Today Paul Harvey and I did a tour of the various rare birds in west Dorset. We started at the Bridging Camp at Fleet, getting good views of both the Richard’s Pipit and the Hume’s Leaf Warbler. Scanning the bay produced two Black Brants with the several hundred Dark-bellied Brents.
The Fleet from by Littlesea Holiday Camp
The Sun on the Fleet near Abbotsbury
We continued on to Lyme Regis were we searched the Cobb for the Spotted Sandpiper, the same bird I saw a couple of weeks ago. In spite of the waves breaking over the top, the Cobb was very busy with people out for a walk. Purple Sanpipers showed well but there was no sign of the American vagrant. We later searched the area around the mouth of the River Lym, all to no avail.
The biggest waves broke over the top of the Cobb
Purple Sandpipers showed well
We later searched the River Lym and had good views of a Dipper, a scarce bird in Dorset
We continued on to Forde Abbey in the far north-west of Dorset. Scoping the Great Lake of the stately home from the road gave us views of more American vagrants, two male Ring-necked Ducks. Also present were a pair of Mandarin Ducks.
The Great Lake, Forde Abbey
We ended up at Hatch Pond in Poole, where in spite of the fading daylight two Bitterns showed well. A great conclusion to a great day.
The upright spike in the lower centre is a Bittern!
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