Lodmoor RSPB - Mon 29 Jul

This morning I headed off to Weymouth and took a walk around the RSPB reserve of Lodmoor. Walking anti-clockwise around the reserve from Beachdown Way the first birds of note were not really seen until I got the scrape opposite the car park. An adult Mediterranean Gull was resting and a Common Sandpiper and two Black-tailed Godwits were present.
Continuing onwards I stopped near the tern rafts where a flock of 37 Dunlin were seen and four Sandwich Terns were resting on the fencing.
Further on again and I was surprised to see a female Ruddy Shelduck and a second bird which appeared to be an Australian Shelduck, though it was roosting and seemed a little too pale, so I guess some sort of hybrid is probably the most likely option.

 

Another Dunlin was present from the "hump" on Beachdown Way as were two more Common Sandpipers. Alongside an Oystercatcher two Whimbrel were roosting. I then carried on back towards the car, hearing a Bearded Tit calling along the way. As I neared the car a Sparrowhawk caused a bit of a stir over the reserve, sending most of the gulls in to the air alongside eight Black-tailed Godwits. All in all a pretty nice start to the day.