b>Reed Bunting</b> halfway up the causeway.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZ3Lbrr9USc/WHu6y10AbBI/AAAAAAAADRA/1Fd0Kjk7A18HQ4sITno91Ltfuh89T4J_gCLcB/s1600/6L5A9984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZ3Lbrr9USc/WHu6y10AbBI/AAAAAAAADRA/1Fd0Kjk7A18HQ4sITno91Ltfuh89T4J_gCLcB/s640/6L5A9984.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A poor photo of a well-hidden Reed Bunting.</td></tr>
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<div>
As I reached the back field I found a pair of <b>Stonechat</b> and willed them to fly closer so I could get a half decent picture. Sadly, they did not oblige. After a while I strolled across the back of South lake where I spotted what I think are Roe Deer. I've never seen them before and didn't even realise they were local, which made for a nice treat. There was a small group of herring gulls on the lake, including a couple of <b>Great Black-Backed Gulls</b>, my tenth and final birds for the day.</div>
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As I headed back to the car park a small duck flew over me which may have been a male pintail but it flew too far out into the lake for me to check it with my binoculars. I really need to consider saving up for a scope of some description...</div>
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<b>TOTAL BIRDS SEEN</b> = 50</div>
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I've had a few requests about not finishing the post with a long list of every bird seen so far, so I'll look at a new way of doing this going forward.</div>
Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-82653180213263486692017-01-08T17:31:00.000+00:002017-01-08T17:31:07.758+00:00Patchwork Challenge Trip 2 (8th January) 40 Birds<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Chasing more birds</h3>
Martin Wood, who also takes part in the Patchwork Challenge at Longham is ill at the moment so it's given me an opportunity to potentially pull ahead of him. I generally need it, as he's an excellent bird watcher who spotted 95 species last year to my 74. Get well Martin and I'll see you on patch shortly.<br />
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The weather was absolutely lousy when I reached Longham and plenty of mist was rolling across the lake, making any identifications at long distance rather tricky. The car park was relatively quiet but I did see Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Chaffinch and other small passerines. There was nothing in the adjoining fields though.<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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GKzna9M6jRs/WHJlf7U9X5I/AAAAAAAADOw/WQZe4CRHrbgX_q-STUkVhdVr1I5OJnt5gCLcB/s1600/6L5A9831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GKzna9M6jRs/WHJlf7U9X5I/AAAAAAAADOw/WQZe4CRHrbgX_q-STUkVhdVr1I5OJnt5gCLcB/s640/6L5A9831.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I purposely used a low shutterspeed on this Great White Egret to create a sense of movement.</td></tr>
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I immediately spotted one of the Great White Egrets fishing and decided to walk around North Lake,. leaving the causeway for later. I spotted a second great egret fishing with some little egrets and flushed a grey heron which was on the other side of the boat house. I checked the horse fields but saw nothing unusual.<br />
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I stopped to chat to some of the local fisherman and discussed the Egrets with them. They also mentioned they were trying to get access to the second lake, which is the first I've heard of this news. I feel there's enough room on this one for them, but I'm not a fisherman, so didn't push the point.<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sj5ulOGa0es/WHJmI2WB_DI/AAAAAAAADO0/3S0tmy0-L3cBaJhlppUqWxtv6nK6O2XdQCLcB/s1600/6L5A9841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sj5ulOGa0es/WHJmI2WB_DI/AAAAAAAADO0/3S0tmy0-L3cBaJhlppUqWxtv6nK6O2XdQCLcB/s640/6L5A9841.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Egrets are always common around the lakes and are dwarfed by the Great Whites.</td></tr>
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Walking to the corner of the lake I scanned for Bullfinches but again saw nothing. The hampreston fields behind the lake were also devoid of birds, with not even a Rook or Carrion Crow to be seen.<br />
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By now I was on the back of the lake scanning the ditches for snipe, woodcock and godwits, but aside from a sizeable flock of Wood Pigeons, found nothing of note. In fact the back fields in general were surprisingly quiet with only a small number of Mute Swans (15) and no geese or gulls. The fields aren't really flooded either, which might have explained the lack of birds.<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://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J0eteclOpD8/WHJmUufY7yI/AAAAAAAADO4/77V-Nll7uEspt6D5nU6eDdDmBSJVQrhbACLcB/s1600/Striking%2Bgreat%2Bwhite%2Begrret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J0eteclOpD8/WHJmUufY7yI/AAAAAAAADO4/77V-Nll7uEspt6D5nU6eDdDmBSJVQrhbACLcB/s640/Striking%2Bgreat%2Bwhite%2Begrret.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I spent ages watching this Great White Egret fish. This is my favourite shot by far.</td></tr>
