RSPB LODMOOR - WEYMOUTH BAY AND HARBOUR
WEATHER: a chilly wind but bright sunshine until about 3pm.
Dawn and I decided to go for our usual Weymouth walk from Lodmoor to the Harbour where we treat ourselves to F n C's at our favourite fish and chip shop!
Lodmoor had quite few species milling about but as I only had my binocluars and not much stopping time my list was quite short. I did see 4 Garganey sitting with a bunch of Teal, also Shovel;er, Gadwall, Wigeon and Shelduck were present.
Lodmoor
Wader sightings included:my first Little Ringed Plovers of the year, Black-tailed Godwits (most of them in lovely summer plumage), a single Ruff, Redshanks and a few Common Snipe.
The Mediterranean Gulls are looking superb in their summer garb, with them were 3 Sandwich Terns and the usual Black-headed Gulls, also Herring Gulls in a variety of plumages.
After just a mile we stopped for a coffee at the seascape cafe!
Walking along the sea-front I added Brent Goose to my day list as three flew eastward, I saw nothing else except for GBB & Herring Gulls. On the way back I saw four geese flying along the shore towards us, then I noticed that one of them was larger and as it got closer I could see through my bins that it was in fact a Great Northern Diver in full summer plumage. Wow! I never expected that! The diver verred away from the 3 geese and flew off into Weymouth Bay!
a view of Weymouth Beach from the Harbour (west), Lodmoor is at the furthest most point to the right of the picture
Along the track through to the north-west exit of the reserve we saw Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff and a few Greenfinches. I never heard a Reed or Sedge Warbler but plenty of Cetti's Warblers were in full voice.