Sightings - Sunday 31st July 2011

Quail - 4 calling Tarrant Rushton
Balearic Shearwater - 4 past Portland Bill
Spoonbill - 1juv. Brownsea Is, 1 reported in ditch near Wool.
Little Ringed Plover - 2 Brownsea Is.
Curlew Sandpiper - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Stilt Sandpiper - 1 sum/ad Lodmoor
Common Sandpiper - 5 Stanpit Marsh
Whimbrel - 11 Stanpit Marsh, 4 Brand's Bay
Spotted Redshank - 4 Brownsea Is, 3 Brand's Bay, 1 Lodmoor
Greenshank - 7 Brownsea Is, 5 Stanpit Marsh, 1 Brand's Bay
Wood Sandpiper - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Arctic Skua - 1 Durlston CP.
Long-tailed Skua - 1juv. past Portland Bill
Black Tern - 1juv. Stanpit Marsh
Arctic Tern - 1juv Brownsea Is.
Grasshopper Warbler - 2 Durlston CP.
Melodious Warbler - 1 Portland Bill (trapped and ringed)

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Sightings - Saturday 30th July 2011

Quail - 4 singing at Tarrant Rushton Airfield
Manx Shearwater - 30 Abbotsbury
Spoonbill - 1 Brownsea Is.
Hobby - 2 Stanpit Marsh, 1 Morden Bog, 1 Lodmoor
Avocet - 25 Brownsea Is.
Golden Plover - 1 Christchurch Hbr.
Stilt Sandpiper - 1 ad/sum Lodmoor
Ruff - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Whimbrel - 7 Christchurch Hbr, 1 Abbotsbury
Common Sandpiper - 28 Stanpit Marsh, 4 West Bay, singles Abbotsbury and Rodden Hive
Spotted Redshank - 6 Brownsea Is.
Greenshank - 7 Brownsea Is, 3 Christchurch Hbr.
Wood Sandpiper - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Great Skua - 2 Abbotsbury
Arctic Skua - 3 Portland Bill
Little Tern - 4 Hengistbury Hd.
Arctic Tern - 2 Hengistbury Hd.
Swift - 150 Hengistbury Hd.
Black Redstart - 1 Durlston CP.
Whinchat - singles at Portland Bill and St Aldhelm's Hd.
Grasshopper Warbler - 1 Durlston CP.
Pied Flycatcher - 1 Stanpit, 1 Morden Bog (Decoy Cottage)


Hobby at Lodmoor © Daragh Croxson
Yesterday's Cory's Shearwater at Weymouth Bay © James Phillips
This bird was seen from a Marinelife evening Balearic Shearwater survey
Another photo of yesterday's Cory's Shearwater © James Phillips

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Sightings - Friday 29th July 2011

Cory's Shearwater - 1 from boat off entrance to Portland Harbour
Spoonbill - 1 immature on Brownsea
Marsh Harrier - 1 past West Bexington, 1 over Stanpit
Stilt Sandpiper - 1 still at Overcombe end of Lodmoor this morning
Ruff - 1 juvenile at Stanpit
Green Sandpiper - 4 Chard Junction gravel pits, 3 Christchurch Harbour, 1 Arne
Spotted Redshank - 4 Brownsea, 2 Middlebere
Greenshank - 9 Brownsea, 6 Middlebere, 6 Stanpit
Wood Sandpiper - 1 South Marsh, Christchurch Harbour
Yellow-legged Gull - 48 on Kerry Foods roof, Holes Bay, 1 Stanpit
Whinchat - 2 juveniles at St. Aldhelm's Head
Crossbill - 3 over Arne, 1 over Durlston

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Sightings - Thursday 28th July 2011

Stilt Sandpiper - 1 still at Lodmoor, showing well by tern islands this evening
Yellow-legged Gull - 1 juvenile at Portland
Grasshopper Warbler - 1 Central Marsh, Christchurch Harbour
Melodious Warbler - 1 trapped and ringed at Portland Bird Observatory
Pied Flycatcher - 1 Portland, 1 at RIBS Marine, Christchurch
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Sightings - Wednesday 27th July 2011

Marsh Harrier - 6 Radipole lake (4juv + 2ad)
Stilt Sandpiper - 1 adult Lodmoor
Common Sandpiper - 5 Stanpit Marsh
Spotted Redshank - 2 Upton CP.
Green Sandpiper - 4 Lodmoor
Sandwich Tern - 57 Stanpit Marsh
Wheatear - 4 Stanpit marsh
Grasshopper Warbler - 1 Abbotsbury
Whitethroat - 64 around Christchurch Hbr.
Pied Flycatcher - 1 Upton CP.
Corn Bunting - 1juv. West Bexington.

