Another Southern success

Mark was keen on going down to RSPB Lodmoor in Dorset this weekend for a Short Billed Dowitcher that had been found there and ID confirmed in the week so we set off early Saturday morning picking up Darren Ward and a mate of his, John Armstrong, en route, we got down there around 9am and dropped straight on to the bird which although too far for a decent photo gave very good and prolonged scope views and by all accounts was a lot closer than it had been the day before, after spending some time enjoying the bird we then shot off to Portland Bill where a Monarch Butterfly found yesterday in the village of Easton halfway along the Island had been seen again this morning, it was a superb beast very impressive in flight and a British Butterfly tick for us all, we also checked a site nearby where a local told us we may get Lulworth Skipper but I think it was maybe a bit late for them, I took some photo’s of a female Blue type there though and looking at them later identified it as a female Chalkhill Blue, another Butterfly tick. In the afternoon we decided to try for the other Southern specialities, Dartford Warbler and Cirl Bunting so we headed across to Devon starting at Aylesbeare Common for the Dartfords, it didn’t look good at first, the place seemed virtually birdless and the only things of note were a few Grayling Butterflies however after a chat with a local guy we bumped into we decided to give it another 10 mins in a different area, a flicker of movement caught my eye and yes I’d got one, we moved in closer and were soon enjoying views of two birds, a male and juvenile, as they made their way along a line of heather and gorse, a Stonechat popped up for good measure. With time getting on we headed off to a new site for Cirl Buntings that Darren had discovered just south of Teignmouth, Labrador Bay, its a small site the RSPB has acquired and we were amazed to find a flock of 15-16 birds there and they showed great, a fantastic end to the day there were also a couple of Ravens messing around here.

with Snipe

Portland

first view as it warmed up on top of a Buddlia Bush

looked small in comparison

the female Blue I believe to be Chalkhill

view of Chesil Beach disappearing into the haze

Graylings

a Chiffy also posed

Labrador Bay looking towards Hope's Nose