That I'm off work and Mrs PB isn't, and I STILL Have No Chores (I think Mrs PB has forgotten I'm off!!)
So the forecast was fine and still so I thought I'll trundle to Arne for the Dartford Warblers. They like a nice calm day, and 8 were spotted yesterday.
I scraped the ice from the windscreen (1st time this winter!) and wondered if the rush hour traffic would let me beat the sunrise to the hide. Nahhhh, 20 minutes later I'd done about 5 miles
Anyhow, got to Arne, still, a nice crisp but misty morning, I got out the car and heard a horrendous, shrieking, bellowing screaming noise.... who was being murdered?? No one.... it's the rut innit!! i've not seen deer there for a while, so my hopes were raised.
1st up though, the artistry of our eight legged friends caught my eye
I then saw the first of the deer
A flash of movement caught my eye
A second was further up the tree, but in shadow. Then down the slope a bit I spied
As I walked along to where I've seen the Dartfords before I saw some Lollipops
I got to the top of the rise overlooking the channel (Wareham not English) and saw one of my staples
Flying towards the massed ranks of gulls and waders
I wandered along to the hide and found wader city, Avocets
Curlew and Redshank (I think)
Black Tailed Godwits
I moved on, disappointed not to have seen the Dartford, and decided
a) it was early...they may be having a lie in, and
b) it was chilly, they may be snuggled in the duvets knowing their brekkie wouldn't be up and about yet, so I went around again
I saw more deer, these separated by both yardage and time!
I heard a distinctive Warbler "tune", and CLICK... a loverly Stonechat
But then possibly (maybe) a Juvenile Dartford popped up
I decided to head down to Lodmoor in Weymouth to continue my morning out, and was greeted with Gadwall
And a serious looking rook
And a Tufty
and Teal
Twitter is saying there's Jack Snipe at Lodmoor (iffy pics, sorry) not sure if this is it
Imagine my surprise, after the cold night, seeing Ruddy? Darter
Another Gadwall
Lapwing
Now the other side
My Gosh, I'm beautiful
Starling
It can't have been as cold as I thought..
Last time I was here there were lots and lots and lots and lots of geese..... this time it was just lots
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Regards, Hazel
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Nige Flickr
Lot to learn
Kind regards, Ann
My bird photos HERE
Thanks all for the comments, and helpful ID's.... at least I appear to have most of the waders right this time (or at least, no one has corrected me :o) ) Nige, they are different birds, sorry, I should have said. Pics were taken 20 odd minutes apart, and the 1st bird had flown in the opposite direction to the way I was walking. Any thoughts on the 2nd dragonfly? Had a closer look this morning (Mrs PB came in from work before I'd finished post yesterday....how dare she!) and am thinking could be migrant hawker?
I'm looking forward to day 3 of 4 too, but I think Mrs PB may have sussed I'm off, and also weather doesn't look so fine...but we shall see :o)
More brilliant photos PB.
While out last Sunday (yes, I managed to make the escape), I saw what looked like an Emperor dragon and later on, possibly a darter, but the light was too poor to try and grab a piccie.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler