This afternoon, after a shopping trip in Weymouth, I had an hour long walk around Radipole in very warm conditions.
Main highlight was a drake Pintail on the main lake. Other highlights were a Kingfisher, 10+ Chiffchaffs with most singing and great views of Cetti's Warblers & 2 male Reed Buntings.
Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Canada Goose
Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Teal
1 Pintail
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Pochard
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Kingfisher
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Cetti's Warbler
10+ Chiffchaff (6 singing)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
2 Reed Bunting
Butterflies Recorded:
Peacock
Comma
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Plants:
My very first impression of this plant was that it was the very invasive Japanese Knotweed. However there are other similar looking plants, so I will definitely following up on this one, just in case it is. More on Japanese Knotweed Here.
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Cetti's Warbler
10+ Chiffchaff (6 singing)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
2 Reed Bunting
Two Shelduck resting up on the island opposite the visitors Centre
A nice surprise was coming across this........
..........drake Pintail on the main lake.
One of many Shovelers here at Radipole. This is very striking drake.
And another duck this time a drake Pochard
A Coot keeping tabs on Ted with its red beady eye
An adult Black-headed Gull in Summer plumage
And another Black-headed Gull. This time a 1st Summer bird.
A male Blackbird singing his heart out.
I had good views of Cetti's Warblers on my walk. Photographing them was a different story.
Everywhere I walked there were Chiffchaffs singing.
In the end I came across at least 10 birds with at least 6 singing.
Here's a short video of a Chiffchaff singing.
One of the two male Reed Buntings I saw on the reserve.
Butterflies Recorded:
Peacock
Comma
There were several Peacock butterflies on the reserve.
Most were flying, but a few settled
The only other butterfly species I came across was this Comma, settled on a Bramble leaf.
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Plants:
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
Update: It is and RSPB Weymouth are aware of it, that just didn't know where it was. They do now!!
Ted:
Ted watching the ducks.