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I stopped for a good twenty minutes to watch one of the Great White Egrets fish and then carried on my trek. I heard Blackbirds, Magpies and Robins, and saw plenty of Wrens, tits and finches, but nothing I hadn't already seen. In short it was proving to be a bust.<br />
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The causeway was equally quiet, so I made my way down to some viewing spots of the large island on South Lake. I was immediately rewarded with a small flock of <b>Lapwings</b>. I find viewing of this island very difficult as you really need a scope, but I can at least check pics with my camera.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QjNi34UddMo/WHJmg4I-ElI/AAAAAAAADO8/OmLMB8w2vLM1wyBtnS00j0jLzFt4D9HBwCLcB/s1600/6L5A9899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QjNi34UddMo/WHJmg4I-ElI/AAAAAAAADO8/OmLMB8w2vLM1wyBtnS00j0jLzFt4D9HBwCLcB/s640/6L5A9899.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I could really do with a scope to view the birds on this island. You can see the Lapwings though.</td></tr>
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There were a large number of gulls on the railings, as well as a Great White Egret, which was rather odd to see, but they were all Black-Headed. I didn't bother checking South Lake as the rain was starting to come down again, but I did notice a general lack of gulls when the lake is normally heaving with them.<br />
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The front fields yielded a large number of <b>House Sparrows</b>, making them my second new bird of the day. Feeling a little invigorated I once again walked along the path by the boathouse, hoping for a Green Woodpecker in the nearby field. I didn't spot one, but I did flush a <b>Moorhen</b>, which flew off to the far side of the lake, making my third bird of the day, and the 40th of the year. It's going well so far...<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NeTBfvwdDQI/WHJoo0wuYFI/AAAAAAAADPY/-6I3Y6t_0ooE-Ui--wptkRIovYLj17sGgCEw/s1600/6L5A9916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NeTBfvwdDQI/WHJoo0wuYFI/AAAAAAAADPY/-6I3Y6t_0ooE-Ui--wptkRIovYLj17sGgCEw/s640/6L5A9916.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">House Sparrow were my second new bird for the day. I'm not far behind you Martin!</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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KrvUXuFSTLY/WHJns6ao9SI/AAAAAAAADPI/hZu3d6UqWR4vWtezJs5OXfB2_gyaP5NpQCLcB/s1600/6L5A9913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KrvUXuFSTLY/WHJns6ao9SI/AAAAAAAADPI/hZu3d6UqWR4vWtezJs5OXfB2_gyaP5NpQCLcB/s640/6L5A9913.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots and lots of Black Headed Gulls. I shot at f11 to get as many in focus as possible.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NmmNtBi6RjA/WHJn6e7ufbI/AAAAAAAADPQ/5JO1EDGIacgYMynZ8g7TKmsiX0qOsIPrgCLcB/s1600/6L5A9927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NmmNtBi6RjA/WHJn6e7ufbI/AAAAAAAADPQ/5JO1EDGIacgYMynZ8g7TKmsiX0qOsIPrgCLcB/s640/6L5A9927.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how photogenic Great White Egrets are.</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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WUx70L2eyhY/WHJoZaCmZAI/AAAAAAAADPU/m9EJRCB_b-MO1rAkjbQLizelq8IzYF4TwCLcB/s1600/6L5A9901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WUx70L2eyhY/WHJoZaCmZAI/AAAAAAAADPU/m9EJRCB_b-MO1rAkjbQLizelq8IzYF4TwCLcB/s640/6L5A9901.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unusual resting place for one of the Great White Egrets.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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</td></tr>
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<b>The Birds Of Longham 2017</b><br />
Robin<br />
Carrion Crow<br />
Mistle Thrush<br />
Blackbird<br />
Great White Egret<br />
Magpie<br />
Coot<br />
Little Grebe<br />
Great Crested Grebe<br />
Tufted Duck<br />
Mute Swan<br />
Cormorant<br />
Little Egret<br />
Wrens<br />
Great Tit<br />
Chiffchaff<br />
Blue Tit<br />
Wood Pigeon<br />
Feral Pigeon<br />
Mallard<br />
Pochard<br />
Redwing<br />
Long-Tailed Tit<br />
Starling<br />
Chaffinch<br />
Song Thrushes<br />
Canada Geese<br />
Black-Headed Gull<br />
Herring Gull<br />
Jackdaw<br />
Gadwall<br />
Teal<br />
Snipe<br />
Pied Wagtail<br />
Coal Tit<br />
Goldfinch<br />
Greenfinch<br />
<b>Lapwing</b><br />
<b>House Sparrow</b><br />
<b>Moorhen</b>Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-84668394941653257352017-01-08T13:08:00.000+00:002017-01-08T15:40:04.934+00:00Chasing The Green Wing Teal And Lesser Yellowlegs<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My first twitch of 2017 (149 Birds seen)</h3>
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I shouldn't be a bird watcher. The reason I say this is because I hate getting up early in the morning. I find it hard to get up, I don't like the cold and it just makes me grumpy.</div>
