The weather may have been mixed at our Dorset Reserves this week but the wildlife certainly hasn't.
This week saw the return of our monthly Weymouth Wildlife Walks at RSPB Radipole Lake, with orchids, dragonflies, and sand martins, there is a lot to discover at our Weymouth wetlands. Next week, we'll be running another Night Wildlife Walk at RSPB Arne as well as hosting many school visits on our reserves.
Our warden team has been maintaining fences, sluice gates, and controlling knotweed on our reserves, and the RSPB Radipole Lake Discovery Center now has it's new back doors. Next week they'll be installing electric fences at RSPB Lodmoor, clearing areas for the grazing cattle at RSPB Radipole Lake, and fence gate repairs at RSPB Arne.
Image above: Sand Martins at RSPB Radipole Lake
Otters were spotted at RSPB Lodmoor this week, along with Common Terns, Whimbrel, Bearded Reedlings, and Great White Egret also being highlights. At RSPB Radipole Lake the Bee Orchids have started to flower, joining the Southern Marsh Orchids, and during days with less wind the rare Norfolk Hawker dragonflies have been showing well. The fledgling herons and cormorants have started to venture out onto the reserve, while fledgling reed warblers hop amongst the reeds.
At RSPB Arne we were very excited about the sighting of the Stag Beetle, a second for the year, and tenth overall. Osprey were also seen fishing from the reserve, as well as the White tailed Eagles flying overhead. Cuckoos and Nightjar were also briefly heard, as were our elusive Flycatchers and Treecreepers. Many fledglings joined our feeders this week with Chaffinch and Greenfinch joining the Robins, Blackbirds, and Blue tit fledglings already there. Our kestrel fledglings have also been spotted exploring around our farm buildings.
Photo above: Stag beetle (Lucanus cervus), male, Suffolk, August (controlled conditions) by Ben Andrew (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