Birds at Lodmoor nature reserve, Weymouth - 12th October 2026

It was a very wet morning, so I did not go out until about 11.00 when I got the bus to Poole and then travelled by train to Weymouth.  I walked along the seafront, past this row of coloured houses

and then took a stroll in Greenhill Gardens to look at the wonderful flower display

and then past some Art Deco buildings

On arrival at Lodmoor nature reserve, I first saw this Bar-tailed Godwit wading in shallow water

Dunnock standing on a bench in the reserve

The head of a distant Great White Egret was poking up out of the reeds

The Great White Egret flew away!

Little Egret and Godwit in the shallow water

Lapwing on land

and another Lapwing at the edge of the lagoon

Great White Egret standing on a narrow spit of land in the lagoon

Cattle Egret in the distance

View of part of Lodmoor nature reserve

Sandwich Tern in the water

and then in flight

There were lots of Golden Plovers on the other side of Lodmoor

Golden Plovers and a Little Egret

Golden Plovers and three Dunlin

Golden Plover in the foreground and houses on the hill in the background

Black-tailed Godwit standing in the lagoon

Pretty blossom in front of the water

Godwit with an itch!

Little Egret with a little fish

I walked back to the station along the windy sea front with some tankers on the horizon

 

Birds of Poole Harbour boat trip with Spoonbills and a White-tailed Eagle - 11th October 2026

I had booked a birdwatching boat trip round Poole Harbour on Sunday afternoon, which turned out to be overcast, but mainly dry

We firstly headed to Brownsea Lagoon where, looking over the sea wall, I saw Curlews and Oystercatchers, plus other small wading birds

View of the sea wall surrounding Brownsea Lagoon

Grey Plover on the far left and what I think maybe a group of Knot on the right

Spoonbills and Oystercatchers on land inside the lagoon

More Spoonbills were standing in the shallow water

Looking towards Brownsea Island with the houses, holiday cottages and castle near the harbour

Plenty of Avocet in the lagoon

Bird hide at the other side of Brownsea Lagoon

Little Egret standing just outside the lagoon

Curlews, Oystercatchers and mixed waders in the shallow water of the lagoon

When we left Brownsea Island, we came across a flight of Sinensis Cormorants

The Cormorants landed in water in front of a Little Egret tree

We were on the trail of a White-tailed Eagle and the guys on the boat showed us a full-scale cut-out!!

Then, in the distance, we saw the real thing perching on a tree on one of the little islands -

a female White-tailed Eagle on a branch in the centre of the photograph below!

I zoomed in on the eagle!

The Eagle is still there - on the right above the highest section of ochre cliff!

Then she flew over the water in order to try and steal a fish from a seal - she failed and I also failed as I missed taking a photograph and just caught her heading back to the island!

Distant Marsh Harrier perching on a post to the left of a group of Cormorants and Little Egrets

Bellowing Sika stag in the reeds near Swineham

Sika stag just visible on the other side of the river at newly-developed Arne Moors

Heading back to Poole we passed the holiday park where I was spending the week

My mobile home was on the second row just to the left of the top of the steps down to the water 

- wish I could have afforded to be on the front row!