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If you want to chase birds, you need to be up early as that's when they are most active. The early bird catches the worm, and the early bird watcher hopefully spots the good birds - that's how it should go anyway.</div>
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Because Martin Wood was ill, I decided against heading to Dorchester for the Rose-Coloured Starling and instead tried going after the Green Wing Teal and Lesser Yellowlegs which had been staying at <a href="http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/lytchett-bay-nature-reserve">Lytchett Fields and Bay</a>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PeBCgnC-_E/WHI5sxiLlkI/AAAAAAAADOg/7a7Wq5d0OKEDBLTqzha7ioQ9D0BeHCwiQCLcB/s1600/6L5A9753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PeBCgnC-_E/WHI5sxiLlkI/AAAAAAAADOg/7a7Wq5d0OKEDBLTqzha7ioQ9D0BeHCwiQCLcB/s640/6L5A9753.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds aren't obliging at Lytchett. This Pied Wagtail is the closest I got in two hours.</td></tr>
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It's a long old walk to the site and even longer when you are carrying a heavy 600mm lens and tripod. Excitement spurred me on though and as I walked through some really muddy areas I was glad I grabbed my boots.</div>
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Upon getting to the site, I suddenly realised that I had no idea what the two birds looked like. I mean, I knew roughly what they looked like, but I'm pretty ropey when it comes to waders and felt panic starting to set in as I started to scan the groups of birds on the football field-sized area.</div>
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Now it's worth noting that while Lytchett Fields is a cracking site for birds (nearly 170 were spotted there in 2016, it's no good for photograpy really. It's a nature site first and foremost and if I'm honest, that's how it should be. It's designed for scopes and I don't have a scope, so I started feeling pretty stupid as I futilely scoured the fields.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fi3BG6EyrIs/WHI3OTh717I/AAAAAAAADOQ/CqnzG03b0iwiJ39L_ew2kUkSz9V55g98ACLcB/s1600/6L5A9808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fi3BG6EyrIs/WHI3OTh717I/AAAAAAAADOQ/CqnzG03b0iwiJ39L_ew2kUkSz9V55g98ACLcB/s640/6L5A9808.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first ever Spotted Redshank I've photographed. Their plumage looks amazing during the summer.</td></tr>
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Within 10 minutes of getting there, resident birder Ian Ballam showed up and started to give me useful advise on what I should be looking for. Typical Teals have a white horizontal stripe, whereas the american bird has vertical strips. Armed with this useful advice I scoured the fields... And found nothing.</div>
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We walked over to the adjoining field looking for the Lesser Yellowlegs. Ian has spotted it most of the times he's been at Lytchett and within minutes he found the bird and gave me incredibly useful directions to it. I couldn't get great shots, but what I managed makes it clear it's the bird and that will do for me. The Lesser Yellowlegs is typically found in America, so they are big news when they turn up in the UK. Pleased with the discovery we returned to the original field, looking for the elusive Teal.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wfsZmJKr_5A/WHI1RqLZ-CI/AAAAAAAADOA/q_HiwogXbsMeQB2fZptLz43PJHqcuhypACLcB/s1600/record%2Bshot%2B1%2Blesser%2Byellowlegs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wfsZmJKr_5A/WHI1RqLZ-CI/AAAAAAAADOA/q_HiwogXbsMeQB2fZptLz43PJHqcuhypACLcB/s640/record%2Bshot%2B1%2Blesser%2Byellowlegs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lesser Yellowlegs is dead centre at the back of the reeds.</td></tr>
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"There it is" Ian excitedly exclaimed. "It's swimming directly behind the marker"! Chest heaving with excitement (because it is exhilerating when all is said and done) I managed to locate the bird with my lens and took a few record shots. The vertical stripes were easy to see and you could instantly tell it apart from the other teal. It's a cracking looking bird, but it's a shame it didn't come closer. Oh well, there will be other opportunities.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KyrC9W8GJ-o/WHI1yMWUvtI/AAAAAAAADOE/nBMRxdNJSusANCpDT00VF8aN6XEcuo4KQCEw/s1600/6L5A9769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KyrC9W8GJ-o/WHI1yMWUvtI/AAAAAAAADOE/nBMRxdNJSusANCpDT00VF8aN6XEcuo4KQCEw/s640/6L5A9769.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my record shot of the Green Wing Teal. The vertical strip is clear to see here.</td></tr>
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We stayed for around another 40 minutes, and I was rewarded with my third new bird of the year, a Spotted Redshank. Again, it was far away, but Ian was on hand to help with identification as it's far harder to tell apart from other shanks when it isn't in its summer plumage.</div>
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That gave me three new birds for my life list, two of which (the Spotted Redshank and Green Wing Teal, are both suitable for qualification in TGBBH). Needless to say I was very happy with how things turned out.</div>
