SILVERLAKE - CULPEPPERS DISH (AFFPUDDLE FOREST) - RSPB LODMOOR
WEATHER: DULL AND OVERCAST ALL DAY WITH A LITTLE SUNSHINE, SOUTHERLY MODERATE WIND, QUITE CHILLY.
It has been quite a while since I teamed up with the Birding Guru from Yeovil, Guy Campbell, and I know why I left so long!! This guy called Guy, has a serious wind problem, I will leave it there.
Regardless of his physical faults I had a great day with my Guru, he found both of our star birds and he showed me two trails I had never been along before.
Guy arrived dead on the stroke of 7am at my house, and we drove uninterrupted to Silverlake, which is a few miles east of Dorchester. It was quite chilly as we stepped from the car. From the car park we could scan a good part of the main lake where we noted six Egyptian Geese, a few More Canada Geese and one or two Greylag Geese. Ducks on the water were few and far between and included: Mallard, Gadwall, Teal, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck and a few Great Crested Grebes.
a view of Silver Lake from the view-point
Our main target birds were expected to be on the surrounding heathland, consisting of large tracts of gorse with small patches of heather and bramble. Large areas of open ground with short grass joined up the gorse scrub patches and that is where we scanned first.
Egyptian Geese
Woodlarks are known to breed in this area, we searched for them and because the weather was against us we failed to find one. Even at this time of the year, if the sun had been shining, they may be rising up singing, like the proverbial.
We walked across the heathland and climbed a hillock to a small viewing area, we had panoramic views of the lakes and surrounding countryside. We added 3 Great White Egrets and one Little Egret to the list.
Great Egret
Back down on the heath the Guru spotted a pair of Stonechats and with them was a Dartford Warbler, it showed very well from time to time. We got fairly close to them, the Dartford was exceptionally showy, wowza!! A Peregrine flew over us and then a second one apppeared, spotted once again by the Guru.
my pictures of the very showy Dartford Warbler - you looking at me???
my best pic of the Darty
We watched small flocks of Linnets, Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits, but no larks showed up. As we approached the car park on our return, large skeins of geese started to arrive at the main lake. Hundreds of them flew in, arriving in varying group sizes. We counted 30+ Egyptian Geese, 50+ Greylags and well over 200 Canada Geese.
Afer making a brief stop at Waddock Farm Watercress beds, where we saw 3 Meadow Pipits and a single Pied Wagtail, we arrived at Culpeppers Dish Car park near Briantspuddle. We went in search of Crossbills, a local birder was in the car park and he gave us the heads up on recent sightings.
A short walk into the pine forest was all that was necessary, within minutes we had Crossbills flying over us calling, we samll small groups of two or three birds. Then the Guru found a lovely male perched on top of a distant pine tree, it was with a green female.
Crossbill habitat at Affpuddle Forest
a pair of Crossbills and the male, pictured alone, below
We heard a distant Green Woodpecker, also Coal Tits and a small bunch of Long-tailed Tits. With two out of three target birds in the 'can' we set off for our final destination, Lodmoor, at Weymouth. We had an 11 mile drive to get there, but before Lodmoor we made a detour to the 'Lookout Cafe' at Overcombe.
After a quick hot cuppa and a small bite to eat (neither recommended) we drove down to Lodmoor and parked in Southdown Avenue. From there we walked the entire path that circumnavigates the reserve. It was quite windy and chilly out there, but many species were seen, the highlights were: a large flock of Golden Plover, a huge flock of Starlings, Great and Little Egrets, Wigeon and Shoveler, Black-tailed Godwits, Common Snipe and the prize bird was a Curlew Sandpiper.
Great Egret with a Black-tailed Godwit in the background
The sandpiper is an unusually late bird, most Curlew Sandpipers pass through in August and September, so to see one in late October is very unusual. There was nothing physically wrong with the bird because after a few minutes it flew off strongly to the eastside of the reserve.
just a few of the 200+ Golden Plovers seen at Lodmoor
a mixed bag - Med Gulls with Great Egret, Grey Heron and Teal
We continued our walk with further highlights, which included a Bearded Tit sighting, it called from the reedbeds and then flew over the top of us. A Marsh Harrier was seen quartering the marshland, it was a young male type and a Kestrel hovered in the distance, these were our only birds of prey seen so far.
The Post Box Pool - Gadwall, Shoveler and Coots
my artistic impression of the Golden Plover with Starlings
I can feel a Christmas Card coming on!
We scanned the pools from our raised position on Beachdown Way but nothing new was added to the list. It was now 2pm and the light was beginning to fade so we called it a day. The Woodlark would have to wait for a nice sunny, still morning. My Guru driver got me hone safely, I'm surprised that the car did not float above the roads on the way back as it was so full of gaseous clouds, enough to float a fully laden Zeppelin Airship.
Other wildlife seen
full-on buck Sika Deer, at Lodmoor
Fly Agaric
I think this is Aniseed Toadstool - Clitocybe odora - correct me if I am wrong