A fiery weekend at Arne

If you ever find yourself with a weekend spare I can highly recommend that you spend it hanging around RSPB Arne car park. This is what I have been doing recently though I am not hanging around, I am supposed to be working. However this is sometimes quite tricky as there’s just too much to distract you. As a birder, having the sound of singing firecrest in your ear all day can be rather distracting when working. What’s more frustrating though is trying to point out the song to birders who’s ears simply don’t allow them to hear it! They are showy little critters at time as these pictures prove.

Another photo opportunity presented itself today in the form of a rather lovely Siskin.  Stunning little birds and are currently using the feeders around the visitor centre. I rarely have my camera with me when working at Arne but luckily today I did!

And they're off

Spring ringing got started this morning at Clouds hill out on the fleet. Been reading on the web that Portland bird observatory has started catching a few spring migrants so thought it was about time I had a go. On arrival all was quiet so got on with finishing my new net ride. Finished that after a hour or so and timed it well as a few Chiffchaffs arrived. Well... two in fact. Next net round produced both chiffs in the net.

Overhead passage was slow with just a few ‘alba’ Wagtails, about 70 Meadow Pipit which settled briefly in the field next my net site. They were quickly moved along by a female Merlin. Most notable sighting of the morning was a 3^rd calendar year male Marsh Harrier (I think, only had brief views) which headed west up the fleet. Wouldn’t be surprised if it dropped into the swannery for a look around.

A few more photo's

To make up for the lack of blogging and to fulfil a promise here’s another photo of the rather nice Sparrowhawk from my Welsh trip

Also whilst I’m blogged in, here’s a rather average picture of a Dipper but Dorset life doesn’t really allow much dipper watching. They used to be in the River Wey but not now-a-days it seems.

And here’s a picture of a Reed Bunting. Not sure entirely why but I almost got stuck in a bog trying to take it.

Worth the wait?

Must apologies for the lack of blogging this week. Wales didn’t really produce the goods except for this gorgeously gorgeous bird caught in my uncles garden along with 25 other tits and things.

Hope the picture was worth waiting for!

Springs starting spring at Radipole, this mornings wander produced at least 7 Chiffchaff, 4 of which were singing away. Plenty of other stuff starting to sing but little sign of other species starting to move. Just a single ‘alba’ Wagtail was the only bird noted overhead.  Both the Glossy Ibis were at the hide briefly before one few of towards Radipole village and went down in the field just north of the bypass. Bitterns are still at Radipole and Lodmoor plus the original first winter Iceland Gull has started becoming a regular again near the visitor centre. Really hoping for my first Sand Martin of the year having missed three at Radipole so far. Surely it will be any day!

This picture was taken morning at Radipole which seems to still have a decent amount of Bearded tits. Fingers crossed for a good breeding season.

Typical welsh weather

Today’s my first free day to go birding or do some ringing. But instead I am on my laptop writing a post for my blog. The weathers taken a turn for the worst and it’s been sleeting all morning. So to keep this blog alive and kicking here’s a photo which was taken from the north hide at Radipole Lake last Friday just before I left for Wales. Not the greatest picture of a bittern but by Radipole standards I think it’s OK.

Happy Saint Davids day!

Forgot to mention that earlier, sorry about that!

Whilst I am blogged in I should mention that we now have two Ibis’s’s at Radipole. Just got back from searching the entire reserve to find out where they hang out and it appears their favourite pool is probably the furthest away from any public footpath or hide. Hopefully they settle somewhere a bit more convenient for Ibis watchers. Note that neither is ringed so its not the Wareham bird joining our regular one.

Whilst up there gauping at our lovely pair of Ibis, the sound of Bearded tits pinging was never out of earshot. Even managed a picture or two.

Blogging activity might be somewhat random over the coming days. A) because I don’t want to people to start expecting me to blog everyday (no offence intended, its just my finger get saw) and B) I am travelling up to Wales where I might not encounter lots of blog-able wildlife.

A few recoveries...

After blogging every day last week you might be wondering why this weeks so far been the exact opposite. I will tell for why. I’ve been in Milton Keynes since Monday and got back last night in which time I saw one Red kite on the way up, a couple of Siskins and a Redwing in the car park of my accommodation and best of all, a blue tit in a bush outside my room.

Instead of boring you with my sightings list from MK (oops, too late!) I thought I could mention some recoveries from the summer. A few Sedge Warbler from Radipole and Abbotsbury have showed up elsewhere in the UK. Most interesting being a Radipole bird which was trapped on the 24^th August was retrapped 219km NNE of Weymouth in Northamptonshire on the 1^st September. I guess eventually it realised it was going the wrong way!

We usually get a few of our birds controlled at Icklesham in East Sussex but one from last summer was caught there just a day after we caught it. That’s a total of 232km along the south coast in just a day. Other blogs would normally put a nice google map of the locations and a fancy line showing there the bird went but I don’t know how to do that so here’s picture of a swan instead which has presumably travelled all the way from Australia to get to Radipole. Hope that’s ok?