Wick (Christchurch Harbour, Dorset) (1 Viewer)

[MSA]

Many of you will know Wick as the small collection of fields to the north of Hengistbury Head, "famous" for a long-staying Bobolink in November 2002. Christchurch Harbour as a whole (Hengistbury, Wick and Stanpit) has been my main birding focus (off and on) since I started birding in 1976, but for some unexplained reason Wick has always been a favoured area for me and, since moving into the village in April 2004, is now my local patch, being a matter of a couple of minutes walk from my home, and being an area I cover nearly every day, sometimes several times a day, usually (but not always) accompanied by a small dog.

My inspiration for starting this thread was an encounter this evening with a couple who used to visit the area regularly but who had not been back for a few years, and were unable to find the path they used to walk. Whilst chatting and explaining how much the vegetation must have grown since their last visit, I realised that all I had were vague memories of what the area was like on my first visits, and I decided to document the current position and post regular updates so I had a point of reference for any changes over time. Hopefully my posts will also be of some use for visitors to the area. I suppose this is effectively a "blog" for someone who can't be bothered to set something up for himself!

Random photos, sightings and thoughts will be added as and when I can be bothered.

To get things started, this morning an adult Med Gull flew over the fields towards Poole; this evening a flying ant hatch attracted hundreds of Black-headed Gull and about 50 Swift, as well as the local Sand Martin (maybe 2-300 birds). Whitethroat appear to have had a good breeding season, with several family parties seen; males continue to sing, as do Reed and Sedge Warbler, several of which are in "new" sites, perhaps new birds but maybe relocating local breeders on a second brood.

A few random site photos follow (taken with a Nicon Coolpix, so not up to usual standard) -

 

[MSA]

And a few bird pics -

 

[MSA]

Finally, a map of the area -

 

[Ruby]

Hi Mark,

Will be interested to watch the progress of this thread, as we would usually come down to your neck of the woods a couple of times a year....

A walk that we often do is to park up in Christchurch (check Priory for Peregrine!) walk along the harbour to the little ferry, then over and walk to the end of Hengistbury Head (allow jaw to drop at latest price of beach huts) via the high route (have a look out to sea plus Dartford Warblers) and then return via the harbour-side walk to maybe see a few waders...

I guess we must walk right through your patch...

Nice way to spend a morning - plus my only UK Subalpine Warbler was seen at Stanpit Marsh, and my best Kestrel pic likewise.


Ruby.

 

[MSA]

Ray, you must walk past the end of our road more or less as you step off the ferry (it's opposite the Broadwaters nursing home), unless you take the path round the back of the home. It's a good route you take. If you're interested in silly prices, there's a hut out on its own right at the end of the sandspit, on the seaward side - looks a bit like a "Baywatch" lifeguards hut, except for the dull, dingy colour scheme - recently up for £50k I believe, without the "benefit" of overnight sleeping allowed in most other huts!

The Subalpine Warbler was a nice bird, very obliging (also a lifer for my dog) - I've been lucky enough to see all four CHOG records.

Thursday on Wick was a washout in the morning; no visit was made in the afternoon, but a rare foray to Stanpit proved to be a bit of a wasted effort, just a couple of Blackwit, a few Whimbrel and 5 Dunlin. Friday on Wick (pm only) was no better, and was capped-off by a late evening cycle ride to the top of the Head, arriving at dusk. No sign of the hoped-for Nightjar, and got a soaking as a downpour caught me unawares on arrival! Also managed to run over an unruly dog (accidentally, of course...) en-route.

 

[Ruby]

Also managed to run over an unruly dog (accidentally, of course...) en-route.

...Ah, so not a complete waste of time then....

Yes we called up the estate agent who is selling the 'lifeguard's station' and it was indeed up for £50k - for those who don't know this splendid building, it is an approx 2.5m square black wooden hut, up on stilts with a verandah of a further metre or so all round....a snip at £50k I would have said, particularly as you can't even sleep in it!! ...we didn't arrange a viewing!

We are hoping to get down next around end September, so would hope to see some good birds in the area then...

 

[Steve Waite]

Being a keen and determined Devon local patcher, I'd love to hear what goodies you've found over the years on your patch...... Maybe a short story or two if you have time.....