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Ian was ready to go looking for an American Wigeon, which had been spotted over Upton way, but the poor light and lack of confirmation (there were rumours it could be a hybrid) made me decide to head back to the car and visit my mum instead. </div>
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While I won't go on many big twitches this year, I did enjoy this one and it's easy to understand why people chase birds all over the country. I've decided it's not for me though, as I'm far too lazy. If any Hoopoes turn up at Portland though it could be a different story...</div>
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These are my first new birds since May 2016, which is pretty disgusting when all is said and done. I'm now at <b>149 birds</b> with <b>149</b> to go.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq6Jvesm138/WHI4KSpXiDI/AAAAAAAADOY/KCD1kOvXQFITqL58l9ThSdq_tFsLXrX2wCEw/s1600/6L5A9734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tq6Jvesm138/WHI4KSpXiDI/AAAAAAAADOY/KCD1kOvXQFITqL58l9ThSdq_tFsLXrX2wCEw/s640/6L5A9734.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Record shot of the Lesser Yellowlegs, yellow legs apparent.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5GZ1tN78dbo/WHI3wEmcZaI/AAAAAAAADOU/0Yb1A9IN2MMKhb6XIcME0N5OmsmBkuItwCLcB/s1600/6L5A9787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5GZ1tN78dbo/WHI3wEmcZaI/AAAAAAAADOU/0Yb1A9IN2MMKhb6XIcME0N5OmsmBkuItwCLcB/s640/6L5A9787.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Teal shot, directly showing the difference between the two ducks.</td></tr>
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Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Lytchett Bay, Poole BH16, UK50.7281024 -2.039508299999965950.7274749 -2.0407687999999657 50.7287299 -2.038247799999966tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-4303207540662351092017-01-06T21:01:00.000+00:002017-01-07T12:37:21.641+00:00<h2>
Patchwork Challenge Trip 1 (2nd January) 37 Birds</h2>
While I enjoyed last year's Patchwork Challenge, I found myself flagging at certain times of the year and I eventually trailed a long way behind local birder Martin Wood, who also patches at Longham Lakes and has his own <a href="http://wessexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/">blog</a>.<br />
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This year is going to be different though, so I made a concentrated effort to get out of bed early and I was at the lakes for 8.20 in the morning, which is a pretty good effort for me.<br />
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Things got off to a cracking start in the car park with the lovely trill of one of many, many <b>Robins</b> that I would see on my 2 and a half hour walk. A quick walk over to the adjoining horse field got me three <b>Carrion Crows</b> and two <b>Mistle Thrushes</b>, which were patrolling a second field for food.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--FOO6ClepQM/WHAC34jewqI/AAAAAAAADMw/BE7ygZdPHSoQY9J7m9mw3pUrVKCnRnWqgCLcB/s1600/bridge%2Bgreat%2Bwhite%2Begret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--FOO6ClepQM/WHAC34jewqI/AAAAAAAADMw/BE7ygZdPHSoQY9J7m9mw3pUrVKCnRnWqgCLcB/s640/bridge%2Bgreat%2Bwhite%2Begret.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a few worrying minutes I found the Great White Egrets</td></tr>
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Of course, my real target for the day were the overwintering <b>Great White Egrets</b>, which would mark my first two-pointers for the year. I rapidly crossed the car park to the lakes, passing a couple of <b>Magpies</b> and <b>Blackbirds</b>, and spying a fair number of <b>Coot</b> on the North Lake.<br />
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As I walked up the causeway I could feel my breath quickening as I couldn't see any sign of the egrets. I spied <b>Little Grebes</b>, <b>Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, </b><b>Tufted Ducks</b>, and <b>Mute Swans</b>, but the Egrets weren't where they normally were. Just as I was starting to think I'd missed them for the year, a call up above alerted me to a <b>Little Egret</b>, which was quickly followed by one of the Great Whites!. Following its trail, I soon spotted the remaining two birds, and carried on with my walk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mQYWjHScEAM/WHADg5GrdjI/AAAAAAAADM0/OC9V_8IEsw4uQAcBrHCnszsuct9maaohwCLcB/s1600/Bridge%2BRobin%2Bclose%2Bup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mQYWjHScEAM/WHADg5GrdjI/AAAAAAAADM0/OC9V_8IEsw4uQAcBrHCnszsuct9maaohwCLcB/s640/Bridge%2BRobin%2Bclose%2Bup.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were lots of Robins on patch. This image made it onto the official <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCSpringwatch/status/816555019944095744">Springwatch twitter</a> feed.</td></tr>
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The hedges along the back of the lake yielded fiery <b>Wrens</b>, a small party of <b>Great Tits</b>, a lone <b>Chiffchaff</b> and a <b>Blue Tit</b>. I walked down to the far corner hoping for Bullfinch, but they weren't to be seen. I did find <b>Wood Pigeons</b> and a small flyby of <b>Feral Pigeons</b> though.<br />
