RSPB LYTCHETT FIELDS RESERVE - HARTLAND MOOR (SLEPE HEATH) - MIDDLEBERE LAKE - RSPB LODMOOR r
WEATHER: another lovely day, overcast with brighter spells later, very light breeze. top temp 9C
We had few target species to look for today, Guy joined us again as we met up at Radipole Lake car park. Our first target species were Water Pipit and Spotted Redshank, both of which had been seen recently at Lytchett Fields Reserve near Wareham. With the slow moving morning traffic it took us an hour and 15 minutes to get there. We noted 2 Egyptian Geese along the way and many common birds.
The walk to the View Point at Lytchett Fields was both wet and muddy but we got there OK. The reserve has two large shallow brackish lagoons which are tidal, and large areas of open wet marsh which is dotted with seasonal pools, We spent our first half hour searching the marsh for the Water Pipit which failed to show. In fact we saw very little bird life in that area.
seasonal pools at Lytchett Fields
The lagoons were flooded during this high tide period and small islands held all the roosting birds. We found a large flock of Lapwings with a single Greenshank and a single Green Sandpiper dropped in. A Few Common Snipe could also be seen. The duck contingency comprised mainly of Teal with a few Shovelers and Wigeon.
Two large groups of roosting Redshanks could also be seen and after some scanning time we picked out the Spotted Redshank and two more Greenshanks. Apart from from a large group of Black-headed Gulls and a couple of Herring Gulls we saw very little else.
Walking back to the car we bumped into quite a large flock of Long-tailed Tits with a few Blue and Great Tits, we looked for a Nuthatch in the Oak trees without success. We drove into Wareham for a hot chocolate and to pick up lunch supplies, I think most of the lunch items got eaten there and then.
Moving onto the heathland at Hartland Moor with our target bird being the symbolic Dartford Warbler. We tried in several places before we finally found a pair flitting about in the gorse. I can't list other species seen because we hardly saw any, I think Coal Tit was the stand out species.
At Middlebere we sat in the vehicle to eat what was left of our lunch before taking the long walk to the hide which overlooks Middlebere tidal Lake. Along the track we saw our first Bullfinch of the trip, it was a colourful male and showed very well.
The Middlebere Lake was half-drained of brackish water as the tide was ebbing, it was covered in birds and just as we arrived the sun came out and the light improved immensely. The list of birds present on the mud was quite large but only one of them was new to our list, that was the Black-tailed Godwit, at least 50 of them were out there.
the view of Middlebere Lake and RSPB Arne in the background
We enjoyed watching lots of Avocets, Redshanks, Curlews, a few Dunlin and a good number of ducks which included some Pintails. We searched the sky for a posiible raptor, we were hoping for a Hen Harrier, or perhaps a White-tailed Eagle or even a Goshawk. All we got was a Marsh Harrier, we had previously seen Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel.
there are seven species in the shot: from left to right, Teal at the back, Shelduck. Lapwing, Redshank, Curlew, Pintail and ShovelerWe spent a good hour and more before giving up and walking back to the car park. It was after 3pm when we set off for Weymouth, we planned to visit Lodmoor again for a possible sighting of a Glossy Ibis or perhaps the Green-winged Teal again.
Dunlin and Lapwing at Middlebere
At Lodmoor we walked the west track from the beach car park, the sky had competely cleared, the large full moon was shining brightly as the setting sun dropped to the horizon spreading a beautiful red glow as it left us, the temperature had dropped from 9C to 0C.
Hundreds of gulls had gathered for their pre-roost, wash and preen, most of the other birds were settling down for a cold night on the marsh. Dozens of Lapwings and Golden Plover spread out across the islands with lots of Snipe and a single Black-tailed Godwit, the two Avocets were busy feeding close to the track.
We couldn't find the Ibis, niether could we see the Green-winged Teal, but it was an enjoyable walk and the light from the setting sun was incredible. It started to get dark around 4:30pm the gulls flew of en masse over the beach road to Weymouth Bay where they would roost on the calm sea. We drove the short distance to the guest house after dropping Guy the birding Guru off at Radipole Lake.