Going to My Hometown - Rory Gallagher

A pressing engagement saw me visiting my former home town Weymouth last week, which among others included a hour or two with The Secret Lemonade Drinker and a brief walk around Radipole Nature Reserve, sometimes referred to as the towns answer to Disneyland given all the unnecessary clutter! While Cetti's Warbler had already been seen and heard in the County this year (Avon Causeway) the other 2 specialties of the reserve were very much looked forward to with fingers crossed. All species encountered were not committed to the cameras, but those which decided to pose most certainly were.

 HERRING GULL

 FERAL PIGEON
all too often overlooked, but a smart bird for all that.

One of last years brood of
MUTE SWAN

while

 CETTI'S WARBLER
presented no problem as being 'vocal' in all corners of the plot.

TUFTED DUCK
coming in to land plus

 male

 POCHARD
and

 female

 POCHARD

CHIFFCHAFF

 SHELDUCK, CORMORANT and HERRING GULL

 Male and Female

 BLACKBIRD

 A trio of

 GREY HERON
flew in but landed almost too distantly.

CHIFFCHAFF

reappearing.

 The familiar sound of 'pinging' from within the reed bed eventually

got me on to

 BEARDED TIT

 Male and Female

 TUFTED DUCK

 and another addition to the Year List

 WATER RAIL
which completed the trio.

 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

 and for the 9th year running

 HOODED MERGANSER
a FANTASTIC FAVOURITE.

 CARRION CROW

and finally, we started with one so we'll end with one, yet another

HERRING GULL

The weather closed in late morning so hopes of a brief encounter at both
Ferry Bridge and Portland Bill were dashed, but it was nice to have got
Weymouth in but with NO designs on staying.

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