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<b>Mallards</b> where on the far side of the North Lake and I also discovered around 16 <b>Pochard</b>, with several red-headed males amongst them. Walking back behind the south lake I met some birders who suggested combing the trenches for waders and rails.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2mtifX5mGCc/WHAEMtT3mbI/AAAAAAAADNA/YEyBbQidREIltKTy9sYDkydDbIDUog94ACLcB/s1600/IMG_2827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2mtifX5mGCc/WHAEMtT3mbI/AAAAAAAADNA/YEyBbQidREIltKTy9sYDkydDbIDUog94ACLcB/s640/IMG_2827.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cormorants were everywhere. You can see the Pochards and Great Crested Grebes in the background.</td></tr>
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I didn't say any, but I did find a couple of <b>Redwings</b>, a small party of<b> Long-Tailed Tits</b> and a lone <b>Starling</b> and female <b>Chaffinch</b>. I also spotted some <b>Song Thrushes</b> in the back field as well as a flock of <b>Canada Geese</b>, a smaller group of Mute Swans, and a smattering of <b>Black-Headed Gulls</b> and <b>Herring Gulls</b>. There were plenty of <b>Jackdaws</b> in Samual's Wood, but I saw no new passerines, which was a little disappointing.<br />
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The small island at the back of South Lake yielded 3 <b>Gadwall</b> (I'd later see a total of 17) but my walk back to the larger island was largely uneventful. A small number of <b>Teal</b> were roosting, as well as around 4 <b>Snipe</b>. Pleased with my total, I headed back to the car.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49EkjTacGwI/WHAEtcc8IcI/AAAAAAAADNI/twPkdZT2G3Y3MNjfl4a5ykL0CGu5pBlZgCLcB/s1600/IMG_2863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49EkjTacGwI/WHAEtcc8IcI/AAAAAAAADNI/twPkdZT2G3Y3MNjfl4a5ykL0CGu5pBlZgCLcB/s640/IMG_2863.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pretty lousy image of one of the many Redwings I saw.</td></tr>
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I spotted a <b>Pied Wagtail</b> probing around in the car park and decided to try the adjoining field one more time. There were a large number of Redwings around so I decided to walk along a smaller path to see if the group held Fieldfares within it. It wasn't easy traversing the path, but I found my first patch <b>Coal Tit</b>, <b>Goldfinch</b>, and a pair of <b>Greenfinches</b> too. I met up with yet another birdwatcher who confirmed that the flock didn't hold any Fieldfares and that they typically arrived in February.<br />
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All in all, a pretty good start for the year and I'm currently ahead of last year's record of 24 birds by a comfortable 13.<br />
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<h3>
Current patch total = 37</h3>
Here's the list in full<br />
<b>Robin</b><br />
<b>Carrion Crow</b><br />
<b>Mistle Thrush</b><br />
<b>Blackbird</b><br />
<b>Great White Egret</b><br />
<b>Magpie</b><br />
<b>Coot</b><br />
<b>Little Grebe</b><br />
<b>Great Crested Grebe</b><br />
<b>Tufted Duck</b><br />
<b>Mute Swan</b><br />
<b>Cormorant</b><br />
<b>Little Egret</b><br />
<b>Wrens</b><br />
<b>Great Tit</b><br />
<b>Chiffchaff</b><br />
<b>Blue Tit</b><br />
<b>Wood Pigeon</b><br />
<b>Feral Pigeon</b><br />
<b>Mallard</b><br />
<b>Pochard</b><br />
<b>Redwing</b><br />
<b>Long-Tailed Tit</b><br />
<b>Starling</b><br />
<b>Chaffinch</b><br />
<b>Song Thrushes</b><br />
<b>Canada Geese</b><br />
<b>Black-Headed Gull</b><br />
<b>Herring Gull</b><br />
<b>Jackdaw</b><br />
<b>Gadwall</b><br />
<b>Teal</b><br />
<b>Snipe</b><br />
<b>Pied Wagtail</b><br />
<b>Coal Tit</b><br />
<b>Goldfinch</b><br />
<b>Greenfinch</b>Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-14718851737641534932017-01-03T22:37:00.001+00:002017-01-05T23:17:56.868+00:00<h2>
<b><span style="color: red;">It's time for an update!</span></b></h2>
I'm currently in the process of updating the blog and finding ways to maintain my overall quest as well as have another stab at the <a href="http://patchworkchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">Patchwork Challenge</span></a> this year. I managed to spot 73 birds at <a href="http://www.birdwords.co.uk/category/longham-lakes/"><span style="color: blue;">Longham Lakes</span></a> last year and am determined to beat that this year.<br />
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I'm also going to try and be a bit more pro-active when it comes to both blog updates and getting new birds in general as I've really been impressed with the work Tim White has been doing with both his photography and his <a href="http://timwhitewildlife.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">excellent blog</span></a>. I missed out on quite a few easy birds last year, for no other reason than I'm really lazy.<br />
