 Discover the beautiful wildlife at Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Lorton Meadows on Saturday 17th July. The Open Day at the Weymouth nature reserve and Visitor Centre will reveal some of the Lorton Valley’s colourful birds and butterflies.
Lots to see at Lorton this weekend
Pop in to the visitor centre to see the barn owl nest on the webcam; the parents are currently doing a great job feeding three demanding young owlets. The five kestrel chicks have now fledged and can be seen flying over the reserve, practising their hunting skills. Both the kestrel and barn owl cams have been watched worldwide and for current footage check the Dorset Wildlife Trust website, www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/raptorcam.
Wander around the reserve and enjoy the variety of wildlife present, including wildflowers, butterflies, birds and the perpetual ‘song’ of grasshoppers; hot drinks, gifts and wildlife books will be available at the Centre throughout the day.
Learn about butterflies from an expert!
A guided Butterfly Walk takes place in the afternoon, from 2-4pm, costing £1 per person; booking is essential. Refreshments will be available afterwards. This expert-led walk around the reserve is celebrating ‘Save Our Butterflies Week’.
Dorset Wildlife Trust’s People & Wildlife Officer, Sam Dallimore, said: “This is a great chance to see some of the lovely butterflies that thrive on this reserve, such as skippers, marbled whites, common blues and ringlets. Lorton has something for everyone, so bring the family for a great day out at your local nature reserve.”
The Lorton Meadows Open Day is on Saturday 17th July 10am 4pm, with the Butterfly Walk at 2pm. For more information about the Open Day, the Butterfly Walk or volunteering for conservation tasks on the reserve, please contact Sam Dallimore on 01305 816546 or email
Get involved!
If you would like to help conserve our native wildlife, there is a volunteer conservation task on Wednesday 21st July (10am 2pm), and further tasks in September and throughout the autumn. See our events guide for further details and volunteering events.
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