With our recent accreditation to become an official Bird Observatory, we welcome a new warden to the island, Simon, as well as a new Bird Observatory Warden Thomas with additional help from Eleanor and other members of the staff.
Keep up with the latest socials...
lundybirdobs.org.uk/news-and-sig...
After a wet and windy winter, the start of March saw the mist nets back up in Millcombe for the season ahead. A nice warm period last week saw the first migrants arriving back to the island including Chaffinch, Stonechat and Goldcrest. All birds ringed under license and with relevant permissions.
Black-tailed Godwit & Avocet in flight over Brownsea lagoon this am, seen from the @harbourbirds.bsky.social Winter Safari boat trip. Also 2 Spoonbill & Greylag ringed U611 on the lagoon. @wildontheroad.bsky.social @thomasweston.bsky.social
@thomasweston.bsky.social 2 Greylag Holes Bay SE from Tony. 10 on Brownsea Friday 20/2, at least 2 ringed but distant
Blustery & chilly Winter Safari boat trip this am with @harbourbirds.bsky.social but still very enjoyable. Great Northern Diver, Red-breasted Merganser, Spoonbills at Shipstal & ringed Greylag (U678?) on Brownsea lagoon. Also 2 distant WTEs. @thomasweston.bsky.social @wildontheroad.bsky.social
Thank you Alison, apologies foe the late response i have only just seen this post. Will get some life histories for you soon!
Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier and Buzzard in Wareham Channel, and Greylags U257 & U272 on Brownsea lagoon this morning, seen from the @harbourbirds.bsky.social Autumn Safari boat trip. @thomasweston.bsky.social
juvenile Shag off New Passage this morning.
juvenile Shag
A juvenile Shag & Fulmar were nice finds by @thomasweston.bsky.social at Severn Beach. Hopefully the first of some decent seabirds over the next few days (Sabine's Gull & Wilson's Petrel have already been seen in the Bristol channel in the last 2 days). The Shag showed nicely off New Passage later.
Juvenile Shag upriver past Severn Beach 1018 now by Shaft rocks. @severnsidebirds.bsky.social @martynhayes.bsky.social @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Shag off Severn Beach drifting upriver @severnsidebirds.bsky.social @bristolbirding.bsky.social @martynhayes.bsky.social
Fulmar currently floating up to the new Severn Bridge before preforming short flights to avoid going under. Tide still rising so presume the bird will spend the remaining hour and a half here. @severnsidebirds.bsky.social @martynhayes.bsky.social @severnsidebirds.bsky.social
Fulmar Severn Beach 0903 @bristolbirding.bsky.social @severnsidebirds.bsky.social
5 Garganey (pic pf all), 3 Spoonbill, 2 Great egrets, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Cranes and more from the Zeiss this afternoon at Slimbridge WWT. @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social @wwtworldwide.bsky.social #Glosbirds
Some of the great species currently on show at Slimbridge WWT recently. The Wood sand on the Tack Piece, 1/2 Spoonbill on the Rushy, the Tundra Bean Goose (first I've seen since Iceland 2023, with previous at Slimbridge one winter long ago), and the Blackwit flock with a fresh Juv. #Glosbirds
Slimbridge WWT south lake highlights from yesterday: Showy Garganey, 1/2 Spot Red, and a colour ringed Herring Gull from one of the local urban areas. Tundra Bean, large Godwit flocks, 1st juv Ruff of autumn and 6 Pochards. @slimbridge-wild.bsky.social #Glosbirds
Crossbills on the move again on the South Coast. Keep an eye out @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social for more! @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Lesser white fronted goose of dubious origin at Poole Park today! @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
One of the largest Toads I think I've ever seen was a highlight of my @btobirds.bsky.social Heathland Bird Surveys last night on a quiet bog in Dorset. The surveys were made less quiet by the 18 Nightjar territories recorded in what seemed another super active evening on the heath! Amazing.
##30DaysWild Day 14. Look how much they've grown! The greylag goslings are about 4 weeks old now and they've quadrupled in size. Good to attentive parents successfully raising them #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @thomasweston.bsky.social
To find a Heathland Bird Survey area near you visit the map on our website: www.bto.org/get-involved...
Thank you to everyone who has taken part so far!
Dorset birders in the Wareham area, if you have a spare 45mins from 21:15 - 22:00 and would like to help the @btobirds.bsky.social record Nightjars as part of the Heathland Bird Survey, then this is the survey for you! Any help is much appreciated. In 10 nights of surveys I had 120 recorded!
That's very cool! I think there must have been some coastal movements with flocks looking for food. Amazing that Portland didn't have any reported!
29 Crossbill migrating along the Dorset Coast around Lulworth Cove today in three flocks. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Cattle, pigs, horses, a combination of all three in areas and in few areas sheep. UK trends can be found on the BTO and RSPB website but increasing nationally
But fundamentally it's getting the right mix in the area, protecting it so it can remain an amazing Heathland but also connecting it too. The once Great Heath is now just photos and literature, a lot of these areas are quite isolated so connecting the environments together is much needed
It's not all just Heather, or gorse, or acid grassland, a mix of species are necessary and grazing is fundamental too. Some areas have active removal of invasive pines and shrubs, deer control is widespread and active management is totally necessary in a lot of these areas or a gorse forest grows!
Sites are managed by a range of landowners with advice by natural England or other charities such as RSPB. A lot of gorse at different ages is great, cutting back and burning areas is good. Scrapes for amphibians and reptiles, plus Woodlark too. Creating a mosaic of habitat with the Heathlands...
Hide and Sika with this one today on the @btobirds.bsky.social Heathland Bird Surveys. This young one was very cosy and snug in his grassy bed, allowing a quick pick before I retraced my steps and left him to it.
One of many Dartford Warbler juveniles exploring their Heathland habitats the past week. It's great to confirm breeding on my @btobirds.bsky.social Heathland Bird Surveys with many more yet to emerge from their nests just yet! Look at those cute faces. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Actually 9 goslings... the ringed pair still have 3! @thomasweston.bsky.social