Friday 8 January 2021

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!