A Rainbow Filled Litter Pick

It's been a beautiful day down here in Weymouth with the odd rain shower or two, The Kingfisher has been about along with the Hooded Merganser, Black Tailed Godwits, over 80 Teal, Cetti's Warblers, lots of Grey Heron's and a Little Egret. Also about in front of the Discover Centre window were a group of Common Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls. In the afternoon we had a visit from the Marsh Harrier.

As it was such a lovely day and the Discovery Centre was quiet, Dan our intrepid Senior Discovery Centre Assistant, decided that it was a good time to take some of our Discovery Centre volunteers, Ben and Charlotte, and myself on a reserve litter pick, a never ending thankless task but a good excuse to get out of the Centre, into the fresh air and around the reserve. 

Leaving Judy holding the fort in the Centre we were immediately rewarded with a beautiful rainbow over the reserve. 

Being an urban reserve, litter is a common problem with the close proximity of the retail park and with Radipole Lake being such an open area. We found a number of items underneath the viewing platform which Dan cleared out before rescuing some drinks cans from the river.

Nearby, Ben goes into battle with the rubbish in a bramble thicket, triumphantly re-emerging with several items.

Litter ends up in the most surprising places. Here Dan goes into a successful battle in another thicket.  Sadly some of the items were bought in our own Discovery Centre.

Here we are clearing more rubbish from the nooks and crannies of the boardwalk. One of the positives of litter picking is that you are constantly being observant so that nothing is missed. We came across several otter runs and some fresh otter spraint on the boardwalk.

Halfway around the reserve and the rubbish bag is filling up and Dan finds more items in another thicket.

Meanwhile, Charlotte finds an unpleasant item in the river and brings the soggy package ashore on the platform which Dan clears up. The bench is also a favorite place to find drinks bottles and cans as is our Viewing Shelter.

After a shower of rain we were rewarded with another rainbow while investigating the reedbed viewing platform.  We make our way back so the Discovery Centre down the path only to find more litter had been dropped during the hour we had been away.

Back at the Discovery Centre with a full rubbish bag and hot cups of tea all round. Today was a good day, in summer when it's busy, volunteers can return with three or four full bags of litter.

If you would like to volunteer for us or get involved, either in the Centre or on the reserve, please contact the Radipole Lake Discovery Centre, details below or pop in and see us.