RSPB Arne (Monday 5th September 2022)

After a two-hour drive, my longest since before the first lockdown, I met up with my brother the Spotlight Kid at RSPB Arne, a location I had chosen for its bird-watching possibilities and because it would be my first glimpse of the sea since July 2019, as it opens onto Poole Harbour. We had met up there twice before, in September 2016 and March 2018.

The prime objective was to try to see an osprey as they are known to nest in the area and on our first visit we had seen one on a platform on top of a pole, eating a fish.

At that viewing spot we were able to see one in the far distance and also were able to watch a marsh harrier on Middlebere Lake below us. Photography was out of the question due to the distances involved and even using binoculars and telescopes the images, though clear and detailed, were small.

When we reached the Coombe Heath hide lower down, however, we found curlews, black-tailed godwits, teal, oystercatchers, herons and three little egrets, and with the help of things to steady my bridge camera I was able to get a couple of passable shots of the nearest egret, who even performed a little jump and dance to reveal its yellow feet.

A long walk from there led us to a newer viewing spot with a bench overlooking Wareham Channel, where we were lucky enough to see three distant ospreys in the air. One attempted at least two dives in an attempt to catch a fish, but pulled away at the last moment before striking the water as its catch evaded it.

We headed off after a reviving cappuccino where I had sampled a slice of Dorset apple cake, hard to find outside of Dorset.

I paused for five minutes at Spetisbury where I remembered seeing a picturesque bridge over the River Stour, Crawford Bridge, a nine-arched Grade 1 Listed Building built in the 15th century but widened in 1819. I was fortunate to see a pair of swans gliding along the water, and this time also a fisherman in wading boots standing in the middle of the river.

Two hours later I stopped at C.'s in Trowbridge. Loki was missing and there was a fierce thunderstorm outside, but he returned later only slightly bedraggled, so he must have found somewhere cosy to shelter until he decided to chance it.

L.
Tuesday 6.9.2022 (1632 hr)

Blip #3729 (#3479 + 250 archived blips taken 27.8.1960-18.3.2010)
Consecutive Blip #002
Blips/Extras In 2022 #166/265 + #070/100 Extras
Day #4548 (1076 gaps from 26.3.2010)
LOTD #2871 (#2711 + 160 in archived blips)

Taken with Nikon Coolpix P900 (24-2000mm equivalent bridge camera)

Birds series
Dorset series
Herons series
Outdoor Places I Have Sat In series

A Day In Dorset, 5 September 2022 (Flickr album of 12 photos)

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin - Savanne (2022)

One year ago:
Windfalls