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I'm going to try and change that going forward, which should hopefully maintain my interest as well as bring my people to the blog. I'll finish off with an image I took the other day. Look for an incoming patch update shortly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pIyXW-NZHh8/WGwnZ81qcPI/AAAAAAAADJY/Lx-8WvEiCKE_4uCUjlVAa0N2is8Gd7EzACLcB/s1600/IMG_2838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pIyXW-NZHh8/WGwnZ81qcPI/AAAAAAAADJY/Lx-8WvEiCKE_4uCUjlVAa0N2is8Gd7EzACLcB/s640/IMG_2838.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Great White Egret was taken with my SX50 Bridge camera, but I do love the lighting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-59576161801521220092016-11-06T17:03:00.001+00:002017-01-03T22:02:17.352+00:00Patchwork Challenge - Longham Lakes Visit 15 and 16 23 October and 6 November 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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23 October 2016<br />
My trips are getting more and more infrequent, meaning I'm not getting the luck Martin has been getting.<br />
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Speaking of Martin, I finally met him for the first time since the challenge began. He's a lovely chap and it was nice to finally meet him and his son after reading his blog entries for the past 10 months. He mentioned a Snipe that had been spotted on the island, so I said my goodbyes and headed off with my friend Chris.<br />
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No luck on the island, so we continued with our walk, seeing the usual coots, grebes and tufted ducks. It wasn't until we reached the back of the second lake that my luck began to hold out. We saw plenty of Autumn ducks, including Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon, which were the first since January for me. As we continued around we flushed a small flock of <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, my first new birds for a while. We scoured the small island for the Kingfisher that Chris had seen several times, but has continued to elude me, and I lucked out again. We did spot a male <b>Stonechat</b> though, my first for the year here.<br />
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As we headed for the car pack we tried the island to see the <b>Snipe</b>, but again, nothing was there. As we were leaving it flew past us, easy to tell due to its flight. A few moments later a female <b>Sparrowhawk</b> flew fast and low through the car park.<br />
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06 November 2016<br />
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Headed out today as Martin had used his new scope and spotted two Egyptian Geese on the big island the previous day. Annoyingly, I didn't see them. In fact I didn't see much of anything except for about 150 coot, 50 herring gulls and lots of winter ducks. I was with my wife and daughter who were complaining of the wind and the cold, so I wasn't able to do a thorough scan like I wanted to.<br />
Oh well, there's always next week.<br />
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A very distant Little Grebe.</div>
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Lazy Cormorants.</div>
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Mute Swan</div>
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I'm now at 66 species for the year, which is pretty terrible if I'm honest. I was hoping to hit a 100 birds, but year's end, but at this rate I'd be happy with 70 :P</div>
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I do wonder if I lose out by not having access to a scope like Martin, but he's a lot more regular than I am, which means he has more chance of seeing stuff :)</div>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-92023012908466921602016-09-25T20:07:00.000+01:002016-09-25T20:07:08.825+01:00Patchwork Challenge - Longham Lakes Visit 14 25-Sept-2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No new birds, but it was nice to go out.<br />
I headed off with a friend who had never been to Longham before and we immediately flushed a Green Woodpecker that was feeding in a nearby field. There were lots of Great Crested and Little Grebes about, and we also spotted a hovering Kestrel. I thought I spotted my first Sparrowhawk too, but as neither of us could identify it with 100 per cent certainty, it's not being included.<br />
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Pleased with this Green Woodpecker :)</div>
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There were a few gulls about, but mainly Herring, with the odd Black-Headed Gull for good measure. No Little Gulls, despite an intensive search for them. Ducks in general were quite scarce, with just Mallard and Tufted Ducks present, which was a little disappointing.<br />
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Black-Headed Gull flyby. Boring.</div>
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Still on <b>62</b> birds for the year, which isn't the best, but I still managed to have a nice day :)<br />
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-73130831301784992722016-09-18T19:46:00.000+01:002016-09-18T19:46:16.797+01:00Patchwork Challenge - Longham Lakes Visit 13 18-Sept-2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes I know, it's been a terribly long time since I've done an update.<br />
