Charlie Wheeler Photography

Amateur photographer 📸, manager at Abbotsbury Swannery 🦢, CFNR Warden🕵️‍♂️, I put my hand to a bit of birding 🦆& I’ve been on some travels 🦁

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

Very distant Stone-curlew at the Swannery this evening. Only my 2nd on patch in 37 years & 1st self found. The 3 Little Gulls still too. @Joe_stockwell @CWPhoto11 @kbutler1978 @DorsetBirdClub

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

A few good birds today @DorsetSwannery… a Swallow (1st glimpsed by @CWPhoto11 this am) lingered this pm; the wild Whooper Swan still with our dodgy resident; but the best was a Purple Sandpiper found by @Joe_stockwell. Only the 4th site record! @kbutler1978 @DorsetBirdClub

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

The best I could do with one of the 2 Black Terns that @Joe_stockwell found late afternoon. Also a White-tailed Eagle around & at least 1 Osprey. Good numbers & a nice selection of waders too but they didn’t stick. @CWPhoto11 @kbutler1978 @DorsetBirdClub

[Chesil Little Tern Recovery Project @LittleChesil]

🐣🐥🩵We have our first chicks! The Little Terns, Oystercatchers & Ringed Plovers have incubated their precious eggs & will now raise their young up, it won't be long until they start to make their first steps down to the shoreline to find their wings!🪶 @RSPB @ATChesil

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

Great Reed Warbler ‘heard only’ at Abbotsbury Swannery this evening in an area with no general access. Access to be arranged tomorrow if known to still be present. Access from 10am admission £12.95. @Joe_stockwell @CWPhoto11 @kbutler1978 @DorsetBirdClub

[Charlie Wheeler Photography @CWPhoto11]

Mating Large Red damselflies and exuvia on reed stem at @DorsetSwannery.
@SwannerySteve @kbutler1978

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

There was once a flourishing Adder population in the drier areas of the Swannery Reed beds & a lot were black but this one today was the first one of any colour I’ve seen for years! 🙂 @Joe_stockwell @CWPhoto11 @kbutler1978

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

A surprising 1st for the Swannery this afternoon… Manx Shearwater! I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands off Abbotsbury Beach but never in or over the Swannery Embayment. Actually think this maybe the 1st live one for The Fleet! Photos courtesy of @CWPhoto11

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

Nice comparison of sinensis & carbo Cormorants today. Note overall size difference, as well as difference in the gular patch shape, & less reliable but clear here, the extent of white on head. ⁦@Joe_stockwell⁩ ⁦@CWPhoto11⁩ ⁦@kbutler1978⁩ ⁦@DorsetBirdClub⁩

[Charlie Wheeler Photography @CWPhoto11]

Pen Mute Swan flapping in the mist @DorsetSwannery

[Joe Stockwell @Joe_stockwell]

113 Cattle Egret left the Abbotsbury roost this morning, the marked temperature difference rather unwelcome as I waited from 7:30! 🥶 @SwannerySteve

[Charlie Wheeler Photography @CWPhoto11]

Awesome sight today of a White-tailed Sea Eagle at @DorsetSwannery, thanks @SwannerySteve for the heads up. This is actually my first.
Apologies for the poor quality but a heavy crop on a very distant photo… and that’s a Buzzard mobbing it 😳

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

White-tailed Eagle just gone east from the Swannery after spending some time on the top of Chesters Hill. Also 2 Long-tailed Ducks (3 earlier) & 2 Scaup present. @Joe_stockwell @CWPhoto11 @kbutler1978 @PaulUpwey @DorsetBirdClub

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

The Long-tailed Duck still present @DorsetSwannery this morning refound by @kbutler1978

@Joe_stockwell @CWPhoto11 @DorsetBirdClub

[Charlie Wheeler Photography @CWPhoto11]

@mcmahok @SwannerySteve Cheers 👍🏻

[Charlie Wheeler Photography @CWPhoto11]

Gulls be like…”what storm?”
Storm Ciaran crashing into Chesil, taken from my work at Abbotsbury Swannery this morning. 🌊

#storm #stormciarán #abbotsbury #abbotsburyswannery #fleetlagoon #gulls

[Charlie Wheeler Photography @CWPhoto11]

@orton_geoff @SwannerySteve Thank you ☺️

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

The 1st 2 Scaup of the season this morning ⁦@DorsetSwannery⁩. Both 1st w (1cy). ⁦@Joe_stockwell⁩ ⁦@CWPhoto11⁩ ⁦@kbutler1978⁩ ⁦@DorsetBirdClub⁩

[Charlie Wheeler Photography @CWPhoto11]

The very obliging Spoonbill still present today at @DorsetSwannery. @SwannerySteve @DorsetBirdClub

[Steve Groves @SwannerySteve]

A (1cy) Little Gull just gone down the Fleet @DorsetSwannery. Spoonbill still & now much more settled. @Joe_stockwell @CWPhoto11 @kbutler1978 @DorsetBirdClub