A day in Dorset

All winter I've wanted to get down and see the Lesser Yellowlegs at Lodmoor so yesterday we bit the bullet and drove the 160 miles down the M3 arriving around 8.15am we managed to find the target although views were not as crippling as the images I've been seeing. It was sat on the far bank tucked away in the grass and remained hidden to view for most of the day only dropping to feed on our second visit in the afternoon to the frustration to the guys that stuck it out all day.

Also at Lodmoor we picked up a very shy Willow Warbler for a year tick and a Little Gull out on the scrape with the many Med and Black-headed Gulls. I managed one further year tick with a single House Martin flying with the Sand Martins and Swallows hawking over the reed beds.
It was nice to hear our first Chiffchaffs of the year too.

At Radipole we very quickly located the Ring-necked Duck and managed a few shots from the fishing platforms opposite the Tennis courts and at Portland we found several Wheatear and a single Black Redstart to be the only things of note. On the drive out we picked up a single Shag in Weymouth harbour to finish a very enjoyable day in beautiful Dorset and the year list now stands at 189.

Ring-nekced Duck at Radipole

Lesser Yellowlegs at Lodmoor

Black-Redstart at Portland

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Godwit

Stonechat

Great-crested Grebe at Lodmoor

Great-crested Grebe at Lodmoor

Grey Heron

Lesser Yellowlegs on the island where it spent most of the day

Ring-necked Duck

Linnet at Portland

Marsh Harrier at Lodmoor

Med Gulls and Black-headed Gulls at Lodmoor