Sightings - Monday 29th February 2016

Long-tailed Duck -  2 Abbotsbury

Great Northern Diver - 4 Portland Harbour

Black-throated Diver - 1 Portland Harbour

Slavonian Grebe - 3 Portland Harbour

Red Kite - 1 Parkstone

Purple Sandpiper - 8 Lyme Regis

Water Pipit - 1 Priory Marsh

Black Redstart - 1 Lyme Regis

Pallas's Warbler - 1 still at Portesham, grid ref. SY 595855

Great Grey Shrike - 1 Oak Hill

Firecrest - 1 Hengistbury Head

Yellowhammer Corfe Common © Clive Hargrave 

Sightings - Sunday 28th February 2016

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 5 Moonfleet

Scaup - 4+ Abbotsbury

Long-tailed Duck -  2 Abbotsbury

Black-throated Diver - 1 Portland Harbour

Slavonian Grebe - 1 Portland Harbour

Spoonbill - 4 Lodmoor, 1 Lytchett Bay

Hen Harrier - 1 Wyke Down

Purple Sandpiper - 7 Lyme Regis

Short-eared Owl - 2 Portland Bill

Water Pipit - 8 Lytchett Fields

Black Redstart - 1 Chesil Cove, 1 Portland Bill

Pallas's Warbler - 1 still at Portesham, grid ref. SY 595855

Great Grey Shrike - 1 Oak Hill

Firecrest - 2 Portland Bill, 1 Lytchett Fields

 

Buzzard in Wareham Forest © Brett Spencer

Pallas's Warbler at Portesham © Brett Spencer

Pallas's Warbler at Portesham © Brett Spencer

Nuthatch in Wareham Forest © Brett Spencer

Sightings - Saturday 27th February 2016

Garganey - 1 fem Rodden Hive

Goosander - 2 over Longham Lakes, 1 Stanpit

Merlin - 1 Lytchett Fields

Spotted Redshank - 1 Stanpit

Water Pipit - 10 Lytchett Fields

'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit - 2 Stanpit

Black Redstart - 1 The Grove, Portland

Pallas's Warbler - 1 Portesham at grid ref. SY595855

Firecrest - 2 Portland Bird Obs, 1 Durlston CP

 

Pallas's Warbler at Portesham © Brendan Sheils

 

Pallas's Warbler at Portesham © Brendan Sheils

 

Pallas's Warbler at Portesham © Brendan Sheils

 

Sightings - Friday 26th February 2016

Scaup - 5 Abbotsbury
Long-tailed Duck -  2 Abbotsbury

Slavonian Grebe - 1 Abbotsbury

Spoonbill - 4 Lodmoor, 1 Lytchett Bay

Purple Sandpiper - 18 Hengistbury Head

Black Redstart - 1 Blacknor, Portland

Pallas's Warbler - 1 near Portesham at grid ref. SY 595855

Siberian Chiffchaff - 2 Dorchester Water Meadows

Siberian Chiffchaff at Dorchester Water Meadows © Dave Chown

Pallas's Warbler at Portesham © John Wall

Sightings - Thursday 25th February 2016

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 3 Ferrybridge

Smew - 1 redhead Studland Bay

Great Northern Diver - 6 Portland Harbour, 2 Ferrybridge

Slavonian Grebe - 1 Weymouth Bay

Black-necked Grebe - 11 Portland Harbour

Spoonbill - 4 Lodmoor
Common Crane - 2 over Horton

Purple Sandpiper - 1 Hengistbury Head

Water Pipit - 1 Stanpit
Black Redstart - 2 Lyme Regis, 2 Studland, 1 Hengistbury Head

Redwing - 300+ Winfrith
Pallas's Warbler - 1 Portesham at grid ref. SY 595855

Firecrest - 1 Hengistbury Head
Great Grey Shrike - 1 Oak Hill

Oystercatcher at Hengistbury Head © Joe Murphy

Sightings - Wednesday 24 February 2016

Black-throated Diver - 1 past Hengistbury Head.
Red-throated Diver - 1 past Hengistbury Head.
Marsh Harrier - 3 Radipole Lake.
Hen Harrier - 1 Arne Moors, 1 Slepe and Swineham.
Merlin - 1 Hartland Moor.
Grey Plover - 1+ Baiter.
Mediterranean Gull - 1 ringed bird (black lettering on white ring) with others at Baiter.
Sandwich Tern - 2 Baiter.
Short-eared Owl - 2 Portland Bill, 1 Purse Caundle.           
Black Redstart - 1 Chesil Cove, 1 Poole Old Town, 1 West Bay.
Dartford Warbler - 12+ at Morden Bog.

