The wildlife continues to amaze this summer at our RSPB Dorset Reserves!
This week we held a wonderful wildlife walk at RSPB Radipole Lake, with ideal weather there were lots of birds on the wing including close flybys of the Sand Martins, soaring Marsh Harriers, and good views of Sedge Warblers and the Great White Egret, and lots of fish including Grey Mullet. There were also lots of Norfolk Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies and several demoiselles about on the reserve.
You can already book onto our next Weymouth Wildlife Walk, and last Night Wildlife Walk on our events page (links below).
Next week we'll also be hosting an Intermediate Birdwatching walk, the next step up from our popular Birdwatching for Beginners walks, great for those who know the basics and want a bit more of an in-depth look at our bird species, and learn how to ID the trickier birds. Tickets are live on our events page (links below).
Photo above: Norfolk Hawker (aka Green-eyed Hawker) at RSPB Radipole Lake by Léonard D'Aranjo
Our Warden team has been conducting Rhododendron surveying and removal work at RSPB Arne, as well as installing a cattle trough and bund cutting at RSPB Lodmoor to prepare for the grazing animals to be brought in. Next week they'll be continuing their work at Lodmoor.
At RSPB Radipole Lake we had a surprise visit from a Common Sandpiper perched outside the café windows, which was also a great spot to watch the Great White Egret and Common Tern. The Sedge Warblers and Water Rail were also poking their heads out of the reeds around the reserve, and more House Martins have joined the Sand Martins in foraging over the lakes. At RSPB Lodmoor we've seen a Green Sandpiper, and had great sightings of the, Marsh Harriers, Bullfinches, and juvenile Bearded Reedlings.
At RSPB Arne the stars this week have been the Piglets. They are Mangalitsa breed pigs that free roam across parts of the reserve as part of our habitat management partnership which you can read about here: purbeckheaths.org.uk/purbeck-wild-grazing-project/
We have also had a lot of bird sightings, including Osprey fishing, Red Kites, and young Buzzards. We've also been seeing other young birds, with Treecreepers and Blackcaps being quite bold. Some of our passage and winter migrants have started to appear already with Spoonbills and Spotted Redshanks spotted on the Middlebere channel. Lots of butterflies are still on the wing with Marbled white, Silver studded blue, Gatekeepers, and Skippers being the standouts. With the British Dragonfly Society and Purbeck Natural History Forum here for Dragonfly week we had lots of sightings, including Downy Emerald, Southern Hawker, Common Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer, and many more. Also at the ponds, the first Wasp Spiders have started to build their webs, and the rare Pond Weed Leaf Hopper has been spotted.
Photo above: Common Sandpiper by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
If you'd like to keep up to date with what's going on at our reserves, take a look at our events page and follow us on social media:
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Events at RSPB Arne and Garston Wood
Events at RSPB Radipole Lake
Events at RSPB Lodmoor