5 Mar 18

Lodmoor RSPB Reserve

A couple of hours spent at Lodmoor today between 11:30am - 1:30pm. I parked up at Southdown Avenue Here and walked clock-wise around the reserve. The first bird to come across was a Reed Bunting, by the roadside, followed by great views of a Marsh Harrier over the reed beds. A great start to my walk, even if the rain did start to fall.

By the hump I came across a small flock of Mediterranean Gulls and noted that most were now in Summer plumage. As I walked a bit further on I was met by a group of birdwatchers who informed me that the Ross's Gull had been seen in the same area. I did let them now that if was there it wasn't there any longer. What did appear though was a Little Gull which was a good year tick, so not all was lost.

Other birds of note were at least 12 Avocets, 2 Oystercatchers, several Dunlin and 3 Snipe.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

Marsh Harrier head on.......

.....and coming into land.

Marsh Harrier

A very busy Marsh Harrier covering most of the reserve.

A pair of Teal

Mediterranean Gulls.

And the surprise gull of the day........

......a Little Gull.

A Little Gull showing well on the reserve.

Another short video of the Little Gull

Starlings and Lapwings.

And one of twelve Avocets I counted here today.

Here another Avocet has doing a spot of preening.

This Moorhen was pacing up and down this wall, and eventually, after I'd stopped videoing, jumped off it and onto the water below.

Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pochard, 1 Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, 12 Avocet, Lapwing, Dunlin, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, 1 Little Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 40+ Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting.