Lyme Regis Birding - or an even quieter Backwater (5 Viewers)

[Roger Boswell]

A large increase in the Gull population today. Hundreds of Herring Gulls and also quite a few Black Headed Gulls. A single but easy to spot Mediterranean Gull just off the Cobb.

Young Rock Pipits along the sea walls and juvenile Sparrows lined up on the Cobb waiting to be fed.

Dipper on the Lim and a late brood of Mallards.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Two Dippers on the Lim this morning. While one was "dipping" behind Lymbrook Cottages a second flew past upstream.

A Gannet circling off Stonebarrow, eventually heading off towards Portland. Plenty of Swallows out to sea.

Young Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails on the Cobb and a family of Crows searching through the seaweed on Monmouth beach.

A GBB gull feeding on crabs just off the Cobb and two Dunlins on the rock armour.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Bright and summy AM but rain starting in the afternoon.

Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails on the Cobb and a Sandwich Tern fishing close in to the Cobb.

Large group of Cormorants at the end of the Rock armour.

Family of Crows again on the seaweed - youngsters just as hungry as ever.

Dipper quite often in the more open section at Jericho.

 

[Mikeetubster]

Morning!

I'm on my way doen to Swanage in a couple of weeks, and a Dipper is on my list to see this year. I see there seems to be one quite resident in Lyme Regis, which I will travel to if I have to, but do you know of any sites closer to Swanage where I could see a Dipper?

If not, I guess I'll be taking a little road trip to Lyme Regis.

Cheers,

Michael

 

[James Lowther]

Hi Michael,
there are some other sites in Dorset where dippers can be seen if you are lucky but these are all in the west half of the county. There are none near swanage. To be honest you are probably best off going to Lyme.
cheers,
James

 

[Roger Boswell]

Hi Michael,

If you come by car you can park in the road just beyond Horn Bridge - turn right from the main road into Lyme (3052) soon after the 30 sign. Care - narrow road down and you could meet the local bus!

Dipper could be anywhere below the bridge to the Town Mill but most likely near Higher Mill Flats and in the open section below Jericho. The leat section is now overgrown with Balsam.

 

[scary-canary]

Morning!

I'm on my way doen to Swanage in a couple of weeks, and a Dipper is on my list to see this year. I see there seems to be one quite resident in Lyme Regis, which I will travel to if I have to, but do you know of any sites closer to Swanage where I could see a Dipper?

If not, I guess I'll be taking a little road trip to Lyme Regis.

Cheers,

Michael

Don't get your hopes up. I've been four times and walked the river both ways each time and never seen upper there yet. Lovely town though. Chris

 

[Roger Boswell]

This should have been posted yesterday - forgot to 'Submit'

Plenty of places for a Dipper to hide in the unseen sections of the Lim!

Yesterday 2 Dippers flying upstream from Higher Mill Flats - but could not re-locate them further up. Today NONE seen

The juvenile Rock Pipit was posing again yesterday and while foraging in the grass approached to within 2ft!

 

[James Lowther]

i've seen dipper 2 out of 3 times on the lim i think
maybe chris is just unlucky!

 

[scary-canary]

i've seen dipper 2 out of 3 times on the lim i think
maybe chris is just unlucky!

I am! I work in Weymouth and went on holiday to France on Sunday. Guess what day the stilt sand turned up?

 

[James Lowther]

saturday apparently (misIDed)
sorry, that's not what you wanted to hear....

still there today so hope it hangs around

 

[Roger Boswell]

Plenty of Pied Wagtails on the Cobb - and the 'tame' Meadow Pipit was again on Church Cliffs.

Dipper under the bridge at Jericho 10:00 am - not seen on my way back an hour later.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Lack of birds in Lyme made up by my first sighting of a Jersey Tiger in our road today.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Very brief visit to Church Cliffs this morning and found this juvenile Kittiwake? resting on the path.

A few days ago I saw a perfect V formation of Cormorants flying W.

 

[James Lowther]

yes that's a kittiwake,
cheers,
James

 

[Roger Boswell]

Must have gone to Lyme too late this morning - only a few Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails to be seen in the Cobb area.

Jersey Tiger in the garden PM - they look better from underneath unless flying

 

[Roger Boswell]

Dipper flying upstream from just below Higher Mill Flats - about 9:45.

Plenty of Pied Wagtails and Rock Pipits near the Cobb.


Visited Lodmoor yesterday and was lucky to see the Stilt Sandpiper.

Images on http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2210045&postcount=2115

 

[Roger Boswell]

Post 443 - the Tern should read Common Tern

 

[Roger Boswell]

2 Dippers flying downstream from just below the bridge at Jericho (9:30). Caught up with one (or was it a third?) dipping on a rock in the ford section.

Grey Wagtail in the leat section.

Just a few Rock Pipits on Monmouth beach.

 

[Roger Boswell]

The Dipper was on the top of the weir at Jericho - and a flock of 30+ Sparrows a little further down the Lim.

2 Wheatears and a Ringed Plover on the ledges below Church Cliffs.

Plenty of Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails on Monmouth beach and a further 2 Wheatears around the Cobb.

The late family of 14 ducklings on the Lim appears to have been reduced to just one.