 

[MSA]

Over the past week there has been nothing "worthy" of a mention - just another failed attempt for Nightjar, in seemingly-perfect conditions (maybe they've given up early this year?) but this morning brought a single male Crossbill low overhead. Never a common bird around here, most summers produce a few records, but it's easy to go a year without seeing one.

 

[MSA]

Another wet trudge this evening saw a Hobby low over during a brief interlude in the deluge.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Bit odd that Madeiran Petrel turning up in waters off Scilly today Mark. I thought just up the road from your local patch was their UK hotpot ?

 

[MSA]

Bit odd that Madeiran Petrel turning up in waters off Scilly today Mark. I thought just up the road from your local patch was their UK hotpot ?

Very odd Larry! And to think if I'd started birding about 65 years before I did, it might've been on my list

Also gives me an excuse to mention no Wick visits for last week - dog's in kennels whilst we have kitchen done, and I'm catching up with work with a view to some time off this autumn...

 

[MSA]

Autumn seems to be creeping in, with Swift more or less gone after 150 on Tue 1st, only a few in the past couple of days, but the hirundines are building up in numbers to fill the void. A Nuthatch on Sun 5th was a good record for the area, with Tree Pipit over the bungalow the next day being the first since moving in three years ago (mainly as a result of being at work or birding in the mornings, rather than at home, no doubt!). A Grey Wagtail on Wed 8th was another sign of autumn, as was a Wheatear this evening on newly-mown grass on the school playing field. 7 Snipe and 2 Raven this morning, plus a couple of Garganey over this evening, brings these notes up to date.

I was rather annoyed/upset to see two apparently-healthy Weeping Willows removed from the village pond area over the last couple of days. Only one willow remains, plus a few Holm Oak. I assume the Council need to follow the statutory procedures just like us homeowners, as this is a designated tree preservation area - I saw no notices, so tomorrow, time permitting, I'm going to tackle them about this.

 

[MSA]

The Council will have to wait for Monday for me to unleash my venom, as following a reasonable walk this morning - imm female Peregrine, 15 Blackcap, 30 Whitethroat, 20 Chiffchaff and a couple of Dunlin over - had a call early pm about a Kentish Plover on Stanpit. Amazingly it stuck around and enabled me to catch up with it; only 14 years after the last Kentish I'd seen in the Harbour! 4 Curlew Sand were a bonus.

 

[MSA]

Local birding seems to be on the up; a couple of hours loitering at the far end of Wick produced a flyover (thus eliminating feathery stumps) imm Spoonbill on Saturday morning, with 5 Garganey, juv Kittiwake and 300+ Common Tern as supporting cast. In the evening, a flyover Spotted Redshank was followed by a Turnstone, neither being at all regular over Wick. Sunday produced Peregrine, Hobby and Raven - the Hobby flashed overhead during a rare dogless walk with the camera, and I just about managed a shot (plus pic of Mute Swan...and why not?) -

 

[MSA]

First Whinchat of the autumn on Fri 17th; Cuckoo (never a common autumn bird) on Sat 18th and Sun 19th; occasional Tree Pipit and Goldcrest; and this evening a fine female-type Marsh Harrier gave prolonged views, mooching up and down the length of Wick, finally disappearing high towards Poole.

It was also nice to see a couple of Adder over the weekend, luckily spotted before the dog saw them so I could steer her clear.

 

[MSA]

Saturday saw an attempt on the Christchurch Harbour day record by a few of the "regulars" - the idea was for all parts of the Harbour to be covered and a combined day list produced, rather than a race between teams. The forecast of settled, sunny and hot weather, with winds from the north, did not bode well, but the prospect of a whole day in the field was sufficient temptation, so armed with food, water and (so I thought) sunscreen I headed off at 5am to listen for owls on Wick.

By daybreak it was obvious that any owls that may have been present were mute, so it was time to head for the HHC and grill the area for migrants. Flava Wagtails were passing over in reasonable numbers, and Whinchat and Wheatear were noticeable in all suitable areas. Spotted Redshank was heard calling distantly, and a Green Sandpiper flew over, calling loudly, as myself and the other allotted first-shift seawatcher, Chris, headed for the sea, picking up several other migrants on the way.

It soon became apparent that nothing much was passing by at sea; with almost no wind, bright sunshine and a sea fret, this was not a surprise, but we had to persevere as it could only take a singleton of a few species to make all the difference to the day's total. By 8.30 we were getting a little restless, then whilst scanning with bins I noticed a dark bird about a mile out. It took a couple of passes to get it in the 'scope, but luckily I did, as it was clearly a Harrier! A quick shout and Chris got on it too, and we were treated to a fly-by Montagu's Harrier (female, going by apparent size and bulk). We later learned that the same bird had been seen about half an hour earlier passing the Purbecks.

Finishing the seawatch around 10am, Wick was covered with little success, and a subsequent visit to Stanpit produced decent views of various waders we had already heard or seen poorly, plus a nice adult Roseate Tern.

The final tally-up in the Rising Sun revealed a day total of 123 species; quite amazing for a small patch on an unpromising day! What was also interesting was that of this total, only two species were added after 10am.

The day list could quite easily have been higher; today (Sunday) several species revealed themselves having eluded us yesterday, such as Great Crested Grebe, Red-legged Partridge and Peregrine. Marsh Harrier was also seen today - a female-type, over my garden!

 

[MSA]

Crikey, is it really two months ago since I last posted here? It's not been for the lack of birds, far from it...

Best "Harbour" bird in the period has to go to the juv Wilson's Phalarope, found by Dave Taylor on Stanpit on 6 September, which gave me a nail-biting afternoon as I rushed through my appointments and broke all speed limits on my drive to the Marsh - a first for both my Harbour and Dorset lists. However, the bird that gave me the most pleasure was a self-found juv Red-backed Shrike on Wick, first seen on the morning of 4 Sep, and seen by most of the regulars as it hung around for a couple of days (unusual for Harbour birds!) - this is a very rare bird around here (much rarer than Woodchat, of which I've seen 4 in the Harbour), and a Harbour first for nearly all the locals.

I was also around with my camera when the first Harbour-ringed Little Egret was caught, on 1 Sep.

Other goodies on my Wick walks include Wryneck and Richard's Pipit, also 3 Osprey sightings; a Stoat entertained me one day (when I was camera-less, naturally) by running around in full view for about 5 minutes, jumping and posing on stones, chasing and being chased by Magpies, and generally having a whale of a time!

Currently, all the summer migrants have left over the past few days, bar a few Chiffchaff, and attention has turned to vis mig, with finches, buntings etc passing in numbers. Woodpigeon will no doubt follow over the next couple of weeks - will they crack last year's record of 81,000 on 2 Nov 2006?

A few photos follow...

 

[MSA]

RB Shrike, and Egret ringing....

 

[Ruby]

Nice one Mark....

I actually went down and twitched the Wilson's myself (lifer, you see...) and enjoyed reasonable views - not close enough for any worthwhile photography...

Talking of which....stunning shots of the RB Shrike - they are handsome birds and that's a great pic.

Just back from a short break in Spain last night, staying with Jules Sykes in Oliva, so will be writing up a trip report later on.


All the best.... Ray

 

[MSA]

Catch-up time! Late Oct to end Dec 2007 -

Woodpigeon movement started right on cue, but fewer birds than in recent years, personal max count 7000 on 3 Nov, with 6650 on 30 Oct (on which day 162 Jackdaw also moved through, inc a flock of 67). Most passage was quite a way inland this year, so no swooshing of wings and much less of a spectacle as a result.

Good numbers of Siskin and Brambling throughout, with passage (cold weather movement?) well into December. Last of the hirundines on 3 Nov with Swallow and an exceptionally-late Sand Martin. An adult Little Gull was a surprise on the Golf Course on 20 Nov - very photogenic, in theory only, as I had no camera with me and the photographers arrived too late. Not much else on Wick, but Slav Grebe and Black-throated Diver both lingered in the Harbour for a few days, and a Long-tailed Duck on a seawatch on 17 Nov was my first Harbour record since 2004, as was a Scaup on 15 Dec.

Little Owl now heard most evenings; a Black Redstart in nearby housing has not yet ventured into Wick airspace, but hopeful of a visit if it stays the winter.

Final tally for the year (whole harbour) 176 species (174 in 2006).

A few recent pics to wrap up the year -