Tuesday, June 16, 2026

What a Busy Day

I was up with the sparrows this morning, so that I could take David to a Motorcycle Training Centre in Poole for 8:45. Despite heavy traffic between Weymouth and Dorchester, not helped by a Marks and Spencers 40 foot articulated lorry broken down at Dorchester roundabout, we made it with 20 minutes to spare.

Having left him at the centre, I headed off to Shell Bay Beach at Studland, via the Sandbanks Ferry here, followed by a walk around the Blue Pool Nature Reserve and then an even longer walk at Higher Hyde Heath Nature Reserve.

Shell Bay Beach

A beach I visited back in August 2022, where I was very fortunate to find a Sand Lizard. Unfortunately I didn't see any today and in fact I didn't find any tracks in the sand to show that there were any about either.

Main highlight here was watching Sandwich Terns and a lone Little Tern catching what appeared to be Sandeels. And I came across my first Sanderlings of the year.

Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
2 Mallard
2 Moorhen
4 Sanderling
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
1 Little Tern
10+ Sandwich Tern
Wood Pigeon
10+ Swallow
2 Meadow Pipit
Robin
Blackbird
3 Blackcap,
8 Chiffchaff
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

4 Sanderling running along the shore-line

One of the 10+ Sandwich Terns fishing just off the beach

A Common Stiletto Thereva nobilitata

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Blue Pool Nature Reserve

Next stop was Blue Pool, a Nature Reserve I last visited in October 2022, where the main highlight then was a Kingfisher. And you've guessed it, there wasn't one today, but watching a Little Grebe on her nest and the male fishing close-by, certainly made up for not seeing one.

Birds Recorded:
2 Little Grebe
Buzzard
Moorhen
Wood Pigeon
2 Grey Wagtail
Robin
Blackbird
4 Blackcap
10+ Chiffchaff
Blue Tit
Nuthatch
Wren
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Chaffinch
Siskin
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

While the female Little Grebe was on her nest....

............the male was fishing close-by.

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Higher Hyde Heath Nature Reserve

And my last stop was the nature reserve at Higher Hyde Heath. A location I have never visited before, but wow, if you like Silver-studded Blue butterflies Plebejus argus, then this is definitely the place to see them. There were hundreds, with a ratio I guess of 8:1 in favour of the males.

Other highlights here were firsts for me this year, and they were a Red Kite seen overhead just before I pulled into the car park, a Tree Pipit and a Dartford Warbler.

Birds Recorded:
1 Red Kite
Buzzard
Wood Pigeon
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Skylark
2 Swallow
1 Tree Pipit
Robin
1 Stonechat
Blackbird
Song Thrush
6 Blackcap
1 Dartford Warbler
15+ Chiffchaff
2 Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Siskin
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

Sharing this Gorse Bush was a Tree Pipit and female Stonechat.


NOTE
More Photos and videos from trip today will appear here tomorrow
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