The reed beds were alive with the sound of birdsong as I walked around Radipole Lake this gorgeous sunny morning. I could see and hear Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers chirping away. Swifts were screaming overhead along with Swallows and Sand Martins. The hedgerows are becoming more colourful now, plants coming into flower now include Cow Parsley, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Common Vetch, Common Comfrey, Common and Meadow Buttercups. Pale Flax, Ox Eye Daisy and Common Corn-salad were flowering just outside the reserve. Also about on the wing were Orange Tip and Small White Butterflies.
Outside the Discovery Centre on the island were Oystercatchers, Common Sandpipers, a Black Tailed Godwit, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochards and several Little Egrets. Our resident Hooded Merganser was also on the island having a morning nap. Danny, Senior Assistant in the Discover Centre reported a large flock of Swifts arriving over at Lodmoor last weekend.
Amongst the latest arrivals are the Common Terns, two could be seen this morning on the island and others can be seen over at Lodmoor looking for suitable nesting sites. The Sandwich Terns have also arrived at Lodmoor but nest over on Brownsea Island. Lastly the Little Terns have arrived down at Chesil Beach. These are the terns that you are mostly likely to see in the Weymouth area, pictures below will help you to identify these beautiful birds.
The Little Tern is a delightful chattering seabird is the UK's smallest tern. It is short-tailed and has a fast flight. Its bill is a distinctive yellow with a black tip. It is noisy at its breeding colony where courtship starts with an aerial display involving the male calling and carrying a fish to attract a mate which chases him up high before he descends, gliding with wings in a 'V'. Its vulnerable nesting sites and its decline in Europe make it an Amber List species.
Common Terns are delightful silvery-grey and white birds have long tails which have earned them the nickname 'sea-swallow'. They have a buoyant, graceful flight and frequently hover over water before plunging down for a fish. They are often noisy in company and breed in colonies.
The Sandwich tern is a very white tern, with a black cap on its head, a long black bill with a yellow tip and short black legs. In flight it shows grey wedges on its wings tips and it has a short forked tail. In the UK, many of the important colonies survive because they are on nature reserves.
Water voles occur mainly along well vegetated banks of slow flowing rivers, ditches, dykes and lakes. Our Discovery Centre Manager, Lindsey Death saw a Water Vole, on the reserve a few days ago and managed to capture a photo. Water voles tend to be active more during the day than at night so you are more likely to see them than the more elusive otter which are also on the reserve.
For more information on any of the above, contact Radipole Lake Discovery Centre or pop in and see us. Hot and cold refreshments and snacks available.
Telephone: 01305 778313
E-mail: Weymouth.reserves@rspb.org.uk
Website: www.rspb.org.uk/radipolelake