The beginning of February brought our first cold snap of the year.  On 1st February, Lodmoor had increased bird activity with over 500 Fieldfare, over 250 Redwing, over 100 Golden Plover, over 100 Meadow Pipit and over 60 Lapwing.  This was due to heavy snow further across the county.  The Yellow Browed Warbler also put in an appearance.  The Ring Necked Duck is still around at Radipole Lake and over 200 Tufted Duck, over…

Happy New Year from us all at Radipole Lake!!

The new birdwatching year started well with sightings of two Yellow Browed Warblers at Radipole Lake and a further one over at Lodmoor.  The Ring Neck Duck was back at Radipole Lake, also 2 male and 2 female Marsh Harriers and a group of 35 Pochards.  A Lesser Yellowlegs and a Ruff were sighted at Lodmoor. 

Photo Credit: Edmund Mackrill

Photo Credit: Martin Jones-Gill

The Ring…

Welcome to the last blog of 2018. Undoubtedly the star bird for this month is the Penduline Tit which was first seen at Radipole Lake on Friday 14th December.  The Penduline has been seen several times over the past week in particular in the reed beds near the Viewing Shelter.  Lovely snap by Graham Jaggard below.

Photo Credit: Graham Jaggard

Bearded Tits are also in abundance around the reserve at the moment.  Their distinctive…

Welcome to the new look  blog and community pages.  Apologies that it has been a while since our last blog.  A few notable birds have been around on both reserves since the last update.  Ruff, Lesser Yellowlegs and a Grey Phalarope were regularly on Lodmoor at the beginning of October. The Lesser Yellowlegs is still a frequent visitor and may well over winter in the area.  An Osprey was seen over Radipole Lake and Lodmoor on…

It's been a windy few days at the Weymouth Wetlands as storms Ali and Bronagh make their way East.  Surprisingly there are a number of brave butterflies and dragonflies around the reserve being buffeted about in the breeze.

The Little Egrets and Great White Egrets are still being regularly seen but the limelight has currently shifted to the latest arrivals on the reserve, the Cattle Egrets.  These Egrets are being…

There is an distinctly autumn chill in the air now as the summer starts turning into autumn.  Great White Egrets are still being seen daily at Radipole Lake and over on Lodmoor, often three birds are sighted.

RSPB volunteer, Martin Jones-Gill, managed to snap this one taking off outside the Discovery Centre.

Other notable sightings include a Spotted Redshank seen at Lodmoor on 28th August. Yellow Wagtails are regularly…

August is traditionally a quiet month for birds but we have been lucky enough to have one of our largest visitors, the Great White Egret, visiting our reserves this month.  A Great White Egret has been recorded daily over at Lodmoor since 30th July.  On 10th August two were seen and the very next day three were counted and were around for a few days.  On 15th August the Great White Egret was seen outside the Discovery Centre…

The summer holidays are finally here! Radipole Lake is the place to be for families on Tuesdays for the rest of August. The Family Fun day starts from 10:00 a.m. and runs through until 3:00 pm. Free games are available out on the patio, there's Splat the Rat, Giant Jenga, Giant Snakes and Ladders and Pebble Painting.  There'a also pond dipping and bug hunting kits available to go exploring out on the reserve.  After…

July has seen a very parched Radipole Lake and Lodmoor with the vegetation being tinder dry.  Several locations over the country have reported wildfires.  This week Lodmoor has been no exception.  On Tuesday 24th July, six fire engines attended a blaze which started at the Lodmoor Recycling Centre.  The cloud of smoke could be seen for miles around Weymouth and from the coast. Four hectares of waste ground around the Recycling…

There are three big items of news this month.  The first has to be the glorious sunshine and warm temperatures we have been enjoying over the past two to three weeks. The prolonged sunshine means that our reserves are thriving  with life and they are looking fantastic and colourful at the moment.  A family of Tufted ducklings have been seen on the reserve, along with Mallard ducklings and Canada Geese goslings. Also a record…

Spring has well and truly begun start after the cold, wet late start.  Thanks to the Estate Team's careful hedgerow management, the paths are now a sea of white froth with Cow Parsley lining the hedgerows and the Hawthorn Blossom. Amongst the white froth are splashes of colour from the purples, pinks and creams of Common Comfrey, also Yellow Iris, Marsh Marigold, Hedgerow Cranesbill, Common Vetch, Ground Ivy, Common…

Marsh Harriers - Latest News

One of our specialties, the Marsh Harrier, is frequently being seen around both reserves at the moment.  Nest building is underway with birds being seen carrying twigs.  There are two nests at Radipole and one at Lodmoor.  The females are likely to be sitting on eggs. The signs are good for a successful summer.

