6 Sep 22

RSPB Radipole Lake

It was a quick trip into Weymouth for a bit shopping and then an "unplanned" walk to the North Hide at RSPB Radipole Lake. Unfortunately I didn't bring Ted with me as it was chucking it down when I left, but annoyingly though as I was leaving to come home, it stopped raining the sun came out!!

I had heard that there were a few Cattle Egret seen from the hide yesterday, and as this species has eluded my Port & Wey Bird List, it seemed an opportune moment to see if they were still around.

To cut a long story short there were 4 just south of the hide when I arrived, and then four more pitched up 30 minutes later.

Other birds of interest were a Kingfisher, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a few Sand Martin, House Martin & Swallows, 2 Yellow Wagtail overhead, a Cetti's Warbler with a sub-song, 1 Blackcap feeding on the Blackberries, 6 Chiffchaff with 2 singing and a Goldcrest.

Also seen was a female Roe Deer, with her youngster following her every move.

Plus, if confirmed my first ever Grey-sided Chrysogaster hoverfly (Chrysogaster cemiteriorum)

Mammals Recorded:
2 Roe Deer

Roe Deer with the youngster on the right.

Birds Recorded:
8 Cattle Egret
1 Mute Swan
Mallard
Gadwall
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
1 Kingfisher
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Sand Martin
House Martin
Swallow
2 Yellow Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Cetti's Warbler
1 Blackcap
6 Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting

Looking south from the hide and on the bank on the otherside of the pool were these.....

.............four Cattle Egrets

The bird in the centre is still in its breeding plumage.

Here are the four Cattle Egret before..............

.............these four joined the "party".

And here they all are, though number eight is hiding behind the sedge on the right.

Lots of Chiffchaffs about with a few singing in the sun.

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
8 Common Darter
4 Common Hawker

One of the eight Common Darters seen along the track to the hide. Funnily enough they were all males like this one!!

A female Common Hawker

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Speckled Wood

A Speckled Wood

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)

A Honey Bee just coming into land.

Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Shiny-backed Melangyna (Melangyna umbellatarum)

Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
hoverfly sp.

Grey-sided Chrysogaster (Chrysogaster cemiteriorum)

Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Shiny-backed Melangyna (Melangyna umbellatarum)

hoverfly sp.

I might be totally wrong but I think this could be a Grey-sided Chrysogaster (Chrysogaster cemiteriorum). If confirmed it would be a first for me.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
2 Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)

Common Pondskater (Gerris lacustris)

Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)

Common Pondskater (Gerris lacustris) creeping up on a fly.