Off Piste

 Out of mild frustration as much as the desire to add more species to the 2021 List, with almost a total Blank on home turf we decided to give Longham Lakes a 'first of the year visit' with * denoting additions for Dorset.

GREAT WHITE EGRET*

not surprisingly the first contender to hit the list and

followed in quick succession by the 3 Musketeers
CORMORANT
and

LITTLE EGRET
both alraedy consigned to the list but followed by

GADWALL*

COOT*

COOT and GADWALL
which both did the trick

as did

POCHARD*
It was no more than the plumage of the juvenile

HERRING GULL

that attracted the attention as a feeding female

COOT
in the margins proved too much of a temptation.
Both

GREAT CRESTED GREBE*
and

TUFTED DUCK*

graced the log as did this

GREY HERON*
but only at great distance.
The final species was not an addition either but as with all GULLs including this

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL

we simply cannot pass them by - Keep Watching!