Curlew at Stanpit Marsh © Joe Murphy

Short-Eared Owl at Purse Caundle © Joshua Evans

Short-Eared Owl at Purse Caundle © Joshua Evans

Raven at Burton Cliff © Maurice Budden

Sightings - Tuesday 23 February 2016

Smew - 2 redheads together at Holes Bay.
Scaup - 5 Abbotsbury Swannery

Little Egret - flock of 28, Tolpuddle.
Marsh Harrier - 1 Brands Bay.
Sandwich Tern - 3 Portland Harbour.
Little Gull - 1 Abbotsbury Swannery

Short-Eared Owl - 2 Portland Bill
Siberian Chiffchaff -    1 Portland Castle.
Firecrest - 2 Hengistbury Head, 2 Portland Bill.
Great Grey Shrike - 1 Oak Hill.
Lesser Redpoll - 50+ at Longham Lakes was unusual for the site.

Dartford Warbler at Sandford Heath © Clive Hargrave

Woodlark at Sandford Heath © Clive Hargrave

Sightings - Monday 22 February 2016

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 1 in the Ferrybridge Brent flock.
Great Northern Diver - 4 Poole Harbour.
Black-Necked Grebe - 9 from Poole Harbour mouth.   
Spoonbill - 1 Brands Bay.
Marsh Harrier - 1 Lytchett Bay.
Spotted Redshank - 1 Christchurch Harbour, 1 Lytchett Bay.
Greenshank - 2 Lytchett Bay.
Green Sandpiper - 3 Lytchett Bay.
Mediterranean Gull - 1 ringed bird of 8 at Lytchett Bay (green ring with white digits).
Sandwich Tern - 1 from Poole Harbour mouth.
'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit - 8+ Lytchett Bay.
Water Pipit - 10+ Lytchett Bay.
Black Redstart - 1 Portland Castle.
Siberian Chiffchaff - 1 Portland Castle.
Chiffchaff - 2 Penn's Weare (Portland), 1 Portland Bill.
Firecrest - 1 Portland Bill.

Sightings - Sunday 21 February 2016

Smew - 1 Holes Bay.south of the railway.
Great Northern Diver - 3 Brands Bay,  1 Portland Harbour.
Red-Throated Diver - 1 Brands Bay, 1 Durlston NR.
Red-Necked Grebe - 1 Brands Bay.
Slavonian Grebe - 3 Portland Harbour, 1 Swanage Bay.
Black-Necked Grebe - 1 Brands Bay in partial summer plumage, 6 Portland Harbour.
Great White Egret - 1 Studland.
Spoonbill - 2 Brands Bay, 1 Brownsea Island, 7 Wareham Channel.
Marsh Harrier - 1 Horton Inn, 1 Lytchett Bay, 2 Wareham Channel.
Hen Harrier - 1 Wareham Channel.
Crane - 2 over River Allen at Witchampton.
Spotted Redshank - 1 Brownsea Island, 1 Lytchett Bay, 1 Swineham.
Greenshank - 5 Brands Bay, 4 Lytchett Bay.
Green Sandpiper - 1 Lytchett Pools.
Great Skua - 1 past Portland Bill.
Yellow-Legged Gull - 1 Holes Bay.
Iceland Gull - 1 first-winter, Brownsea Island.
Waxwing - probable sighting of 3, Verwood.
'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit - 1 Lytchett Pools, 2 Stanpit.
Water Pipit - 3+ Lytchett Pools.
Black Redstart - 1 Balaclava Bay (Portland).
Chiffchaff - 1 Stanpit.

Late news:  Lady Amherst's Pheasant in Belle Vue Road area of Weymouth, Tuesday.

Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Weymouth, Tuesday © Nial Turner

 

Sightings - Saturday 20th February 2016.