Life has gotten in the way and if I'm honest, a death of decent sightings on previous trips have put me off writing about them.<br /><br />I'm back though, and massively behind Martin, but today was a decent little day, and it's given me the bug again, so I'll try and get more solid updates going forward.<br />
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When I got to the actual lakes there were a large group of people, around 20 or so who must have stumbled onto the lake as there were no cars in the car park to support them. They were a pain in the ass, talking loudly, scaring stuff and paying no heed to other people. As I was taking photos at one point a stone made a huge splash in front of me scattering the birds I was taking images of and causing me to say some harsh but deserved words to the gentleman that threw it.<br />
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It was a fair way away, but crops quite well.</div>
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I hung back, leaving them to pick berries and go about their annoying ways and soon found some nearby grebes again.<br />
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I started walking along the back of the second lake but the midges were swarming like anything, getting in my mouth and generally being bothersome, so I gave up and instead made my way to the small pathway that separates the two lakes.<br />
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Coots are always plentiful at Longham.</div>
<br />As I reached the final corner of lake two I was attracted by a rustling in the reeds by me. Before long, a small brown bird flew off and hung around some reeds about 20 feet from me. I tried phishing and eventually it came forward, enough for me to see it was a Sedge Warbler, my first for the year at Longham. Not a rare bird, but a lovely looking one all the same.<br />
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Not the best shot as he was in reeds and it's handheld at 600mm, but not bad either.<br /></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I wasn't on patch long, roughly an hour and there wasn't much else of note, but I did enjoy myself. I'm still a long way behind Martin, but with migration period upon us, there's a chance I might be able to close the gap between us.</span></div>
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-82481592772167486792016-05-17T23:13:00.000+01:002016-05-18T19:16:15.438+01:00Patchwork Challenge - Longham Lakes Visit 10 17-May-2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had high hopes this evening as a Black-Necked Grebe and a Mandarin Duck had been reported. Sadly, I didn't see either of them.<br />
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Despite this, and despite the fact that I foolishly tried to handhold my 600mm lens. I still saw a nice selection of birds and got a few patch ticks too, which was nice.<br />
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First up was the large number of Swifts that were flying around. They were absolutely everywhere and often joined by Martins and Swallows. As Martin pointed out in his post, it's spectacular to see them whizzing past your head at insane speeds and it's amazing that they don't fly into you, so close do they get.<br />
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I spied plenty of goslings around the lakes, although ducklings weren't very plentiful. I couldn't see any Great-Crested Grebe young either, which was a little disappointing as they carry them around on their backs.<br />
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I did see a pair of Reed Buntings gathering food however, and while the shots were a little soft, I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.<br />
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An uncropped shot of the Reed Bunting</div>
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As I walked up the narrow causeway I could hear a Cuckoo calling in the distance. It's apparently okay to include if you can successfully identify it by call, so it's being added to the list :) There were a few little brown jobs flying about in the reeds and I was hoping they were Sedge Warblers, but it was Reed Warblers, a bird I've already ticked off this year.<br />
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Whoops!</div>
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Walking along the back of the lake I strained my eyes for the Grebe and the Duck but saw neither. I did spot a Jay fly across the small back pond and into the trees though, which is a first for me. That means with the exception of Raven and Hooded Crow, I've seen every corvid on the patch now.<br />
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I diligently scoured the reeds for Water Rails, but came up with nothing and the rest of my walk was rather uneventful. Still, I'm now up to <b>61</b> birds, so I'm quite pleased with myself :)<br />
