Radipole and Lodmoor, Weymouth (with re-loaded pics)

On Sunday I introduced a friend to the RSPB reserves of Radipole and Lodmoor in Weymouth.  It was a lovely sunny day, there wasn't a cloud in the sky but there was a very cold wind.  We called in at the Radipole visitor centre and had a look at some very distant snipe through the scopes and then walked round the reserve to the North Hide.  It was very quiet but we did see a little egret and a grey heron, some mallard and teal, lots of tufted ducks and various gulls including black headed, herring and great black backed.  The hooded merganser is still in residence near the visitor centre.  I also saw a duck I couldn't identify but I will post it in another thread.

Tufted duck (with attitude!)

On the walk back to the car park I was able to photograph a crow, a robin and a dunnock all of whom were posing most obligingly.

To get out of the wind we had our picnic lunch in the car and then we headed up the coast for about a mile to Lodmoor which was also very quiet but we saw shelduck, teal, mallard, more gulls and best of all this snipe.  I have never seen one this close before and it made my day :-)

Hope the photos stay put!

Best wishes, 

SB

ps - I have since heard that a large number of men in green anoraks were seen running to the harbour area, laden with scopes etc where there was rumoured to be a buffle head duck.  I don't know if they found it.  Anybody else know?