Dorset Holiday Day 4

I allowed myself something of a lie in this morning, getting out of bed at 7.00. It is perhaps because of this that there were fewer moths again, many having already moved on. However, a few nice specimens were still around. A Buff-Tip had reappeared, but was near the roof of the building, while photographable moths included a nice Dark Arches and a male Four Spot Footman.

 -Four Spot Footman

-Dark Arches

 My family were heading into Wareham for the morning, so I decided to hitch a lift and go to one of the heathlands over that way. I eventually decided to go for Morden Bog, site of the 2014 ST Eagle. The weather was reasonably nice and so I hoped I might get decent views of Woodlark.

As soon as I was there I could tell this was a quality site. Just in from the road and there was a largish pool adjacent to the path, so I headed over that way to have a look for some dragon and damselflies. It was not particularly sunny but was pleasantly warm, so there were a few of them about. The main species present were Common Emerald, Common Blue and Small Red. The latter species is one I do not encounter very often so I was pretty pleased to see more of them. On a scarcer note I was able to add a solitary Variable Damselfly to the list.

-Emerald Damselfly

-Variable Damselfly

 On the dragonfly front there was significantly fewer individuals present but still a good number of species, overall higher than the number of damselflies. Around the pond there was the main Emperor hunting, then a number of Common Darter and Black-Tailed Skimmer along the fringes. I also had a Black Darter but only the one. Then in the wood itself I had a very distant Common Hawker

-Black Darter

 The pond also had a number of other goodies. There were a few notable butterflies around, including my first Silver-Studded Blues of the holiday, and a Grayling on the path. The weather probably played a part in the overall lack of butterfly species but there were still a few around. On the path I had a smashing Green Tiger Beetle running around, and in the pond itself I was thrilled to spot a Grass Snakes head bobbing around. I spotted it the same moment it spotted me, and it then quickly dived. I had to wait about a minute before I spotted it again but I was able to grab a few photos.

-Silver Studded Blue

-Grass Snake

 Birds were sparse around the pool but there were a few more as I moved around the heathland. I headed up towards the main pool where I was surprised to see a few birders around. I asked one about woodlark and he said that he had not seen any, and that at this time of year they were very hard to find. He did mention hobby though, which I failed to see (Probably due to the weather) and Dartford Warbler, which I did see.

-Dartford Warbler

 I had stupidly left my binoculars at home, and so was pretty much birding blind. That being said, I got a very good haul for the day. I heard multiple Crossbill flocks before I actually spotted 2 individuals flying overhead. Sadly without bins I was unable to really appreciate them, but through what photos I have you can see the bill extension. I also had multiple Stonechats, some of which were very vocal, as well as a solitary Tree Pipit. Siskins and Yellowhammers were also in abundance and were often very vocal themselves.

-Crossbill

 My favourite record from the site was one that was completely unexpected for me and a real bonus species for the holiday. As I was heading along the track I could see a depression in the vegetation which indicated a pool, which could mean dragonflies. I meandered over to have a quick check and was stopped dead in my tracks by the sight that greeted me. There, at the back of the pool, right out in the open, was a Water Rail. I could not believe what I was seeing. It had not seen me yet but was definitely on the move, so I only had a little time for photos. It moved behind a clump of vegetation and as I moved round to see it again it spotted me and bolted. So sadly I only have a couple of very poor shots, but they say more than I ever could.

-Water Rail

By one in the afternoon I decided to call it quits, largely helped by the fact that my parents were passing on their way back from Wareham, but the key factor was that I could not work around not having my bins. It was doing my head in and had put a real downer on the morning.

For the afternoon I decided to stay local. I headed to the local heath, but this time to the slightly further Winfrith Heath as opposed to my usual site of Tadnoll Heath. Winfrith was quite disappointing in all honesty, with only a handful of insects around, and most of those seemed to have a taste for my flesh. A few none savage insects included a Common Hawker hunting along the path, and a Green Tiger Beetle doing the same.

