Weymouth Late July

School holidays are here so it was off to Weymouth. I sneaked out before breakfast on 27th and headed for Lodmoor. Even at that time is was baking. It was quiet with just a Greenshank briefly, a couple of Dunlin, 3 blackwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, and the resident family of Oystercatchers with the full grown young chasing the parents round the marsh. There were a few warblers on display – Reed, Sedge, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, and a new bird for me on Lodmoor, 2 Ravens, gasping for air in the middle.

Next available slot was morning of the 29th. The weather had turned cooler and cloudier. Morning was a quick visit to Ferrybridge. Just a Whimbrel, a Curlew, a sparkling Sanderling, and in the distance 3 Med Gulls – 2 2nd winters and an adult.

We went for a walk in Wareham Forest mid-morning; my first visit, and it looked impressive. The howling gale kept birds out of sight, and I couldn’t help wondering what sea birds were being blown into Chesil Cove, but we still managed a few Siskins, a couple of Crossbills, GSW and Green W, and a snake. I’m not sure what sort, as it was dangling from the claws of a passing Common Buzzard at the time.

Then an evening dash to Lodmoor. A sneaky Wood Sandpiper was giving close views in reeds near the old hide, but photography was tricky due to my inability to get high enough to get a shot without reed stems in the way. Otherwise there were a total of at least 9 Med Gulls, of which five were juveniles (one with a green ring on the left leg), so it seems to have been a successful breeding season for Med Gulls.