Dorset Urban Heaths Grazing Project

These two New Forest Ponies graze the wetland area to reduce tree and scrub encroachment as part of the Dorset Urban Heaths Grazing Project.
Visitors are asked not to feed the ponies as it can seriously harm them.
The ponies quickly ate all the Common Reed which had been planted in the lagoons and Reed Mace now grows in its place.

The Dartford Warblers at Bourne Valley NR - My All Time Favourite Bird.

It was a sunny January day today so I decided to go and look for my favourite bird, the rare Dartford warbler is one of the species that is so special to the Dorset heathland. 43 years ago when I was 9 years old the warden at RSPB Arne nature reserve showed me this bird when it was much rarer than today and I have been hooked ever since.

Patience is the name of the game here. After spending a few days wandering around the reserve listening for their distinctive calls I have found 3 pairs but I think there are at least 4 to 5 pairs on the heath. Its important not to disturb these birds even though they are not nesting so I sat quietly on a path for over an hour waiting for a bird to perch on a gorse bush I had seen them use. I think the walkers using the path though I was either homeless or a bit strange sitting on a path getting slowly frozen.
Dartford warblers seem to go round in 2-3 acre circle as a group so I new they would come by sooner or later.

My patience paid off and this first image looks like a young female and the next image looks like an adult male. They don't have their spring plumage yet so I am finding it a bit difficult to be sure of the age and sex of these birds.

A different bird again by chance its on the same branch. To be honest this is the first time that I have photographed Dartford Warblers and had the luxury of being able to look at the difference in plumage. Normally a quick glimpse is all I get.

Again this looks like a different bird and I was surprised to see this when I got home and looked through the images from my camera. I have quite a few images to look at yet but i think these are 5 different birds taken in the same area in the same day.
I think today I have learnt that there is a difference between looking and seeing.

December 2011 Summary

This months summary totals 25 species and includes some new species. The best of these new sightings has to be the bright red Bull finches. Three males and a female were sat in the same tree in the middle of  Bourne Bottom. On a cold December day they stand out against the grey sky.
The male Blackcap was a close second.
My total species count is now at 42 which considering I only started counting in October bodes well for 2012.