Just Odds and Sods

Well in answer to the title of my previous post... no, not really.

Saying that, late May for me has been really busy at work and both my Wife's and Son's birthday fall here so it's not like I have spent much time in the field lately.  Still, there are some things to report including two Patchwork Challenge ticks!

During my walk to work on Thursday 25th, it was really exciting to watch a Spotted Flycatcher fly low north over the housing estate by my place, pitch up in a garden tree for little more than a few seconds, then continue on northwards.  Portland may have had many hundreds do this during that week but this one was honestly an absolute thrill to see.  Raw migration in action and not where I would necessarily expect to see it.

And today came year tick number two, with a Barnacle Goose leading three Canada Geese in flight over the river valley.  I managed to take this photo with my phone before they flew north over the A3052 and away towards Musbury...

At least it is identifiable!

 

The goose wasn't my bird of the day though, with this lovely Grey Plover feeding on the Estuary about ten minutes later...

Right up there for me when it comes to cracking looking waders

However the Plover wasn't my wildlife sighting of the day!  Have had almost no time for Odonata yet this year (ultra frustrating during a Vagrant Emperor influx!) but half an hour today gave me my first patch Red-eyed Damselfly since about 2008!  Only had my phone for a camera so this is all you are getting...

On The Borrow Pit, Seaton Marshes

Small Red-eyed Damselflies, although not out yet this year, have spread right across the patch.  There were some Red-eyed Damselflies at Lower Bruckland Ponds around the time Small Red-eyed Damselflies were first discovered there, but within a couple of years they died out (whereas Small Red-eyeds exploded in numbers).  

The only other sightings I have to report from the last couple of weeks include a Sanderling on the beach last Thursday evening, and an unseasonal Osprey which I was fortunate to see three days on the trot hunting over the Estuary. It was an excellent fisher too, often catching on its first attempt - quite different from the autumn juvs we see!