Has Wild Isles inspired you to get out and see a starling murmuration for yourself? Urban nature experiences are closer than you think, and at the RSPB, we are committed to making reserves as welcoming and easy to access as possible. Everyone belongs in nature and we need everyone to help us protect it if we are going to save our Wild Isles. Starlings are among the most common garden birds, but their UK population has halved since 1995 and without our help, things are only going to get worse. Find out how you can start your nature journey with us in Weymouth.
Photo One: Reedbeds at RSPB Radipole Lake by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com). Photo Two: Scenic view across RSPB Lodmoor by Neil Price
What nature spectacles can I see at RSPB Radipole and Lodmoor nature reserves?
Nestled right in the centre of Weymouth town in Dorset, RSPB Radipole Lake and RSPB Lodmoor nature reserves are special and wild jewels that standout in the heart of their urban location. When visitors step off the train at Weymouth it seems unlikely that within just a five minute walk for Radipole or 15 mins for Lodmoor, swaying reedbeds await them, bursting with stunning wildlife. Bearded Tits and Kingfishers hide in the reeds year-round at both nature reserves, and loud Cetti’s Warblers shout at you along the reserve paths.
Photo above: Bearded Tit perches on a reed at RSPB Radipole by Verity Hill
Visit RSPB Radipole in April and you may be lucky enough to hear the elusive Bitterns booming eerily across the reedbeds, like the sound of someone blowing over the top of a glass bottle, but louder. Water Voles and Otters also call the reserve home. At RSPB Lodmoor Badgers are great to spot at night.
Photo above: Water Vole munching a leaf by Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Marsh Harrier can be admired at both sites all year, but the best time to see them is during the spring when they perform their breath-taking sky dances, pirouetting earthwards in dramatic and showy displays of aerial skill – all to woo a mate.
Photo above: Marsh Harrier flying over RSPB Lodmoor by Ethan Price aged 13 years
At RSPB Radipole the rare Norfolk Hawker or Green-eyed Hawker Dragonfly takes to the air between May-August, look out for their distinctive green eyes and yellow triangle shape on their body. And the rare Brown Bee-Orchid can also be found along the paths at Radipole, exciting botanists across the country.
Photo above: Norfolk Hawker Dragonfly sat on reeds by Matt Wilkinson (rspb-images.com)
Both of the RSPB Weymouth Wetland nature reserves are also home to Bats, including the Daubenton’s Bat at Radipole, drawn to the water for the insect feast that awaits them.
RSPB Lodmoor is a fantastic place to get up-close views of wildlife, as RSPB Dorset Visitor Operations Manager, Lesley Gorman describes: “The thing I love about RSPB Lodmoor is how close you can get to the bird life that calls it home – big flocks, hundreds of Lapwing and Golden Plover, and a fun noisy colony of breeding Common Tern. It’s just fantastic and so valuable for anyone starting to learn more about our local birds. Plus, people can visit from anywhere on a train and walk just a short distance – both of our Weymouth nature reserves are so accessible via public transport. Because they are easy to get to RSPB Radipole and Lodmoor may be some visitor’s first connections to nature and we’re so proud and honoured to help people from all walks of life and of all ages, to build this relationship with Dorset’s nature.”
Photo above: Common Tern by David Tipling (rspb-images.com)
What are the RSPB doing to make this reserve welcoming to everyone?
Being so close to Weymouth Train station makes the RSPB Weymouth Wetland nature reserves very reachable for people across the UK. When visitors arrive at RSPB Radipole the friendly team of volunteers will give them a warm welcome in the Discovery Centre, which is now open seven days a week. Volunteers are more than happy to answer any questions people may have about the Weymouth reserves and the wildlife that calls them home – no questions are silly, so people totally new to nature are encouraged and supported to start their journey here.
The Discovery Centre is also a fantastic place to start inspiring young minds to love nature with the monthly Nature Tots sessions, available to book now. Aimed at preschool children aged between 2 ½ and 5 years old, children will meet some of the amazing creatures that the nature reserve is giving a home to, while learning something new, getting a bit mucky, and having lots of fun.
Photo above: Family enjoying pond dipping at RSPB Radipole Lake by Patrick Cashman (rspb-images.com)
Both Weymouth nature reserves are flat and accessible for wheelchair users and pushchairs. The walk around RSPB Radipole is also short and so manageable for most ages and fitness levels. This year a series of new sightlines have been carefully cut into some of the reedbeds at Radipole, offering stunning views. There are also six viewing platforms, which give visitors the magical feel of being within the reedbeds themselves.
If visitors prefer some indoor nature viewing, the picture window inside the Discovery Centre is the perfect place to perch. Grab a hot or cold drink and a piece of locally baked cake from the café and watch tufted ducks diving only three-feet away.
The RSPB Radipole Café is also part of an exciting new joint venture with the South West Regional Assessment Centre (SWRAC), who have taken over the running of the café as a training and work experience opportunity for young adults with special educational needs. The café offers students an opportunity to develop their employment, hospitality, and customer service skills as part of SWRAC’s Preparing for Adulthood programmes. As well as helping them to grow their confidence and boost their self-esteem.
Working with the RSPB in Weymouth, students will also learn more about their local nature, environmental awareness, and conservation skills.
Lesley continues: “We feel privileged to support the students as they grow their confidence and self-esteem. And develop their knowledge of both employment and the natural world - and all within the beautiful setting of RSPB Radipole Lake nature reserve, an unlikely home to some stunning wildlife right in the heart of urban Weymouth town.”
Adrian Gunner, Managing Director for SWRAC, said: “The students love being associated with an organisation such as the RSPB, and the RSPB team have been so welcoming and enthusiastic to what we are trying to achieve.”
Photo Credit: RSPB and SWRAC teams gathered outside RSPB Radipole Lake Discovery Café
Connecting to nature has benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing, and even if you don’t live near to a RSPB Reserve, there are plenty of ways to connect to the Nature on your Doorstep, click here to find out more. Find out about our Nature Prescriptions launch here.
If you want to help the Starlings in your garden, you find out how to create a cosy home for them here .