Brent Goose - 220 Ferrybridge.
Common Scoter - 1 through off the Bill.
Great Northern Diver - 2 Portland Harbour.
Slavonian Grebe - 2 Portland Harbour.
Black-necked Grebe - 8 Portland Harbour.
Lapwing - 400 Avon Causeway.
Ruff - 5 Avon Causeway.
Mediterranean Gull - 7 Longham Lakes, 1 Avon Causeway, 1 Radipole.
'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit - 3 Stanpit Marsh.
Black Redstart - 1 Blacknor.
Redwing - 30+ Longham Lakes.
Chiffchaff - 3 Longham Lakes, 1 Stanpit.
Great Grey Shrike - 1 near Sugar Hill.

Mediterranean Gull – Radipole © Brett Spencer.

Sightings - Friday 19th February 2016.

Brent Goose - 200 Stanpit Marsh.
Velvet Scoter - 1 female type Portland Harbour.
Scaup 5 - Abbotsbury Swannery.
Great Northern Diver - 3 Poole Harbour, 1 Portland Harbour.
Slavonian Grebe - 1 Portland Harbour, 1 Abbotsbury Swannery.
Ringed Plover - 4 Stanpit Marsh.
Sandwich Tern - 1 Poole Harbour.
Little Gull - 1 Abbotsbury Swannery.
Black Guillemot - 1 Portland Harbour.
Short-eared Owl - 1 Southwell (Portland).
'Siberian' Chiffchaff - 1 Stanpit Marsh.
Firecrest - 1 Upton CP.

Raven – Hengistbury Head © Joe Murphy.

Sightings - Thursday 18th February 2016.

Egyptian Goose - 2 Lewell Barn.
Scaup - 5 Abbotsbury Swannery.
Long-tailed Duck - 1 Abbotsbury Swannery.
Spoonbill - 15 Shipstal Point.
Marsh Harrier - 4 Wareham Channel Area.
Hen Harrier - 1 Arne Moors.
Merlin - 1 Hartland Moor.
Purple Sandpiper - 4 Sandbanks.
Woodcock - 3 Holton Lee, 3 Lytchett Fields.
Little Gull - 1 Abbotsbury Swannery
Black Guillemot - 1 North Haven.
Skylark - 1 in off of Portland Bill (first vis-mig of the year).
Scandinavian Rock Pipit - 2 Stanpit.
Siberian Chiffchaff - 1 Christchurch Harbour, 1 Stour LNR (Kinson Sewage works).
Firecrest - 1 Christchurch Harbour, 1 Corfe Mullen, 3 Portland Bill.
Crossbill - c12 Oak Hill.

Red-breasted Merganser – Poole Park © David Wareham.    

Linnet– Hengistbury Head © Joe Murphy.

Sightings - Wednesday 17th February 2016.

Long-tailed Duck - 2 Abbotsbury Swannery.
Red-throated Diver - 1 past Portland Bill.
Chiffchaff - 1 Portland Observatory.
Firecrest - 1 Portland Observatory.

These being the only reports today.

Sightings - Tuesday 16th February 2016

Smew - redhead Holes Bay
Red-throated Diver - 3 off Chesil Cove
Red Kite - 1 Lytchett Bay
Hen Harrier - 1 male Middlebere, 1 female East Holme
Jack Snipe - 1 Portland Bill
Green Sandpiper - 1 Lytchett Bay
Short-eared Owl - 3 Portland Bill
Black Redstart - 1 Portland Bill, 1 Reap Lane
Firecrest - 2 Portland Bill, 1 Longham Lakes

Lapwing - Hengistbury Head © Joe Murphy

Redshank - Hengistbury Head © Joe Murphy

Sightings - Monday 15th February 2016

Scaup - 1 Abbotsbury
Red-throated Diver - 1 past Hengistbury Hd.
Great Northern Diver - 1 Hengistbury Hd.
Golden Plover - 100 Maiden Castle
Jack Snipe - 3 Swineham Point
Spotted Redshank - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Red Kite - 1 Verwood, 1 Tarrant Rushton airfield
Little Gull - 1 Abbotsbury
Water Pipit - 2 Overcombe Corner
Wheatear - 1 Tarrant Rushton airfield
Siberian Chiffchaff - 1 Stour Valley LNR (Kinson Sewage works)
Firecrest - 2 Moreton Gardens.
Great Grey Shrike - 1 Oak Hill, Wareham Forest
Brambling - 10-20 Lane End

