January-February 2016
23rd February A flock of 50+ Lesser Redpolls was a nice surprise at Longham Lakes this morning since this species is an uncommon visitor to this site. The flock was favouring the catkin covered trees by the small pool at the SW corner of the South Lake. Also signs of...
November and December 2015
2015 and all that... Another year comes to an end at Longham Lakes. It was a decent year, with 130 species recorded, including five new to the site: Caspian Gull, Grasshopper Warbler, Cattle Egret, Long-eared Owl and Short-eared Owl. There weren't many rarities, but...
September and October 2015
26th October Nothing of the slightest interest today, unless you count yet another Yellow-browed Warbler, which is, quite unbelievably, the THIRD this autumn. Just to remind you, Longham is an inland site with no particular draw for migrants, even though it has now...
Summer 2015
28th August News of a ringing control recently. A juvenile Blackcap ringed at Longham Lakes on 29 June 2014 was controlled at Lytchett Bay, Poole, on 7th August 2015, now as a female with a brood patch. The movement was 11km, the time span 404 days (Roger Peart). 27th...
Estonia
I have just been fortunate enough to visit Estonia for a few days. The flowers, as well as the birds, mammals, butterflies and dragonflies, were amazing. More details to follow in due course.
May 2015
17th May A pair of Red-crested Pochard on the South Lake this morning. The Scaup is still on the South Lake. Really good to see the Swifts in full action, only a few Swallows and only managed 1 House Martin. No Cuckoo seen or heard!! Good numbers of Reed Warbler, a...
April 2015 e-mail update
April 2015 Welcome to the Birdwords e-mail update. Just a quick reminder that you can follow me on Twitter, handle is @DominicCouzens Do please take a look around the website www.birdwords.co.uk. In particular I have been updating factsheets (part of Resources) so...
April 2015
28th April "My personal highlight today was a Longham Lakes tick in the form of a long overdue Treecreeper in Samuel's Copse. Otherwise female Scaup still present on South Lake along with a Shelduck and a very distant Hobby somewhere over Canford Heath" (George...
23rd March A Blackcap (first of the year) was singing and a Wheatear turned up near the causeway, giving a spring feel (Ron Poulter, Lorne Bissell). 22nd March Female Scaup still on South Lake, but the highlight was a Green Sandpiper feeding on one of the pools on...
New Factsheets
I have been working on some new factsheets for this website. Do take a tour around them. Did you know that Scops Owls often migrate in families and that Red-legged Partridges double-clutch? If not, have a look at free bird factsheets.