30 Mar 23

RSPB Radipole Lake

It was another shopping trip into Weymouth and of course plenty of time to drop in to Radipole to see what was about. Well the first thing I noticed was that the water level was a good 18" higher than normal and most of the islands were under water.

As for the waterfowl, there were considerable less than when I was here last, but most have moved onwards to their breeding grounds.

As for Spring migrants there were several waves of Sand Martins passing through. I did try hard to find a Swallow or a House Martin amongst them, but to no avail.

Chiffchaffs were everywhere and most were singing, and there was also a single Willow Warbler singing along the Buddleia Loop.


Birds Recorded:
4 Cormorant
1 Little Egret
1 Grey Heron
5 Mute Swan
2 Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Teal
4 Shoveler
20 Tufted Duck
2 Pochard
3 Buzzard
2 Marsh Harrier
Water Rail (Not seen or heard)
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
30+ Herring Gull
12 Lesser Black-backed Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
50+ Sand Martin
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Cetti's Warbler
12+ Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler (singing)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Reed Bunting

A Cormorant walking on water. It's actually stood on one of the many islands completely covered in "flood" water.

A pair of Shelduck with two pairs of Teal sat behind. There is a duck Teal top right, behind a plant.

The same pair of Shelduck with the drake leading the way across the lake.

Just this one pair of Pochard seen on the reserve.

Here's a close up of the drake and.......

............here is the female.

For a short time there were three Common Buzzards and.........

............two female Marsh Harriers circling at the northwest corner of the reserve.

Here we have a Common Buzzard (top) and (below) a female Marsh Harrier.

There were good numbers of Herring Gulls, with most being adults.

Here's an adult Herring Gull taking off.

A "yellow-legged" gull. I wish!! It's an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull...........

.Here is another adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

And another on the left with a 4th Calendar Year Herring Gull on the right

On the water left to right 3 adult Herring Gulls, centre an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and on the right an adult Herring Gull. In flight from centre to the right an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, an adult Herring Gull and I hope I have got this right, a 2nd Calendar Year Herring Gull just touching the water..

Here the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull comes into land in amongst the adult Herring Gulls.

A mixture of mainly Herring Gulls, with a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Black-headed Gulls on the main lake Radipole.

One of the many Sand Martins that passed overhead.

There were a good dozen or more Chiffchaffs on the buddleia loop, with.....

.......several singing. This individual had an interesting song.

It flew into this tree and started singing before flying across the path...........

..............and resumed singing in another tree.

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
2 Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)

Plants:

Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)

One of the most invasive plant on the planet, well certainly in the UK. This is Knotweed, which can penetrate concrete, cavity walls, weaknesses in the broken mortar between paving slabs or bricks and can also damage drains and sewers. Not a plant you would want to grow at home!! More on this plant Here. NB. Every year this plant keeps turning up on the reserve. I have let the warden know.

General Shots:

The visitors centre at RSPB Radipole Reserve. Really friendly staff and great views from the main window overlooking a small portion of the reserve.

Ted:

Come on Dad, stop taking photos and get a move on!!!