-Green Tiger Beetle

 I decided to call in at Tadnoll on the way back just to have a quick check of the corrugated iron tins for reptiles. So far it had been a pretty poor deal for reptiles but that all changed when I had a look then. I lifted up the first tin and was thrilled to see both a superb Grass Snake and a female Smooth Snake. The Grass Snake scarpered all too quickly for my liking but the Smooth Snake just sat there settled, allowing me to take plenty of photos and have a fantastic view of it. I was buzzing, and it got even better when I flipped another tin to see a male Smooth Snake under there. Sadly it too cleared off pretty quick, but I did get a couple of shots of that.

-Female Smooth Snake

-Male Smooth Snake

 Because of the success I had there, I decided to stick around and keep birding on the site. There were ample dragonflies within in the heather and plenty of butterflies on the brambles; Comma, Peacock and Red Admiral. There were also plenty of dragonflies and I was chuffed when I found a Golden-Ringed Dragonfly on the floor. I managed a few shots before it decided to move off…

-Golden Ringed Dragonfly

 Walking along the central dirt track I was given another fantastic boost for the day when I happened to flush four birds from the track. I knew exactly what these were, but when I set eyes on them on the deck for the first time I was taken aback and began to doubt myself as I could not clearly make out the features that made them Woodlark. This was probably due to the distance away that they were but fortunately, all doubts were laid to rest when they flushed again, and for the first time I heard them call. Distinct Woodlark call! That was all the proof I needed. They loitered around the path for a bit but despite seeing where they landed I could not pick them up on the deck, and my views remained only flushed views.

-Woodlark

 Now knowing they were still present I decided to put down some seed to see if I could attract them in. In the evening my parents mentioned that they wanted to have a look at the site, so put down some seed along the side of the path. Along the evening walk we flushed the four Woodlark again, but they returned to the heather and not the path, so I could not really pursue them. Still, having seen them again, I do have hope that I might see them on the deck properly at some point.

We had a look at the tins again in the evening, and were rewarded with the Grass Snake again, but once again it cleared off pretty quick. However, we had a fantastic encounter with a Slow Worm along the path. It was very docile, probably as a result of the cooler evening, but it did allow me to grab plenty of photos of it. It was lovely and bronze, the best I have ever seen. It was a lovely end to the day.

-Slow Worm

Species List:

Crossways Caravan Site: Treecreeper, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Woodpigeon, Nuthatch,

Morden Bog: Yellowhammer, Jay, Green Woodpecker, Stonechat, Robin, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Mistle Thrush, Siskin, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Water Rail, Crossbill, Dartford Warbler, Tree Pipit, Bullfinch, Grass Snake, Common Toad, Black-Tailed Skimmer, Keeled Skimmer, Common Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Darter, Black Darter, Small Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Variable Damselfly, Common Emerald Damselfly, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Small Heath, Gatekeeper, Grayling, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White, Silver Studded Blue,

Tadnoll and Winfrith Heath: Willow Warbler, Long-Tailed Tit, Magpie, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, Grey Heron, Linnet, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Common Buzzard, Song Thrush, Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Woodlark, Stonechat, Mute Swan, Green Woodpecker, Grass Snake, Smooth Snake, Slow Worm, Four-Spot Chaser, Black-Tailed Skimmer, Keeled Skimmer, Common Hawker, Golden-Ringed Dragonfly, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly, Common Emerald Damselfly, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Small Heath, Gatekeeper, Grayling, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White, Silver Studded Blue, Red Admiral, Comma, Peacock, Small White, Large White,

Dorset Holiday-Day 6: Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve, RSPB Lodmoor, RSPB Radipole Lake

I have always said that you can tell if its going to be a good day by how it starts, and that usually means that I saw an unusual moth in the morning on the toilet block. And indeed, that is how today started, only this was something more than an unusual moth. In fact I would even go so far as to say that this is the moth I had always wanted, with the exception perhaps of Oleander Hawkmoth (like that's ever going to happen!!). I usually had a quick look round the toilets on my morning visit, as there was often some moth or another, not usually anything special, and today there was nothing at all so I left and as I was closing the door I spotted next to the door half under a clear notice board a small grey brown moth hiding. It was a Buff Tip Moth. I was overcome with euphoria and absolutely legged it back for the camera after spending a few mins appreciating it. 

