RSPB Radipole Lake, Weymouth
Tuesday February 2nd 2021
Goldeneye have become very hard birds to find in Dorset recently, with Poole Harbour now the only spot they visit regularly. So it was a remarkable event when one turned up at Radipole Lake last December. At first it was quite tricky to see, keeping to the edge of the reeds in the channel next to Radipole Gardens. Today however it decided to hang around with the flock of Tufted Ducks next to the visitor centre.
The last really rare duck I photographed was two years ago when a Ring-necked Duck from North America turned up at Lodmoor and then transferred to Radipole. It was a dull immature bird when it arrived but it stayed all winter and became very smart indeed.
Back in 2014 a Long-tailed Duck dropped in for a few days. Since then a small flock has been wintering on the Fleet at Chickerell, but these never give such close views as the 2014 bird did at Radipole.
And finally I ought to add a video of Radipole's longest staying rarity of all time, the Hooded Merganser, which arrived in 2008 and stayed for ten years!