April Bird Sightings

The 1st April saw Garganey on Radipole and Lodmoor and the…

The Radipole Lake Big Spring Clean (aka Litter Pick)

Saturday 24th March saw a gathering of around 30 local volunteers to give the Radipole Lake Drive a long overdue spring clean of all the rubbish and litter which had accumulated alongside the road and edge of the lake. The volunteers first gathered in the car park for a preliminary chat and health and safety briefing by Dan Bartlett, Visitor Experience Officer. Equipment…

After the recent cold snaps, winter is starting to lose its grip and signs of spring are starting to emerge over the reserves. On 13th March a Small Tortoiseshell was seen at Radipole and a Brimstone over at Lodmoor. Great Crested Grebes are starting to show signs of their characteristic courtship dancing.  On 14th March a Spoonbill put in an appearance at Radipole.  A pair of Bitterns, one actually booming were seen over…

The two top subjects of discussion this month - the weather and the Ross's Gull! The arctic weather conditions brought in some interesting species to Radipole including Dunlin, Fieldfares and Avocets. The icy view from the Discovery Centre picture window below.

Ross's Gull

The Ross's Gull, the third record for Dorset, which first appeared on 21st February stayed around Radipole for two weeks.  The gull…

February is proving to be a sunny but chilly month.  Despite the cold there are signs of spring everywhere.  Around the reserve new bright green spring growth and flowers are tentatively starting to make an appearance. In some areas the spring Daffodils are already flowering.  Another welcome sign is the carpet of Sweet Violets up on the Buddleia Loop. There is a myth that you can only smell the fragrance of the flowers…

Happy New Year everyone!  

This is a good time to see one of Radipole Lake's star species - our resident Marsh Harriers.  Currently there are two males at Radipole and one male over at Lodmoor.  No females have seen as yet.  Photographer Paul Williams captured these stunning shots of the male coming in to land.

Photo Credit: Paul Williams - website: www.paulwilliams.photography

The Marsh Harriers are frequently…

A beautiful Autumn day at Radipole Lake today. Bearded Tits and Cetti's Warblers are chirping in the reed beds.  Gulls and Ducks are making the most of the calm still waters on the lake outside the Discovery Centre Window.  The Hooded Merganser, Kingfisher and Little Egrets have all been seen today.  The sunny weather has brought a small influx of Red Admiral Butterflies and Red Darter Dragonflies.

The Discovery Centre…

Radipole Lake has a number of bats recorded on the site including Daubenton's (some times known as the Water Bat), Serotine, Noctule, Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle and Nathusius' Pipistrelle.  Daubenton's is one of our common species, mainly found in woodlands but roosts close to areas of water including lakes, rivers and canals.  Obviously Radipole Lake is an ideal location with large areas of open…

This morning's unexpected guest was a Spoonbill having a snooze up at the Viewing Shelter on the Buddleia Loop.  More commonly seen at Arne or over at Lodmoor, it was a very welcome visitor at Radipole Lake today.

Also about today was the Hooded Merganser diving up around the concrete bridge.  The water was so clear, it was easy to see "Hoodie" feeding in the bottom of the river bed delighting visitors watching…

September continues to be a good month to see our resident Kingfishers.  They have been regularly visiting their perches and two were seen flying across the lake this morning.  They are so close that we can take photos using the 360 degree screen in the Discovery Centre.  Teal, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebes, Shoveler, Grey Herons and Little Egrets are also about.  Though it's overcast today, butterflies and dragonflies…

Beautiful day in Weymouth.  Up at the Viewing Shellter, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and Kestrel were seen scanning the skies. A Water Rail skulking in the reeds, Little Grebe, Black Tailed Godwits, Grey Heron, Teal, Gadwall, paddling around the lake. Lots of butterflies and dragonflies are still on the wing in the hedgerows.  The Star of the Show again has been our resident Kingfisher, regularly landing on the perches outside…

The big news for the past few days are the two rare sandpipers over at Lodmoor, blown off course from America after Storm Aileen. Both vagrants have been sighted today, so are still around for the time being.  The Least Sandpiper was first seen last Sunday and is the first record for Dorset.  On Monday the Stilt Sandpiper was first spotted and is the second record for Dorset.  The first record for Dorset was also at Lodmoor…

It's a cloudy, damp and rainy today, In between the showers I managed to walk around the reserve without getting wet.  Our summertime chicks are now starting to noticeably look much more adult.  The young coots chicks are now in the process of acquiring the unmistakable white Coot beak.  One of our Mute Swan families were sheltering and preening under the Weeping Willow Tree.  The cygnets now starting to lose their dark grey…

It's the first day of Autumn, where has this year gone?!  It's a beautiful day though here at Radipole Lake and our resident Kingfishers have been delighting our visitors all week.  Two Kingfishers from the Discovery Centre window only this morning.  Visitors watched as they flitted across the lake and perched on their post several times.  There are not many places you can relax with a coffee and watch a Kingfisher…