THE king of birds is set to be celebrated in a weekend of events at the Radipole Lake nature reserve in Weymouth.

RSPB experts will be on hand at the event, which runs from 10am to 4pm on September 19 and 20, to show visitors the prime kingfisher spotting locations on the reserve.

RSPB Wild Weymouth Discovery Centre duty manager Dan Bartlett said: “Kingfisher weekend is a very popular event, and in years gone by we have had people travelling from as far as Staffordshire to attend. September is a great time to look for these beautiful birds. Many of this year’s young will have flown the nest, and they join the adult birds to feed up on Radipole’s abundant fish stocks before the winter arrives.”

He added: “Our fantastic team of volunteers assist members of staff to keep an eye on known hangouts. Once a kingfisher is spotted the location is phoned in to the Discovery Centre, and visitors are directed straight to where the action is. Of course we cannot guarantee sightings, but with many sets of eyes looking everyone’s chances of seeing them improves dramatically. Younger visitors are welcome to tackle the kingfisher quiz. We also have locally made kingfisher cup-cakes for sale in the cafe.”

The event is free and booking is not necessary. Visit www.rspb.org.uk or call 01305 778313 to find out more.