A September Sika Saturday

The final destination on my Saturday excursion down to Dorset was RSPB Arne in the hope of getting a few Sika Deer shots out on the flowering heather. It's fair to say after all of the excitement of the Short-Billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor and driving the 15miles or so the scenic way around to the edge of Wareham we had arrived a little late as the sun was no rapidly disappearing behind a cloud bank coming in from the channel. 

It was a little after 5.30pm and following a brief look over the Middlebere channel we headed back towards the Salt Marsh and Poole Harbour, I soon spotted a Sika Stag in the middle of one of the grass fields, but he was stood alone and on guard something didn't appear to be right, I began to wonder if the Rut had started early. All then became apparent as a rather large Pit Bull come Staffy was stalking determinedly up the fence line on the edge of the field. 

The Stag started to rear his head and scrape back the ground with his hooves, as I had visions of something messy about to happen the dog seemed to get them too and disappeared off through the fence, crisis averted! Once further around the path we caught up with a couple who asked if we had seen a dog, they said the RSPB Warden was out with the dogs owners looking for it we relayed our sighting and the mutual look past between us as to what the hell the dog was doing in the middle of one of the RPSB's flagship reserves off of the lead! 

As we walked to the end of the field and the start of the woodland we could hear the owners shouting for it to come back, fair to say I didn't know people who owned those kind of dogs could get so high pitched and call it such a tame name.

As for the deer, I didn't expect to see many at all after having seen the Dog running amok in amongst them, and certainly not for them to stand nicely for a photograph. So I was quite chuffed when I spotted a couple of Hinds hidden in the Bracken 30 yards or so from the footpath. I tried some natural framing too as an array of Silver Birch trees stood between me and the Deer.

Another 20 yards down the path and a few more Hinds emerged out on to the Heather, just what I was after, and even happier as 2 Calves followed. So not quite what I had envisaged with the light etc, but after the fracas with the loose Dog I was more than happy at what we saw and what I managed to photography, and glad that I didn't have to witness a Sika Stag go berserk, well maybe I would have been if it had been the dogs owners!

http://www.facebook.com/MartinClayPhotography Up to date pictures and sightings, prior to me getting around to writing these blog posts, Look out for a free give away soon as well.

I would be more than grateful for any 'Likes' or Comments on my FB Photography Page too so feel free to comment or criticise about anything.

Short-Billed Dowitcher

After heading down to Weymouth last Saturday it seemed to good an opportunity to pass up, as reports of the Short-Billed Dowitcher at RSPB Lodmoor stated it was still present as of Friday pm. So after a quick walk around Radipole Lake we thought to head further along the road to Lodmoor for about 2pm, a quick word with a couple of 'Birders' at Radipole informed me that it was showing well at 150-200 yards but that I wouldn't get a picture ever. Snooty Bastards!

So off we headed, set a little bit of a challenge, soon spotting a lot of people congregating on the path overlooking the West Scape we walked along and joined them, overhearing one gentleman pointing out onto the salt marsh. Spotting the desired bird. As it headed further away from us but parallel to the path, I decided not to join the various other birders in trying to catch a glimpse and headed about 50-60 yards further up the path to where half a dozen people already waited with anticipation.

Gary Thoburns a rather nice photographer couldn't believe my luck as the Dowitcher drew level with us and proceeded to head out of sight behind some reeds some 80-90 yards away. He had been there since 10.30am and this was his second visit, having barely seen it previously let alone got a few shots. So everyone was happy to have seen it out in the open and fairly close, and I already had a couple of pictures in the bag. As it re emerged we all had some good views as it fed. Gary being quite chatty and with a rather superior lens setup then asked if I wanted to try my Canon on his lens to get a little more reach, I was a little set back as I've never had this kind of generosity before from any other photographers. (Only one of the shots below)

I must admit though he soon got itchy fingers as the Dowitcher started wading towards us, and I quicky passed it back and went back to my own 500mm lens. We soon both had memory cards full as my first MEGA waded within 25 yards and continued to feed and preen in front of our lenses for a good 15 minutes.

A cracking sighting for all the 25 people or so watching, as they all seemed sure it was the closest views anybody had gotten of the bird. And it proved those snooty bastard 'Birders' at Radipole wrong!

Better than I could have hoped for! 

As good as I thought it was going to get!

The only one using Gary's Lens 

http://www.facebook.com/MartinClayPhotography Up to date pictures and sightings, prior to me getting around to writing these blog posts, Look out for a free give away soon as well.

I would be more than grateful for any 'Likes' or Comments on my FB Photography Page too so feel free to comment or criticise about anything.