I returned with the camera and began snapping away. After some snaps I decided to move it to a more convenient position where I could get photos. The moth was completely docile and in a few seconds I had a buff tip moth on my finger. I then moved it around a few times before I had the right light and position and background for my photos and even then they could have been better, but what matter, when you have just seen one of your favorite moths.  

-Buff Tip Moth

And so we got down to the business of the day. My family were going to the Isle of Portland so I decided I would go to Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve to see if I could give my butterfly list a kick start. Once I arrived I found myself not really knowing where I was going, and even as I write this I don't think I ever made it to the reserve, just to the fields adjacent to it. The site claimed adonis and chalk hill blue, but I saw neither. I did however see plenty of Common Blue Butterflies because as is the case with me, if I don't know what what im looking for the best thing to do is to take photos of all that it could be and analyse later. Therefore I have ample photos of common blue butterflies.

-Common Blue Butterfly 

But there were more than just blue butterflies, as there were plenty of whites and browns, and even those that come between, like white browns-Marbled Whites, which seemed to be very abundant among the Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Large Whites

-Marbled White

And it was not just generic shaped butterflies as there were a good many skippers about too, though none of the lulworth variety, all either Large or Small Skippers

-Large Skipper

-Small Skipper

The field was very nice and was ideal what you would call butterfly habitat but there seemed to be a lack of anything else. I could hear whitethroats around me but failed to see any, and I also noticed a group of Ravens overhead. These were my first of the holiday and also of the year.

-Raven

There were meant to be 5 species of blue butterfly according to the websites. I had only seen 3 of the species mentioned, and only 2 of them I had seen on this holiday. The other besides common of course is Silver Studded Blue which is rare on limestone, and this is one of the few sites where it can be found as such. They were, however, very abundant here as they have been across the board this holiday.

-Silver Studded Blue

But it was not the butterflies that left their impression at this stage. I was wandering back to the road to make my way across to the field on the other side of the road when I glanced down and there was a Bee Orchid, another species I had been desperate to see. I was immediately struck by how tall the plant was, the flower being almost 30 cm off the ground. The flower was very dainty as it hung at the top of the tall stem. It was clear that the plant had been flowering before, but that those flowers had died and there was another unopened bud above the flower currently open. I took many photos because I was simply so excited by it and how dainty it was. Definitely one of the species of the holiday so far.

I was lucky that the plant was in the open and not obscured by any of the tall grasses in the area, or any of the brambles that had been clawing at my legs. I took photos from all angles because it was so lovely and I was so pleased at finally finding one.

-Bee Orchid

Indeed today seemed the day to look for flowers, as adjacent to the bee orchid I found another old favorite in Pyramidal Orchid, national flower of the isle of Wight

-Pyramidal Orchid

But the flowers did not steal the show for long, as I soon had a new butterfly species for me. I mentioned on Day 2 how I thought I had small/little blue but they turned out to be silver studded blues. Today I set that record straight as I was wandering through the grass I disturbed a small brown/grey butterfly that when it landed showed only limited spotting on the underside and little blue colour overall. I knew immediately this time that I had found a Little Blue Butterfly and I was very excited. Having given it the big up, it was a very tattered and old specimen, as all the spots were faded, the wings were damaged and even were these fixed its still not the most exciting example of a blue butterfly, mainly because its not really that blue. But having said that, it was nice to see that's true and was another new species for the holiday.

-Small Blue

Between photographing the little blue I had noticed that one of the singing Whitethroats had finally shown itself and had begun singing from the top of a bush, though it was some distance away as my camera see's it.

-Whitethroat

I then continued my way across the road as had been my original intention to see if I could find any more new species over that way. It really was more of the same, though without little blues, but I did encounter an equally scruffy butterfly in the form of Dingy Skipper, a species I have only ever seen once before, though that time it was in much better condition, as with this individual I could hardly make out any markings. It was still only the 2nd time of seeing this species and as such it did not lack any appeal because of its condition.

-Dingy Skipper

The remainder of the butterfly reserve was filled with regulars; Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Ringlet

-Ringlet

Once I had finished at the butterfly reserve I decided to wander into town and from there get a bus to Weymouth and visit Radipole Lake and Lodmoor, both RSPB. I made my way first to Radipole lake as it was nearest the bus stop and had the most recommendation.

