Durlston Head, Radipole and Lodmoor

Saturday 23rd March and I had planned a trip to Durlston Head for Peregrine and then onto Radipole and Lodmoor for the long staying duo of Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Yellowlegs that were now both showing well and in far better plumage. 

Jess had work so me and Ellie headed off early arriving at Durlston Head Country Park at 7:15am. Durlston isn't the most pushchair friendly place in Britain and it was a hard going walking along the coastal path where I could only get to tilly whim and beyond that is impossible with a pushchair and I certainly wasn't going to risk my daughter walking along the cliff edges. This is my 3rd attempt for the Peregrines and yet again I drew a blank, the weather was my great so perhaps didin't help my cause however I did see a smart male Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear (1st of the year) and it was also nice to see a few seabirds like Razorbills, Guillemots, Shags and Fulmar's. 

Black Redstart

Rock Dove

Shag

Fulmar

Jackdaw's

10am came and after no Peregrine sightings at all I decided to head off to Radipole Lakes for the Ring-necked Duck but not before planning tomorrow's trip to the IOW as the Great Spotted Cuckoo was still in situ so I quickly booked the red funnel boat before driving.

11am and I arrived at Radipole Lakes RSPB nature reserve. After paying for parking I headed back down the main road towards the Tennis Courts. Once there the duck was quickly located very close but behind the Reedbed. I continued to the next fishing platform and sat patiently and waited. It didn't take too long for the resident Tufted Ducks to swim past and eventually the Ring-necked Duck joined them albeit as far over the channel as it could be. It was still fairly close and good views however the pics I had seen clearly show it to have shown even better. I then decided to Chuck in my lunch. Sausage Rolls! Not the most ideal thing but it's all i had and it certainly done the trick. Although it didn't actually take any the whole flock of ducks came over to investigate and the Ring-necked Duck showed superbly for 20 minutes or so.

a

Ring-necked Duck

Pochard

After having my fill I moved onto Lodmoor RSPB for the Lesser Yellowlegs. Once paying for parking again I made my way round to the western scrape and immediately found the Yellowlegs showing very well but unfortunately the light was really grim. I fired off lots of pics but they are certainly not worth posting as after a 3 hr wait the light got good and the bird showed fantastic. It wasn't bright sunshine but just a few days through the clouds which I think is what you need when photographing waders as the images always seem more pleasing to the eye. Ad Little Gull was also present but too far for any pics. Nice to bump into Cliff Smith for the first time after his stupidly long drive for the Drake Blue Winged Teal but fair play top marks for his effort. 

Lesser Yellowlegs

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