LODMOOR, WEYMOUTH BAY AND OLD HARBOUR
WEATHER: a chilly day with plenty of blue sky and sunshine. Top temp 4C
Dawn and I drove down to Weymouth passing over the snow-covered hills down into Dorchester. It was very picturesque, a beautiful sight. At the Ridge, just before you drop down into Weymouth, the landscape completely changed, Weymouth has its own micro-climate, no snow whatsoever!!
We took our regular walk from Lodmoor to the Old Harbour passing along the sea-front at Weymouth, we parked in Weymouth Bay Road and walked through RSPB Lodmoor along the north and west tracks.
Lodmoor in winter sunshine, taken from the west track
It was wasn't packed with birds but enough species were on show to keep us occupied. Cetti's Warbler called from the scrub, we saw Reed Bunting coming down to bird-seed left on a bench, also Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Robin and Dunnock.
record shot of a Reed Bunting
The marsh and pools held lots of birds such as: Common Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Black-tailed Godwits, Common Snipe, Dunlin and dozens of both Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls. Out on the marsh a single Great White Egret stood tall, with a couple of the much smaller Little Egrets. From the west track near the beach road we could see an area of open grassland in the distance, where at least 60 Golden Plover sat in the sunshine, many Lapwings where there too.
A Christmas Card in the making
The walk along the promenade into Weymouth Town centre produced very little, we saw a couple of Cormorants out on the water in the Bay and a few Ruddy Turnstone on the rocky breakwater.
Turnstones on the breakwater rocks
a pair of Dippers - can't believe they went in the water it was so cold!!!
At the Old Harbour, which is about 2 miles from the car, we sat and ate fish and chips in the lovely sunshine. You have to be careful sitting there because the Herring Gulls have a tendency to dive down and steal your lunch!
After a hot drink at one of the cafes, where a Pied Wagtail came to our feet begging for crumbs, we walked back through the main shopping area and back out onto the promenade.
Pied Wagtail
Weymouth Bay as it started to cloud over
On the return journey Lodmoor produced nothing new, but the Snipe, Godwits and Dunlin were much nearer this time, we spent some time watching them before walking back to the car.
Dawn spotted this rare Stick-Fish one the way back through Lodmoor.