Well its not often I spend most of the day walking around a RSPB Reserve. But as the car was having some work done on it in Weymouth, it would have been a shame not to. Not only that, but there was a cloudless sky, sunshine and a raw northerly blowing. Well 2 out of 3 isn't bad.
Lots of highlights, including 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrests, 4+ Bearded Tits and my first Bullfinch of the year.
Just the one butterfly seen a Red Admiral, plus several Common Wasps
Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Canada Geese
Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Teal
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Buzzard
It seems quite happy feeding alongside the ducks and......
Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Butterflies Recorded:
1 Red Admiral
Plants Recorded:
General Shot:
Tufted Duck
Buzzard
Kestrel
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
6 Chiffchaff
4 Goldcrest
4+ Bearded Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
6 Chiffchaff
4 Goldcrest
4+ Bearded Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
1 Bullfinch
Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
41 species
Also
1 Black Swan
A Mute Swan having a stretch in amongst a few sleepy Canada Geese
And a Black Swan. An escapee from a wildfowl collection no doubt.
It seems quite happy feeding alongside the ducks and......
............the Mute Swan.
A Shelduck
This is a drake Shoveler
A Common Buzzard circling above the reserve.
This was quite bizarre. These are Black-headed Gulls..........................
........................and they appear to be picking off insects above this tree, or are they plucking berries off it!!
There were at least 6 Chiffchaffs on the reserve.
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
A Common Wasp
And another one.
1 Red Admiral
Plants Recorded:
Mistletoe
Not two nests high up in the right-hand tree, but...............
..........Mistletoe. More on this hemi parasitic plant Here.
These cattle are now part of the reserve, and have encouraged Cattle Egrets to visit. Though not today.
This was a long walk today, but Ted was certainly enjoying himself.