Juvenile Corn Bunting - West Bexington © Mike Morse
Sedge Warbler - Lytchett Bay © Paul Morton
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Sightings - Tuesday 26th July 2011

Balearic Shearwater - 2 past Portland Bill
Great White Egret - 1 seen briefly on R. Stour at Cowgrove
Marsh Harrier - 2 adults and 1 juvenile at Keysworth
Stilt Sandpiper - 1 adult still at Overcombe end of Lodmoor but elusive
Whimbrel - 6 Stanpit
Mediterranean Gull - 178 at Stanpit, including 42 juveniles
Whinchat - 3 juveniles at St. Aldhelm's Head
Pied Flycatcher - 1 Abbotsbury Gardens, 1 Southwell

Stilt Sandpiper at Lodmoor © Martin Cade
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Sightings - Monday 25th July 2011

Cattle Egret - 1 at Lodmoor, 1 Middlebere
Little Ringed Plover -1 Ferrybridge
Stilt Sandpiper - adult still at Lodmoor
Yellow-legged Gull - 1 at Ferrybridge
Grasshopper Warbler - 1 at West Bexington, 1 Hengistbury Head
Pied Flycatcher - 1 Portland, 1 Arne Moors
Crossbill - 1 over Durlston

Grasshopper Warbler at West Bexington © Mike Morse
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Sightings - Sunday 24th July 2011

Balearic Shearwater - 2 past Portland Bill
Little Ringed Plover - singles at Lodmoor and Hengistbury Head
Stilt Sandpiper - an adult at Lodmoor (apparently also present yesterday).  This morning it was seen on two occasions on the main reserve, however this afternoon it was present on a pool at the Overcombe end of the reserve.  The area is best viewed from the bank along Preston Road at approx SY695815.  This is the 2nd record for Dorset, following 1 on Brownsea Lagoon in 2006.
Arctic Skua - 3 past Portland Bill
Pomarine Skua - 1 past Portland Bill
Great Skua - 2 past Portland Bill
Mediterranean Gull - 61 at Stanpit, 42 at Cowards Marsh
Yellow-legged Gull - 2 at Ferrybridge
Turtle Dove - 3 at Affpuddle Forest
Whinchat - 3 at Pentridge
Crossbill - 7 over Easton, 1 at Culverwell

Very distant Stilt Sandpiper! - Lodmoor © Kevin Lane
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Sightings - Saturday 23rd July 2011

Balearic Shearwater - 4 past Portland Bill
Quail - 2 at Tarrant Rushton Airfield, 1 at Wyke Down
Little Ringed Plover - 1 at Wick/Stanpit
Arctic Skua - 1 past Abbotsbury Beach
Mediterranean Gull - 70+ at Stanpit
Yellow-legged Gull - 1 at Portland Bill
Turtle Dove - 1 at Hengistbury Head
Firecrest - news has been received of the successful breeding of a pair near Abbotsbury this year.
Crossbill - 14 over Wick, 6 over the Grove, Portland
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Sightings - Friday 22nd July 2011

Balearic Shearwater - 2 past Portland Bill
Little Ringed Plover - 1 through Christchurch Harbour
Mediterranean Gull - 71 at Cowards Marsh
Quail - 3 at Tarrant Rushton Airfield
Crossbill - 15+ in Puddletown Forest, 12 over Sunnyside Farm, Ridge
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Sightings - Thursday 21st July 2011

Manx Shearwater - 30 past Portland Bill
Spotted Redshank - 1 at Holes Bay (Upton Country Park)
Mediterranean Gull - 114 at Cowards Marsh, 84 at Stanpit Marsh
Roseate Tern - 1 east past Mudeford Quay
Paddyfield Warbler - 1 trapped and ringed on the northern/western edge of Chickerell Rifle Range, The Fleet this morning.  It was released into the reedbed there, but wasn't seen subsequently.  This is the 1st record for Dorset of this species.

Late news for yesterday: a Quail was calling from a wheat field at Tarrant Rushton Airfield.

Paddyfield Warbler at Chickerell Rifle Range © Martin Cade

Peregrine at Durlston © Dom Greves

Yesterday's Great White Egret at Sturminster Marshall © Kevin Lane
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Sightings - Wednesday 20th July 2011

Fantastic news from RSPB Weymouth Wetlands with a total of six juvenile Marsh Harriers fledged from nests at Radipole and Lodmoor.

