Bird Watching Holiday from Dorchester
25^th September — 1^st October 2009

Birdwatching at (mostly) coastal sites. Brilliant weather for holiday, high pressure, no winds, cloudless skies, temp in the 20s. Brilliant weather for migration but terrible weather for birding as everything kept on flying. Sea birds were non existent on "mill pond" sea.

Places visited:

Seaton Sluice, Portland Bill and Bird Observatory, Ferrybridge, Radipole RSPB, Lodmore RSPB, Middlebere, Studland, Brownsea Island, Hengistbury Head, Stanpit, Keyhaven.

The following were seen (in species order):

Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Brent Goose (4),Ruddy Shelduck (3), Common Shelduck, European Widgeon, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red Legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Shag, Cattle Egret (1), Little Egret, Grey Heron, Spoonbill (6), Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Water Rail (for nearly 30 mins), Moorhen, Common Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet (200), Great Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Northern Lapwing, Red Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Black Tailed Godwit, Bar Tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Feral Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Little Owl, Tawny Owl (H), Common Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied/Alba Wagtail, Wren, Hedge Accentor, European Robin, Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Common Blackbird, Cettis Warbler, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Bearded Tit (4), Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay, Black Billed Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Hooded Merganser.

Total 98.

But was it 99?

We scanned by telescope a raft of Redshank that included other birds like Grey Plover and Knot and were told later, by the local expert who had been beside us in the hide, that it included Spotted Redshank.

Missed:

Resident local birds not seen (or really looked for) include Wood Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Dartford Warbler, Goldcrest and Corn Bunting.

If we had been in the right place at the right time we could have seen (source: dorsetbirdclub.org.uk): Honey Buzzard, Merlin, Quail, Curlew Sandpiper, Grey Partridge, Turtle Dove, Wryneck, Grasshopper Warbler, Serin, Great White Egret, Goshawk, Little Gull, Woodlark, Caspian Gull, Tree Sparrow, Ring Ouzel, Little Bunting, Short Eared Owl, Red Kite, Little Stint.

A Pectoral Sandpiper was reported just over the border in Hampshire.

Birdwatching at The Casterbridge