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<br />Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown, Dorset BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-11808971520101410902016-05-12T23:15:00.000+01:002016-05-12T23:18:31.405+01:00Great British Bird Hunt - A New Bird Is Spotted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w8nna16Gwyg/VzT_qWRMedI/AAAAAAAAC30/Ywwo9WjuSVQHI6Sm4W1LSMGpernqnMmfwCLcB/s1600/6L5A5526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w8nna16Gwyg/VzT_qWRMedI/AAAAAAAAC30/Ywwo9WjuSVQHI6Sm4W1LSMGpernqnMmfwCLcB/s400/6L5A5526.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Wow, it's been an absolute age since I saw a brand new bird, partly because I'm mainly confined to my patch, but largely because I'm bloody lazy.<br />
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Anyhoo, I decided to head off to Lodmoor on Sunday as a Cattle Egret had been spotted in the area. Sadly, I didn't see it as it had disappeared before I arrived. I did however get to spot several Grey Plovers, a lifer for me.<br />
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Here's a shot showing all five birds together.</div>
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The great news was that they were showing quite well and came within 60 feet of where I was standing. The bad news was that I had all sorts of problems with my camera and simply couldn't get any sharp shots. Fellow blogger Tim White reckons it was because I was shooting just after midday on a blazing bright day, meaning heat haze softened my images and made it hard for my lens to properly focus. I'm inclined to agree with him.<br />
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I'm always fascinated by the size of different birds. Here are some Dunlin and </div>
Ringed Plovers for reference.<br />
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The actual birds consisted of three males in stunning summer plumage. They're truly majestic looking birds with lovely feather patterning and a lightning fast gait. They were quite happy speeding back and fourth along the mud flats eating worms and other goodies and were occasionally joined by several Dunlin and a small group of Ringed Plovers.<br />
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An original uncropped shot. Yet another reason why cropping wasn't great.</div>
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The rest of the trip was largely uneventful. I saw no Marsh Harrier, only one Little Egret and a brace of Sandwich Terns with the odd Common Tern thrown in for good measure.<br />
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If my calculations are correct I'm currently on <b>146 </b>birds. A decent figure until you realise that I've been running the blog for just over two years now!Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4442273149704295649.post-50045504378566697422016-05-02T20:17:00.000+01:002016-05-02T20:17:03.563+01:00Patchwork Challenge - Longham Lakes Visit 9 02-May-2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So after hearing there was a Mandarin Duck on the patch, I hurried out with the wife to see if I could spot it. Annoyingly, as we reached the lakes it started to pour down with rain, meaning our time there was very limited.<br />
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Despite only staying for around 40 minutes, we nevertheless saw a decent amount of birds, including four new ones for the year. When we arrived, the air with think with Swifts, Swallows and House Martins, all busy hawking for flies. Before long I spied a few <b>Sand Martins</b>, giving me my first new bird. There were plenty of baby ducks around and we also saw a pair of Canada Geese with several young, which is always nice to see.<br />
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Ducklings were everywhere. These ones were quite old.</div>
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Although we searched the island, I couldn't see any sign of the Mandarin Duck, but I did spot my first <b>Common Sandpiper</b> of the year, rushing along the bank in search of food. Aside from a few Mallard the island was mostly empty.<br />
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A number of Reed Buntings were in the reeds along the centre causeway and I also spied a <b>Reed Warbler</b> too, which kept on returning to a spot suggesting a nest was possibly nearby. Moving to the back there were a few very distant gulls in the back fields, as well as Magpies, Rooks, a Grey Heron and a Little Egret. Several blackbirds were also flying about in the thicket and I also spied a couple of Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Goldfinches. It was relatively quiet and the rain was starting to hammer down so we headed back to the car.<br />
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A very distant Blackcap.</div>
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Getting to the car park we spied a distant Blackcap singing, several Dunnocks and my first <b>House Sparrows</b> of the year.<br />
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Finally, some boring old House Sparrows on the patch!</div>
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I'm now up to <b>59</b> birds for the total year, which isn't that bad going at all.Daz The Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134690072362298902noreply@blogger.com0Longham Lakes, Ferndown, Dorset BH22, UK50.7838126 -1.914226900000016950.778793099999994 -1.9243119000000168 50.7888321 -1.904141900000017