April 24, 2013 archive

Visit to Brownsea Island 25th April 2013

Visit to Brownsea Island 25th April 2013

This was our last day in Poole so it was with some scepticism when we looked out of the hotel window to find that the promenade was hardly visible never mind Brownsea island. Anyway we thought that we would take a walk along the prom to see if the weather would perk up. As we walked along we came across a small number of Turnstones scouring the water’s edge looking for morsels. we turned inward after a while and walked through a sort of park cum open space where there were plenty of birds but also plenty of dog walkers so that wasn’t entirely satisfactory. Anne decided to go off shopping so I wandered around a little more before deciding to go back to the hotel to pick up my camera in order to get some photos of the Turnstones. Continue reading

Visit to RSPB Radipole Lake 24th April 2013

Visit to RSPB Radipole Lake 24th April 2013

After we left RSPB Arne we drove over to Weymouth to visit the Radipole Lake which has been modernised considerably since our last visit. They have got rid of the shop and now have a children’s activity centre and a toilet of their own. Previously you had to use the council toilets in the car park which were not always even open ! They still have the big panoramic window overlooking the lake. We walked around the entire site enjoying the walkways and new raised platforms that give you a view over the reedbeds. The singing of Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers could be hear loudly coming out of the reedbeds and from trees Chiffchaffs called and we even heard a Cetti’s Warbler. Overhead Swallows swooped in large numbers Continue reading

Visit to RSPB Arne 24th April 2013

Visit to RSPB Arne 24th April 2013

One of our key aims in visiting the Dorset coast was to drop in at RSPB Arne We were particularly interested in the lowland heath environment and were hoping to get a view of a Dartford Warbler. Well, we did not get a view of a Dartford Warbler but we did have a great walk and saw some unusual birds.

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