13 Nov 23

Poundbury Camp

Having dropped David and Izzie off in Dorchester, I set off to Poundbury Camp here for an hours walk with Ted, before picking them up and heading back home.

Areas on photo above are locations 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 were birds were seen. The red spot is where Ted and I started and ended our walk.

Main highlights as seen from the camp were:

Mute Swan - Three pairs in the flooded fields between the two River Frome's (1, 2 & 3)

Mallard - Four (3)

Gadwall - One (3)
Wigeon  - Four (4)

Teal - Fourteen (3)
Shoveler- Seven drake & eightish ducks at (4)
Redwing - Eight took off from the woods (5)
Chiffchaff - Two seen in the woods (5)


Birds Recorded:
6 Mute Swan
4 Mallard

1 Gadwall
4 Wigeon

14 Teal
15! Shoveler
1 Kestrel
1 Pheasant
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
8 Redwing
2 Chiffchaff
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

The pair of Mute Swans.............

...........at location 1 on the map.

And here they are both together

This is location 2 where there were these two Mute Swans. Possibly a pair!

And location 3 where there this pair of Mute Swans, plus 4 Mallard, a Gadwall and 14 Teal. The latter in the foreground.

At location 4 were.................

..................these Shoveler, Wigeon and a Herring Gull

A Kestrel hovering over the "Camp"

In a field to the north were at least 100 Herring Gull and what I think is an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull in amongst them (centre left). To the right of it, possibly a first year bird.

And two of the 8 Redwing which burst out of the woods at location 5, where there were also 2 Chiffchaffs.

Fungi Recorded:

Yellow Fieldcap (Bolbitius titubans)

Yellow Fieldcap (Bolbitius titubans). More on this fungi here.

General Shots:

One of the access points to the Camp.

My route northwest

And looking back towards the southeast with the camp high up on the ridge.

And looking south

A very swollen River Frome on both sides of the railway viaduct

The flood plain between the two River Frome's 

At the bottom of the slope I..........

..................came across this shooting range.

Talking to Brian, a local birder I met on my walk, he told me it was used during WWII, but he wasn't sure who by.

And finally the muddy walk along the track towards where I started.

Note:

More on Poundbury Camp here and here.

Ted:

And Ted enjoying the views.