As soon as I arrived my bird list began to grow, as I recorded, Cormorants, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron and Tufted Duck, the latter I got extremely good views of. 

-Tufted Duck

-Grey Heron

I wandered down the path, which had good growth of various plants and flowers on either side. On these I found some Scarlet Tiger Moths, to continue with the moth theme that we started on, which were advertised in the leaflet as being one of the specialties of the reserve.

-Scarlet Tiger Moth

I decided to make my way up to the top hide so that I had somewhere to have lunch. On my way up I passed through various reedbed habitats with some woodland too. Birdlife seemed to be quite limited, reduced to bearded tits mocking me from the reedbed with their too familiar chirping call. 

On the side of the path I also found another Bee Orchid, but this one was bent over and the grass had grown up around it so my photos were not very good and did not add anything to the one I had seen earlier. They say you wait ages for a bus and then two come at once, and that was kind of what it was like with bee orchids, not that I'm complaining.

As I entered one of the wooded sections just passed the bee orchid I flushed a Comma from the hedgerows, but it landed on the path to sunbathe.

-Comma

At one point the path crossed over a bridge over a river which flowed pretty slowly. Here I spotted a female Banded Demoiselle which was the first really photograph-able one of the species I had found so far on the holiday.

-Banded Demoiselle

The only thing that happened on my walk up was that I flushed a Black Tailed Skimmer from its slumber on the path.

At the hide there really was not much going on. There were some Mallards in slumber on the far side and a Grey Heron fishing, as well as the regular Woodpigeons, but that aside it was really poor in my opinion. During lunch a couple of other birders came in and it was these that as I was leaving after lunch said that a kingfisher had come in. I made my way back up to the window and there was able to watch 2 Kingfishers as they flew across the pond, including hovering behavior and successful fish catching.

Once I had finished at the hide I had intended to go to the viewpoint to see if there was any better, but on the way I found that a family of very crabby Mute Swans had parked themselves on the path. When I approached they made themselves big and seriously hissed. I considered trying to get round by the side where their young were, but decided against it and instead went back. 

I made my way back up the far side of the walkway but there was not much happening there, only a couple of Moorhen. On my way out I found another Scarlet Tiger Moth, but its wings were crippled. I took photos of it because it was displaying its vivid red underwings.

-Scarlet Tiger Moth

And that finished me at RSPB Radipole lake, and I was a bit dissapointed with it really, as there were so few birds. Next up was RSPB Lodmoor. It involved cutting across the town, but there was no wildlife going on there. At Lodmoor there were plenty of birds, but they were some way away. There was a good variety though, mainly waders and wildfowl. On the waders front there was Lapwing, Oystercatcher and to my surprise Common Sandpiper. There were Canada Geese, Graylag Geese and Shelduck on the wildfowl front, as well a a Grey Heron

-Lapwing

-Shelduck and Grey Heron

-Common Sandpiper

I did the long walk side walk around the reserve, but I may as well have done the short walk, as the long walk really did not add anything to my reserves species list, except Whitethroat and Black Tailed Skimmer

On the road side of the walk I had a little more luck as it was here that I was able to overlook the scrapes. It was more of the same as what I had seen upon my entry, but I also flushed a pair of Bullfinches, which were my first of the holiday.

I eventually made my way round to the viewpoint eventually and it was here that I found my third and last really notable bird of the holiday with Greenshank. To me, Greenshank is one of those birds that you know you have seen before, but you don't remember where because I tended to overlook it and not really be bothered. I know I have seen a flock of around 7 at Calaverock WWT in Scotland before, but I don't recall any other time, so it was nice to get one on this holiday which was proving so void of birds.

This greenshank was quite distant but I could tell what it was. It allowed me to get some record shots, though they are really poor.

-Greenshank

My family picked me up from Lodmoor and then we went back to the caravan. Our juvenile robin was around back there. The only other thing of note was that during dinner my ankle was bitten rather brutally by a ladybird larva! I had no idea they were so savage!!