Great White Egret - 1 Sturminster Marshall GP (no access and very limited viewing)
Balearic Shearwater – 1 past Portland Bill
Marsh Harrier – 4 juveniles Radipole Lake and 2 Lodmoor
Common Sandpiper – 5 Lodmoor, 5 East Cliffs Portland
Swift – 210 over Christchurch Harbour
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Sightings - Tuesday 19th July 2011

Red-creasted Pochard - 1 Swineham GPs
Great White Egret - 1 Sturminster Marshall GP (no access and very limited viewing)
Great Crested Grebe - 48 Swineham GPs
Manx Shearwater - 50 past Portland Bill
Redshank - 38 Brownsea Island
Greenshank - 11 Brownsea Island
Spotted Redshank - 4 Brownsea Island
Little Ringed Plover -2 Swineham GPs
Whimbrel - 5 Stanpit Marsh
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Sightings - Monday 18th July 2011

Great White Egret - 1 Sturminster Marshall GP
Manx Shearwater - 1000 past Portland Bill
Balearic Shearwater - 1 past Portland Bill
Whimbrel - 5 Christchurch Harbour
Great Skua - 2 past Portland Bill
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Sightings - Sunday 17th July 2011

Manx Shearwater - 33 past Portland Bill
Balearic Shearwater - 6 past Portland Bill, 2 past Hengistbury Head
Common Sandpiper - 4 Longham Lakes
Great Skua - 1 past Portland Bill, 1 past Hengistbury Head
Arctic Skua - 2 past Portland Bill
Mediterranean Gull - 42 Coward's Marsh
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Sightings, Saturday 16th July 2011

Relatively little reported today. There was heavy rain for most of the morning.
Balearic Shearwater - 10, Portland; 1, Hengistbury
Yellow-legged Gull - 1, Portland















Bearded Tit, 15/7/2011, Lodmoor, copyright Dom Greves
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Sightings, 15th July 2011

Relatively little to report....
Little Ringed Plover - 1, West Bexington
Green Sandpipier - 3, Hengistbury Head
Yellow-legged Gull - 1, Portland
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Sightings Thursday 14th July 2011


Ferruginous Duck - 1, East Holme

Mandarin - 1, Longham Lakes

Common Sandpiper - 3, Longham Lakes; 6, Stanpit; 1, Portland

Roseate Tern - 1, Lodmoor

Little Tern - 3, Stanpit

Yellow-legged Gull - 1, Portland



















Common Terns, Lodmoor copyright Bob Ford; Marsh Harrier and coot, Radipole, copyright Tim Downton
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Sightings, Wednesday 13th July 2007

Mandarin - 1, Longham Lakes
Goosander - 1, Christchurch Harbour (Barn Bight)
Common Scoter - 1 female Poole Harbour (Goathorn)
Balearic Shearwater - 2, Portland
Golden Plover - 2, Christchurch Harbour
Knot - 2, Christchurch Harbour
Little Ringed Plover - 1, Christchurch Harbour; 1 Brownsea
Yellow-legged Gull - 1, juv, Portland Bill
Dartford warbler - 1, Portland Bill
Turtle Dove - 1, Hengistbury
Serin - 1, Portland
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Sightings - Tuesday, 12th July 2011

Spotted redshank - 3 Brownsea, 1 Holes Bay
Greenshank - 5 Brownsea, 2 Stanpit
Balearic shearwater - 2 Portland Bill
Manx shearwater - 6 Portland Bill
Mediterranean Gull - 19 Lodmoor, 46 Fisherman's Bank, Stanpit
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Sightings - Monday July 11th, 2011

Balearic shearwater - 1 Portland
Little stint - 1 Ferrybridge

Little owl, Portland (c) Julian Stone


















 
Kestrel, Portland, (c) Julian Stone






























































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Sightings - Sunday 10th July 2011





Balearic shearwater - 9 Portland Bill
Osprey - 1 Arne between Coombe and Shipstal Point
Mandarin - Juvenile still at Longham Lakes
Spotted redshank - 1 Upton CP
Greenshank - 3 Wick
Common sandpiper - 12 Stanpit , 14 Longham Lakes
Grey plover - 1 Stanpit
Common tern - 3 Longham Lakes
Crag Martin - 1 at Stanpit for five minutes (17:05) before heading north up Avon Valley
Wheatear - 2 Kimmeridge bay

Harrier news
A second juvenile Marsh Harrier fledged at RSPB Radipole Lake today. Two were in the air together this evening as well as both adults. Some picture of the adults and a juv from Thursday can be found at my blog www.welshbirderindorset.blogspot.com
Luke Phillips, Weymouth Wetlands Info Officer, RSPB Weymouth Wetlands

Mandarin, Longham lakes (c) Chris Parnell
Common terns, Longham lakes, (c) Chris Parnell
Reed warbler, Hammoon (c) John Howell


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Sightings - Saturday 9th July 2011

