Tag Archives: Wheatear

August – Early September

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Migration starts so busy times ahead

Hook-with-Warsash

It’s always nice to have a highlight of the month and this month was without a doubt the Pied Flycatcher at Hook-with-Warsash. I’d heard there was one about and after a long circular walk spotted it in a residential street on my car back to the car. In fact it was about 200 meters away from the car. It’s amazing how often you can walk a long way, just see the norm and when all is lost you spot something in the Car Park back at your home !

Pied Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher – Cowes Lane

More from Hook-with-Warsash…

Meadow Pipit    Whinchat    
Meadow Pipit – Whinchat – Wheatear

Old Winchester Hill

It took me two and a half years to finally go to Old Winchester Hill which considering it’s only 7 miles away, it needless to say a bit silly as the diversity of scenery and wildlife is quite diverse. Basically, I went there twice in a week !

If you like Red Kites it’s definitely worth visiting and what’s nice is the amount of birds you see from above especially Kestrels hunting. Again, not too many people during the week and if you take the longest circular walk which involves a steep decline and as they don’t say “what goes down must come up” you’re lucky to see anyone.


Red Kite

Bishop’s Waltham

A week of good weather enabled me to take a few good walks around the Village both north and south. The Garden is not so active at present except the Hedgehogs which are doing well and visiting every evening without fail.

   Spotted Flycatcher    Chiffchaff
Chaffinch – Spotted Flycatcher – Chiffchaff

Muddy walks are coming !

More birds inland Pembrokeshire

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Swallows

I was lucky enough to find a campsite just a mile from the coast, space for 80 Campers and Caravans, but I was only one of four people staying there.
In true anti-social fashion I found a spot the furthest away from anyone else and enjoyable the peace and smell of the Farm no end.

Fist to show up were a gulp of Swallows, a fair number of them flying at speed past my Camper just some three feet above the ground. Luckily photo wise some settled now and again so I was able to get a few half decent close up shots of them.

Swallow flying
Swallow

Although seeing much the same amount of birds as I would back in Kent, it’s always nice to see them in another setting, so a good showing of Wheatears, Sedge Warblers,Reed Buntings Greenfinches, Linnets and more

Wheatear    Sedge Warbler    Linnet on Cliff edge
Wheatear – Sedge Warbler – Linnet

Greenfinch    Male Reed Bunting- jumping-    Whitethroat on Rose twig
Greenfinch – Reed Bunting – Whitethroat

There’s no doubt the fact this is a great area to visit. You have the Pembrokeshire Coast Path which goes through the places I visited; Marloes Sands, Martins Haven and up to St. Davids.

Skomer-Island

The nearest larger town with well known Supermarkets is Haverfordwest, about 6 miles inland but most of the Villages along the Coast have some smaller Stores and / or decent Public Houses !

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A trip to Weymouth and Arne

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After missing my Scotland trip due to ill health back in June I’d been waiting a chance to get away for a few days.
With the weather looking reasonable I decided upon 4 nights on a Campsite overlooking Chesil Beach, Weymouth in Dorset.

There were three places I wanted to visit; 1. Portland 2. RSPB Radipole Lakes and 3. RSPB Lodmoor.

Wheatear on rocky coastline
Wheatear

Not knowing the best places to go on Portland and around the Bill I popped into the Portland Bird Observatory to ask the question. I have to be honest and say the welcome I received was not one I would have expected. “Sea to the front and Fields behind” was more or less the response.
I said thank you and just walked around in my own time.

Although mid September there was not much to be seen, a Redwing was spotted on the west side of the Island. Regret I was on the east side at the time !

Even so, an enjoyable walk along the rugged coastline, the Quarries and bush.

lapwing and redshank    Little Stint    Black Tailed Godwit RSPB Lodmoor
Lapwing alongside a Redshank – Little Stint – Black Tailed Godwit

Juvenile Linnet at Portland    Kingfisher at RSPB Lodmoor    Cormorants on rocks at Portland
Juvenile Linnet – Kingfisher – Cormorants

Osprey    RSPB Arne    weymouth-little-stint2
Distant osprey – View of Arne – Another Little Stint

RSPB Radipole Lakes. I’d heard a lot about the Lakes and how bountiful they are with birds but maybe due to the time of the year I didn’t see much, the Reeds were very high and the viewpoints didn’t come up with anything.

RSPB Lodmoor on the other hand was most enjoyable and I met quite a few Birders who were really nice, showed me points of interest and all good for a banter amongst themselves.
Basically the place is split into two, the main part is about one mile square and you walk around the perimeter paths. Some parts are also Public Footpaths.

On my way home from Weymouth I called into RSPB Arne for a couple of hours and I have to say the scenery and flora there are quite splendid.
Again, not many birds to be seen and being quite cloudy, Dragon Flies and Butterflies were quite minimal.

Sunset at Chesil Beach Dorset
Sunset from Sea Barn View Campsite, Chesil Beach, Dorset

However, although very distant, I did see an Osprey. RSPB have erected some tall telegraph poles around and about, screwing a flat platform on top in hope that next year they may breed there.

A good few days away and even if it was a case of seeing birds I have already seen, you’re seeing them in another location with different surroundings.