Mike Morse
@bexbirder.bsky.social
Birding West Bexington and Cogden, Dorset
We've seen this Merlin at West Bex every day since Friday, but this morning was the first time we found it settled... a little cracker.
October 21, 2025 at 12:02 PM
We've seen this Merlin at West Bex every day since Friday, but this morning was the first time we found it settled... a little cracker.
A Red-necked Grebe was a bit of a surprise off West Bex this morning. A little distant and crap light but still a smart bird...
October 10, 2025 at 12:28 PM
A Red-necked Grebe was a bit of a surprise off West Bex this morning. A little distant and crap light but still a smart bird...
An Arctic Skua west was the best of this morning's birds....
October 7, 2025 at 3:56 PM
An Arctic Skua west was the best of this morning's birds....
Cropped and cleaned up pic of this morning's Whooper's Swans as they headed west past West Bex just after 8.00am. The birds are currently at Colyford, Devon.
October 6, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Cropped and cleaned up pic of this morning's Whooper's Swans as they headed west past West Bex just after 8.00am. The birds are currently at Colyford, Devon.
Six probable Whooper Swans just flown west past West Bex...
October 6, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Six probable Whooper Swans just flown west past West Bex...
Might be of interest... European Storm Petrel carcass at West Bex this morning... very desiccated, so probably from last winter.
October 1, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Might be of interest... European Storm Petrel carcass at West Bex this morning... very desiccated, so probably from last winter.
Earlish Red-throated Diver off West Bexington this morning...
September 30, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Earlish Red-throated Diver off West Bexington this morning...
A peach of 1w Casp at West Bex this morning along with Ring Ouzel, Spot Fly, 7 Wheatears and an exceptional flock of 120 Cormorants flying west at dawn... easily the highest single count we've witnessed here.. 99 in the picture
September 28, 2025 at 1:04 PM
A peach of 1w Casp at West Bex this morning along with Ring Ouzel, Spot Fly, 7 Wheatears and an exceptional flock of 120 Cormorants flying west at dawn... easily the highest single count we've witnessed here.. 99 in the picture
Some of the 81 Balearics Shearwaters that went east past West Bex this morning...I think I picked up the tail-end of the movement with unidentified birds distantly ahead of them...
September 7, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Some of the 81 Balearics Shearwaters that went east past West Bex this morning...I think I picked up the tail-end of the movement with unidentified birds distantly ahead of them...
Rubbish snatched shot but a Grey Phalarope has just flown east past West Bex...
September 1, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Rubbish snatched shot but a Grey Phalarope has just flown east past West Bex...
Juv Sabine's Cogden found b.y @notquitescilly.bsky.social it flew east at around 9.00am...
August 31, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Juv Sabine's Cogden found b.y @notquitescilly.bsky.social it flew east at around 9.00am...
The Caspian Gull was around West Bex again this morning.... shame about the oil....
August 26, 2025 at 12:35 PM
The Caspian Gull was around West Bex again this morning.... shame about the oil....
Juv Caspian Gull at West Bex this morning... @joestockwell.bsky.social is checking the ring number to see if it's the bird seen at the Swannery yesterday, but it's slightly oiled so I imagine so. Redstart and Bearded Tit the best of the common migrants...
August 24, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Juv Caspian Gull at West Bex this morning... @joestockwell.bsky.social is checking the ring number to see if it's the bird seen at the Swannery yesterday, but it's slightly oiled so I imagine so. Redstart and Bearded Tit the best of the common migrants...
This confiding Dutch ringed Med Gull is back for its third year on the same patch of beach at Cogden this morning... a steady trickle of common migrants through the last few weeks, but nothing to get the pulse racing...yet.
August 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
This confiding Dutch ringed Med Gull is back for its third year on the same patch of beach at Cogden this morning... a steady trickle of common migrants through the last few weeks, but nothing to get the pulse racing...yet.
Great to report that Cirl Buntings have bred on patch again this year. Now would be a good time of year to look for juvs, especially in areas where Cirls have been seen during winter. Please send any sighting to recorder@dorsetbirds.co.uk. Breeding records will be treated in strictest confidence.
August 1, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Great to report that Cirl Buntings have bred on patch again this year. Now would be a good time of year to look for juvs, especially in areas where Cirls have been seen during winter. Please send any sighting to recorder@dorsetbirds.co.uk. Breeding records will be treated in strictest confidence.
Three Yellow Wags at West Bex this morning were the first of the year here (we rarely see them in spring)... also new Wheatear and Whinchat.
July 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Three Yellow Wags at West Bex this morning were the first of the year here (we rarely see them in spring)... also new Wheatear and Whinchat.
Our first Whinchat of the autumn this morning along with 2 Green Sandpipers.... The Wheatear is still around, now in heavy moult and a juv Redshank here yesterday. Things are beginning to happen...
July 24, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Our first Whinchat of the autumn this morning along with 2 Green Sandpipers.... The Wheatear is still around, now in heavy moult and a juv Redshank here yesterday. Things are beginning to happen...
Our first juv Yellow-legged Gulls of the 'autumn' at West Bex this morning along with a juv Wheatear...
July 14, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Our first juv Yellow-legged Gulls of the 'autumn' at West Bex this morning along with a juv Wheatear...
Quail singing and seen briefly along track to the old lookout west of Cogden car park. It went quiet around 7.15 however and I've not heard it since, but I'm sure it's still there...
July 2, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Quail singing and seen briefly along track to the old lookout west of Cogden car park. It went quiet around 7.15 however and I've not heard it since, but I'm sure it's still there...
This Corn Bunting was giving it some at West Bex this morning... breeding here is a bit hit and miss but fingers crossed.
June 30, 2025 at 4:49 PM
This Corn Bunting was giving it some at West Bex this morning... breeding here is a bit hit and miss but fingers crossed.
A Little Gull at West Bex this morning, first for a week @swannerysteve.bsky.social. Also, Kingfisher through... scare here and as usual it didn't linger.
June 27, 2025 at 11:22 AM
A Little Gull at West Bex this morning, first for a week @swannerysteve.bsky.social. Also, Kingfisher through... scare here and as usual it didn't linger.
Watching this sun-bathing juv Stonechat this morning had searching for my copy of The Sunning Behaviour of Birds when I got home... Written by KEL Simmonds and illustrated by Robin Prytherch. I remember reading many 'papers' by them over the years...their contribution to ornithology was immense.
June 22, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Watching this sun-bathing juv Stonechat this morning had searching for my copy of The Sunning Behaviour of Birds when I got home... Written by KEL Simmonds and illustrated by Robin Prytherch. I remember reading many 'papers' by them over the years...their contribution to ornithology was immense.
Three 'unaccompanied' juv Bearded Tits at West Bex this morning. We're pretty sure there wasn't a breeding attempt on patch, so dispersing birds, possibly from the Swannery. Also, the GN Diver was again off-shore and showing a lot better and at least one Little Gull still.
June 18, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Three 'unaccompanied' juv Bearded Tits at West Bex this morning. We're pretty sure there wasn't a breeding attempt on patch, so dispersing birds, possibly from the Swannery. Also, the GN Diver was again off-shore and showing a lot better and at least one Little Gull still.
West Bex this morning and a very distant blob resolved into this stunning breeding plumaged GN Diver. Can't be many better looking monochrome birds on the British List...
June 16, 2025 at 11:56 AM
West Bex this morning and a very distant blob resolved into this stunning breeding plumaged GN Diver. Can't be many better looking monochrome birds on the British List...
Little Gulls still around this morning including this one close in off West Bex.
June 15, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Little Gulls still around this morning including this one close in off West Bex.