17 Aug 24 - Jersey Tiger

Jersey Tigers used to be restricted to the Channel Isles. But they have been a well-established breeding species along Dorset's Purbeck coastline for a decade or more now.

Jersey Tiger: It's always nice to see them locally

15 Aug 24 - Golden-ringed Dragonfly

The highlight of a walk down Winspit was a couple of Golden-ringed Dragonflies, one of which posed for a few minutes near to the valley's sewerage works.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly: The British Dragonfly Society states "they breed in acidic rivers & streams of all sizes and they may be found away from its breeding habitat over heathland". There isn't any acidic heaths closer than Corfe Heath, so given the lack of water locally, I'm assuming they are breeding on the nearby sewerage works pool or the outflow stream in the valley

Golden-ringed Dragonfly: I always enjoy a head & shoulders photo of a Dragonfly

14 Aug 24 - Failing To Photograph The Celebrity

It was only when I was sorting these Black-tailed Godwit photos, that I noticed that I had failed to photograph the celebrity: the out of focus colour-ringed Blackwit. We did notice it was ringed soon after.

Black-tailed Godwit: The back individual is an eleven year old Female

It was colour-ringed as Juvenile Female on 10 Nov 13 at Seaton Marshes LNR. The ring details are: left leg lime over black over lime & right leg yellow over red over yellow. Since she was ringed, she has been seen in a good number of locations, but she seems very faithful to Poole Harbour in recent years:

• Seaton Marshes LNR, Devon - Axe Estuary Ringing Group (10 Nov 13)

• Seaton Marshes LNR, Devon - Neil Croton (14 Dec 13)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - Axe Estuary Ringing Group (19 Jan 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - Michael Summerton (24 Jan 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - Ian Stanbridge (25 Jan 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - David & Elisabeth Price (25 Jan 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - Katharine Bowgen (29 Jan 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - AJ Bellamy & Jenny Newland (23 Feb 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - Richard Ormerod (3 Mar 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - Axe Estuary Ringing Group (29 Mar 14)

• Bowling Green Marsh, Devon - Lawrence Pierce (15 Apr 14)

• Arne, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Julian Swindell (4 May 14)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Graham c/o Kevin Sayer (20 May 14)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (28 May 14)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (9 Jun 14)

• Holes Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Chris Walker (15 Aug 14)

• Holes Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (1 Jan 15)

• Holes Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (26 Jan 15)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Graham Armstrong (4 Aug 15)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Chris Thain (17 Aug 15)

• Holes Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (16 Jan 17)

• Holes Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (30 Jan 17)

• Lytchett Fields, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (19 Oct 17)

• Lytchett Fields, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Shaun Robson (24 Oct 17)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (26 Oct 17)

• Upton Country Park, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Greg Wills (30 Dec 17)

• Holes Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (28 Feb 18)

• Oare Marshes LNR, Kent - Gary Clewley (25 Jul 18)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Shaun Robson (8 Oct 18)

• Lytchett Fields, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Shaun Robson (12 Oct 18)

• Baiter, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (12 Mar 19)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Thomas Weston (17 Mar 19)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Clare Slade (18 Apr 19)

• Titchfield Haven NNR, Hampshire - Clare Harrison (19 May 19)

• Lymington-Keyhaven NNR, Hampshire - Martin Cooper (17 Jul 19)

• Lymington-Keyhaven NNR, Hampshire - Martin Cooper (5 Aug 19)

• Lymington-Keyhaven LNR, Hampshire - Pete Durnell (6 Aug 19)

• Avon Floods, Hampshire - Keith Betton (30 Aug 19)

• Holes Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Steve F Smith (25 Sep 20)

• Frodham Marsh, Cheshire - Bill Morton (7 Aug 21)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Martin Adams (17 Sep 21)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Shaun Robson (19 Nov 21)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (28 Nov 21)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (29 Nov 21)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Shaun Robson (15 Dec 21)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Ian Ballam (22 Jan 22)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Shaun Robson (25 Feb 22)

• Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Shaun Robson (15 Feb 23)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Steve Smith (14 Aug 24)

• Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset - Martin Adams (16 Aug 24).

14 Aug 24 - A Brownsea Little Egret

One of the nice things about visiting Brownsea, is sometimes it is possible to get close photos of Brownsea's Birds. Generally, this is when they are in close to one of the hides. So, it was good to see this Little Egret feeding on the shoreline next to the main jetty.

Little Egret: When I first started Birding, Little Egrets were a national rarity. Around the start of the 1990s, they started occurring more often and the first pair bred in the UK in 1996. Poole Harbour is home to nationally significant numbers of Little Egrets and this is one of the species that gives Poole Harbour a Special Protection Area designation

14 Aug 24 - Poole Harbour Seals

We are lucky to be able to see both species of UK Seals in and around Poole Harbour. The most frequently seen species are Common Seals. They can be encountered anywhere in Poole Harbour, but especially in the Wareham Channel, around the islands from Long Island to Brownsea and Studland's Brands Bay. Grey Seals are the scarcer of the two species. Again they can be encountered anywhere in Poole Harbour, but they are generally more likely seen closer to the Poole Harbour mouth. They are also the most likely species in Studland Bay.

Common Seal on Stone Island

As I was waiting for the National Trush ferry to Brownsea, I could see there was a Seal on Stone Island, the stoney bank just inside Poole Harbour. A quick scan with the scope confirmed it was a gorgeous Common Seal, showing off a green algal coat. A closer scan confirmed there was a second Seal in the water looking at it: this was a Grey Seal. These two individuals provided a good comparison of how to identify the two species.

A close up of the Common Seal showing the shorter, more concaved head profile: Adult Common Seals grow to about five foot in length

Grey Seal showing the elongated head with the long muzzle: This is often compared to the mussle of an Alsatian Dog. Adult Grey Seals are longer than Common Seals and grow to about eight to nine feet in length

12 Aug 24 - A Trip Down Memory Lane

A visit to Ilkley, to catch up with my sister & her husband and my Dad's side of the family, allowed me to have a quick walk around the Cow & Calf. This was my first chance to revisit this distinctive landmark perched above Ilkley since I was a kid. When we were kids, this was a guaranteed walk on the many trips we made to the area to visit relatives.

The Cow & Calf Rocks: The Calf is the right hand most rock

The Cow & Calf Rocks

The Cow & Calf Rocks: The rocks are Addingham Edge Grit which are a type of Sandstone. Addingham is the next town to Ilkley

The Cow & Calf Rocks: 1871 graffiti. At what point does graffiti become historically significant?

The Cow & Calf Rocks: More 1875 historic graffiti

The Cow & Calf Rocks

It was good to travel back down memory lane to this iconic landscape.

2 Sep 24 - Painted Lady Surprise

Whilst walking around St Aldhelms, I was surprised to see three or four Painted Lady Butterflies, especially, as I've not seen any all year. A closer look reveals that all were pristine & therefore, they must have hatched locally. It's always good to see this lovely Butterfly with its amazing life cycle of migration. I wonder if this group will mate and the females will migrate South before egg laying?

Painted Lady

Painted Lady