Manx Shearwater - 33 Portland Bill
Balearic Shearwater - 3 Portland Bill
Hobby - 1 Radipole
Common Sandpiper - 1 Brownsea Island, 1 Hengistbury Head, 8 Longham Lakes
Greenshank - 6 Brownsea Island
Spotted Redshank - 2 Brownsea Island
Roseate Tern - 1 Brownsea Island, 1 Lodmoor
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Sightings - Friday 8th July 2011

Manx Shearwater - 1 Hengistbury Head, 68 Portland Bill, 12 St Aldhelms Head.
Balearic Shearwater - 8 Portland Bill.
Turnstone - 6 Hengistbury sandspit
Common Sandpiper - 1 Christchurch Harbour
Whimbrel - 2 Christchurch Harbour
Mediterranean Gull - 1 Christchurch Harbour
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Sightings - Thursday 7th July 2011

Balearic Shearwater - 4 past Portland Bill, 1 past Abbotsbury Beach
Long-tailed Skua - Adult at Abbotsbury Beach and later at Cogden
Roseate Tern - 2 at Lodmoor
Common Sandpiper - 6 at Peveril Point, Swanage


News from Luke Phillips at Weymouth

‘Some exciting news from the Weymouth Wetlands. The first Marsh Harrier chick fledged at Radipole Lake at about 18:20 this evening. Throughout the day food had been coming into the nest very frequently and chicks could he heard squabbling suggesting that they were pretty big.

Over at Lodmoor we are still waiting for fledging though this must surely happen within the next few days. Food was still being dropped off at the nest today. If the Lodmoor birds fledge it will be the first time we have had two nests in Weymouth! We will keep you posted as more develops.’

Long-tailed Skua at Abbotsbury Beach © Mike Morse











Peregrine at Durlston © Dom Greves
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Sightings - Wednesday 6th July 2011

Manx Shearwater - a few continually at Portland Bill
Balearic Shearwater - 2+ Portland Bill
Marsh Harrier - 1 Stanpit
Hobby - 1 Stanpit
Whimbrel - 5 Stanpit
Common Sandpiper - 6 Peveril Point, 1 Stanpit
Greenshank - 2 Stanpit
Pomarine Skua - 3 Portland Bill
Arctic Skua - 2 Portland Bill
Treecreeper - 2 on Stanpit were notable for the site.
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Sightings - Tuesday 5th July 2011

Balearic Shearwater - 2 past Portland Bill
Little Ringed Plover - 1 at Stanpit Marsh
Whimbrel - 4 at Stanpit Marsh
Common Sandpiper - 2 at Stanpit Marsh
Arctic Skua - 1 past Portland Bill
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Sightings - Monday 4th July 2011

Manx Shearwater -  1 Portland Bill
Red Kite - 1 at Hooke
Hobby - 1 Durlston
Little Ringed Plover - 1 Stanpit
Whimbrel - 2 Stanpit
Common Sandpiper - 2 Upton Park
Greenshank - 2 Stanpit
Arctic Skua - 1 pale-phase across Christchurch Harbour
Long-tailed Skua - 1 adult across Christchurch Harbour
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Sightings - Sunday 3rd July 2011

Common Scoter - 85 Portland Bill
Quail - 2 calling Grove Hill p.m.
Manx Shearwater - 7 Portland Bill
Little Ringed Plover - 4 Stanpit Marsh
Common Sandpiper - 4 Lytchett Bay
Green Sandpiper - 3 Holton Lee 
Greenshank - 6 Stanpit Marsh, 4 Lytchett Bay
Arctic Skua - 1 Portland Bill


Late report for 2nd July Grasshopper Warbler Stour LNR.
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Sightings - Saturday 2nd July 2011

Goosander - 3 Christchurch Hbr.
Quail - 1 calling Martinstown
Spoonbill - 1 Brownsea Is.
Osprey - 1 Christchurch Hbr.
Hobby - 4 Middlebere
Common Sandpiper - 4vStanpit Marsh, 1 Brownsea Is.
Spotted Redshank - 4-5 sum/plumage Brownsea Is.
Greenshank - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Arctic Skua - 1 dark phase over Brownsea Is. Lagoon
Crossbill - 2 over Durlston Cp.
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Sightings - Friday 1st July 2011

Common Scoter - 14 Portland Bill
Manx Shearwater - 20 Portland Bill
Balearic Shearwater - 1 Portland Bill
Quail - 1 heard Down Farm Sixpenny Handley
Stone Curlew - 1 Lodmoor
Whimbrel - 3 Stanpit Marsh
Common Sandpiper - 5 West Bexington
Greenshank - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Sand Martin - 50+ West Bexington
Black Redstart - Hengistbury Hd.

Late news from 30th June Roseate Tern Brownsea Is.

Roseate Tern, Brownsea Island 30th July © John Witchall


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