9 Dec 21

Two Mile Coppice, Teddy Bears Wood, Lodmoor RSPB Reserve, Weymouth & Portland Rugby Club,  Park & Ride and Greenway Road

And now for something completely different. A few weeks ago there were 3 Siberian Chiffchaffs in a wood called Two Mile Coppice in Weymouth. It was certainly not a place I had heard of before, but having downloaded an excellent online route planner, I discovered where the wood was and was able to map out a walk through the coppice, plus another wood called Teddy Bears Wood. Honest that's what it's called.

So having parked up in Greenway Road, Redlands here, Ted and I just followed the map for 2.75 miles, before ending back at the car after a 2hr 15min walk.

Our walk, 2.75 miles and 2hrs 15mins.

A mixture of woodland, farmland, marshes and pools.

As you can see from the birds recorded below, it was quite a productive walk and one I shall definitely walk again. Though next time, I shall make sure Ted is properly attired as it was a pretty muddy walk.


Mammals Recorded:
2 Roe Deer

This balancing lake is right next to the Weymouth Relief Road and was almost at the start of my walk. As I stood there, I realised there were...........

.............two Roe Deer on the far side looking back at me.


Birds Recorded:
1 Grey Heron
Canada Goose
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Buzzard
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Kestrel
Water Rail
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
8 Meadow Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
2 Fieldfare
12+ Redwing
2 Song Thrush
1 Cetti's Warbler
4 Chiffchaff
3 Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
4 Jay
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Redpoll
Goldfinch
12 Bullfinch
Reed Bunting
Total: 37 

On the edge of the reed bed in the balancing lake was this Grey Heron.

One of the two Buzzards I saw along my walk.

Here is the other one soaring over Teddy Bears Wood


A Herring Gull having a bit of a paddy. Actually it's doing something called "Foot Paddling" and is a way of bringing worms to the surface. The gull creates vibrations on the ground which the earthworms think is rain and up they pop.

There were several Redwing on the hillside, though non were very co-operative on the camera front.

This is a male Great Tit with its broad black stripe which extends down the chest and belly, passing between and joining the base of the legs.

Females on the other hand, like this one here, have a stripe which is a lot thinner and does not touch the base of the legs.

There weren't many places along my walk where you couldn't see or hear a Bullfinch.

In total I must have counted at least a dozen birds.


General Shots:

Having walked through Two Mile Coppice it was an uphill walk to the 

Almost at the top of the hill and to the left is Teddy Bears Wood, on the horizon the Isle of Portland and the steeple of St John's Church close to Weymouth's seafront.

Looking west and the embankment in the centre of the frame is "holding up" the Veasta Roundabout at the southern end of the Weymouth Relief Road. At the base of the embankment is the balancing lake for the run off water from the road above, whilst the wood on the right is Two Mile Coppice.

Teddy Bear Woods which is predominantly........

...........Beech Trees, where there were at least 3 Jays "squawking"

The track from Teddy Bears Wood to Lodmoor RSPB Reserve.

And the view looking back of Teddy Bears Wood from the reserve.

From the track leading to the "Park and Ride" this is this view of the hillside and Teddy Bears Wood on the right where Ted and I enjoyed a very muddy walk.

This is Andy Kirkby's Weymouth Gateway Sculpture "Torpedosaur" by the entrance of Mount Pleasant "Park and Ride". More on this sculpture Here. And a better photo than mine Here

And this is the balancing lake, with Two Mile Coppice just behind it. And the end of our circular walk.


Ted:

Great to see Ted enjoying his walk, well run, as he bounds off into Teddy Bears Wood.

I think he's just realised I can't keep up and has come back to find me.

Well if I can't open the gate, go around out, go under it, I'll go through it.


Aircraft Today:

This aircraft is a Piper-28-181 Cherokee Archer ll (G-MDAC) and flew over my head just as I was returning to my car. Here was its flight path.


Ships Today:

This is the Liberian Bulk Carrier "Atlantic Ocean" anchored up in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Bermudian Passenger Ship "Aurora" anchored up in Weymouth Bay. In the foreground are the reedbeds at Lodmoor RSPB Reserve. More on this vessel Here.