Today was my first excursion off Portland since the lockdown started on 24 Mar. It's been a long wait, but certainly worth it as I ticked off my first Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and a real bonus bird a Grasshopper Warbler. The latter "reeled" for a few seconds along here, before heading off into main part of the reserve.
What a great start, especially with the warblers as I also had Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.
The water levels are really low and in a few places lower than I have seen in the past 3 years. Even with plenty of mud showing the only wader of note was a single Black-tailed Godwit.
Plenty of Common Terns and Mediterranean Gulls about. And there were at least 5 Little Egrets feeding in the shallows.
A couple of other things of interest, I came across a very green Lizard along the path adjacent to beach road. The only lizard I can recall being that green is a Sand Lizard. I wonder!!! Also noted was a tent full of caterpillars on a Blackthorn, which apparently are Small Eggars.
Here are a few images and videos from today:
Here are a few images and videos from today:
Lodmoor RSPB Reserve sits in the south-east corner of Lorton Valley Nature Park
Two Mediterranean Gulls and on the shoreline 2 Common Terns.
A Common Tern bathing in the shallows.
It must have been something I said. It wasn't just this Little Egret taking off, but........
..........also this one, within seconds of the first.
Ah this was all about finding a new feeding ground.
As this one did as well.
How does the song go "Mud Glorious Mud"
With so much mud to wade through, is this Oystercatcher actually catching anything!!
My first Reed Warbler of the year. Not an easy bird to photograph, especially through the reeds
And a record shot of the lone Black-tailed Godwit.
And a very very short video of it.
This parent Coot is about to feed this most bizarre looking cootling
This is a "caterpillar tent" which was on a Blackthorn along one of the tracks.
They are still pretty small (early instar), so identifying them........
Birds Recorded: 1 Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, 5 Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, 1 Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting. 43 Species.
Reptiles Recorded: 1 Lizard sp.
Butterflies Recorded: Orange-tip, Large White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood
Caterpillars Recorded: Small Eggar
Ships Today
And the Arcadia and Ventura as seen from the far end of Lodmoor Reserve.