Sika Sunday

A beautiful crisp morning, bathed in Golden Winter Sunlight, Spot on! Sat Nav set,  3 x Memory Cards packed just in case!! The destination the RSPB's flagship Heathland reserve at Arne overlooking Poole Harbour and the distant Brownsea Island. After a short sunday morning layin and a steady drive down the 70 odd miles from home to Dorset, We ( the Girlfriend and I ) arrived around 11.35am grabbed a quick bite to eat and off we set.

Pretty much instantly distracted by the bird feeders next to the new Information Kiosk (I say new, but then I haven't been for 3 Years). Teeming with life, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Robin & a pair of Nuthatch all visiting on some kind of chain line. Also strutting his stuff beneath the feeders a male Peacock, not your average bird table sighting.

Male Chaffinch

Male Chaffinch

We headed first out on the Shipstal Point trail towards the Salt marshes and Poole Harbour beyond. First sighting a rather large herd of Sika Deer grazing on a paddock field in the middle of the reserve. 

Grazing Sika Herd

The first birdlife encountered as we headed towards the shoreline, the haunting call of a Curlew, another 100 yards through to the edge of the Salt marsh and the culprit could be seen, joining a passing group of Avocet heading towards the Middlebere Channel. Now I'm not sure what it was that flushed the birds as it moved so fast, falcon-like low over the crests of the waves as it disappeared around the corner of the headland. But if I had to take an educated guess I'd say a Merlin however I can neither confirm nor deny.

Further on around the path whilst trying to get a picture of a small flock of birds dropping in and out of the heather, to which im 99.9% sure were Meadow Pipits, The arrival of 2 Sika Bucks on the path below rather whisked me away. We got so close that I slowly moved to the other side of them in the end, walking straight past, as the light was better for a picture. Bit disappointing as its supposed to be a Wild beast but Im not complaining about the pictures. The path ended in about 30 yards right on the edge of the large area of Salt marsh overlooking Poole Harbour and the distant town of Poole. About 50-60 yards out was the remaining Sika herd, probably 40-45 deer.

Sika Buck 

Sika Buck 

My Fave I Think - Sika Buck 

Sika Buck

Sika Buck  

Sika Hinds

Being on ground level spotting Birds on the marshland proved a little tricky, with just the large bank of Oystercatchers visible on the waters edge a few Hundred present I would think. We took the boardwalk path around to the Double-Decked hide over looking the marsh, bringing a slightly different viewing angle and some slightly different birds than im used too. Curlew, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal & Little Egret all feeding out on the marsh. Lots of small groups of Teal, rising from hidden channels and joining other smallish groups. Hard to say the kind of numbers present really. The peaceful sound of the water lapping against the peaty edge with the odd Duck call was broken by the hoarse cacophony of a circling Raven.

Oystercatchers

Brent Geese

With the wind battering the open hide windows, we headed back towards the Car for a drink and the path out towards the other hide overlooking the eastern end of the Middlebere Channel. Whilst watching the procession of Sika crossing the path, slightly reminiscent of the wagon trains from the western films, We were rewarded by 6 Goldcrest fluttering about in the Silver birch tree above our heads. The walk back to the car also brought a slightly more wild sighting of the big Sika Buck.

The Big Boy

After taking the winter finch walk back to the visitor kiosk and only being rewarded with a small flock of 15-20 Starling, we headed out on to the Coombe Trail, on good authority from the RSPB staff that its about this time of day the Short Eared Owls come in. Spending a good 45 mins scanning the surrounding Heathland with no reward not even a Stonechat on the odd Gorse bushes, We headed down to the hide, briefly taking in 2 Black-tailed Godwits fighting on the waters edge.

Now the Middlebere Channel at this time of the day (3pm) looks quite an impressive stretch of river, but quite deceiving really as the tide was heading out, more and more small groups of Avocet headed down to the where the rapidly retreating water left and increasing expanse of mudflat. Numbers ranging into the thousands traveling westerly down the channel. Brilliant stuff having not seen the graceful Avocet before in the wild. In front of the hide large numbers covered the width of the river, the water appearing quite deep coming no further up than the tops of there stilt like legs. Also sifting through the shallow mud more Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Teal & Snipe. A large flock of Lapwing circled in the distant fields. 

Avocet

Avocet

The walk back across the Heath still resulted in no Short Eared's but the time was going fast, traffic all the way home was pretty heavy, but didn't spoil a great day out! Even home, just in time for Mum's Sunday roast! Apologies for the rather descriptive account, I hope all that got this far are not too bored!