It’s not very often that you get a merlin visit your bird feeder, but this afternoon that happened to us! If you've been to the visitor centre you would have noticed our little bird feeder hanging from the window. It’s usually home to several sparrow though there could have been one less if the Merlin was a little quicker. Following its attack on the sparrows it sat outside the visitor centre for a few minutes before doing something completely out of character. It sat on a lamp post over Weymouth bypass, something you'd expect from a Kestrel but certainly not a merlin. They are very scarce visitors to Radipole and Lodmoor so to see this one so close is pretty special!
Whooper Swans are still up on the Buddleia Lake and seemed fairly settled (touch wood!) and at least one Bittern is still at Lodmoor along with 2 Scaup and a Dartford Warbler.