Marsh Harrier - Radipole © Roger Hewitt

Nuthatch - Upton CP © David Wareham

Sightings - Sunday 14th February 2016

Scaup - 5 Abbotsbury
Long-tailed Duck - 1 Abbotsbury
Smew - 1 redhead Holes Bay
Great Northern Diver - 2 Littlesea (Fleet), 1 Portland Hbr.
Slavonian Grebe - 1 Littlesea (Fleet)
Black-necked Grebe - 5 Portland Hbr.
Spotted Redshank - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Bittern - 1 Radipole Lake
Spoonbill - 7 Middlebere, 2 Lodmoor
Red Kite - 2 Melbury Down (Shaftesbury), 1 Lodmoor
Hen Harrier - 2, Arne (1 male), 1 Middlebere, 1 Hartland Moor
Little Gull - 1 Abbotsbury
Water Pipit - 7 Overcombe Corner
Black Redstart - 2 Chesil Cove, 1 Blacknor
Firecrest - 1 Littlesea (Fleet), 1 Rushcombe Bottom LNR.
Great Grey Shrike - 1 still Oak Hill Wareham Forest

Short-eared Owl - Portland © Brett Spencer

Sighting - Saturday 13th February 2016

Smew - 1 redhead Holes Bay
Red-throated Diver - 1 past Portland Bill
Great Northern Diver - 7 Portland Hbr, 7 Poole Hbr.
Slavonian Grebe - 3 Portland Hbr.
Black-necked Grebe - 8 Brand's Bay, 2 Portland Hbr.
Bittern - 1 Radipole, 1 Arne Moors
Spotted Redshank - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Little Gull - 1 Butterstreet Cove
Sandwich Tern - 1 Ferrybridge, 1 Mudeford Quay
Black Guillemot - 1 Poole Hbr off Brownsea Quay
Short-eared Owl - 1 Wimborne Meadows
Firecrest - 1 Norden Sewage Works.

Spotted Redshank - Stanpit Marsh © Clinton Whale

Sightings - Friday 12th February 2016

Spoonbill - 18 Arne
Purple Sandpiper - 14 Hengistbury Head
Little Gull - 1 Ferrybridge
Puffin - 1 off Portland Bill
Water Pipit - 2 Arne, 1 Hengistbury Head
Short-eared Owl - 1 Verne Moat Portland
Great Grey Shrike - Oaks Hill Wareham Forest
Firecrest - 2 Sherborne sewage works

Sightings - Thursday 11th February 2016

Smew - 1 Holes Bay
Long-tailed Duck - 1 Abbotsbury Swannery
Eider - 1 off Hengistbury Head
Red-throated Diver - 1 past Hengistbury Head
Great Northern Diver - 6 Portland Harbour
Black-necked Grebe - 16  Portland Harbour
Slavonian Grebe - 2 Portland Harbour, 3 Chesil Cove
Bittern - 1 Arne Moors
Mediterranean Gull - 400 Ferrybridge
Black Guillemot - 1 Poole Harbour
Short-eared Owl - 1 Lytchett Bay
Black Redstart - 1 Chesil Cove
Siberian Chiffchaff - 1 Stour LNR Bournemouth
Firecrest -  2 Portland Bird Obs, 1 Stour LNR Bournemouth

Sightings - Wednesday 10th Februay 2016

Smew - 1 Holes Bay
Spoonbill - 10-15 Arne, 3 Corfe Castle river
Black Guillemot - 1 Poole Harbour
Short-eared Owl - 1 Portland Bill, 1 Southwell 
Great Grey Shrike - 1 Oak Hill Wareham Forest, 1 on private land near Avon Heath
Firecrest - 1 West Bexington

Sightings - Tuesday 9th February 2016

Black-necked Grebe - 22 Portland Harbour
Red-necked Grebe - 1 Portland Harbour
Slavonian Grebe - 5 Portland Harbour
Great Northern Diver - 18 Portland Harbour, 5 Poole Harbour
Spoonbill - 10 Arne, 2 Lodmoor
Purple Sandpiper - 22 Hengistbury Head
Black Guillemot - 1 Poole Harbour
Short-eared Owl - 1 Portland Bill
Great Grey Shrike - 1 Oak/Sugar Hills Wareham Forest
Firecrest - 1 Arne, 1 Portland Bird Obs
Brambling - 20 Lane End

Sightings - Monday 8th February 2016

Great Northern Diver - 1 Christchurch Harbour, 1 Portland Harbour.
Marsh Harrier - 1 struggled in off the sea at Lodmoor
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - 93 in the Weymouth Bay roost of smaller gulls.
Yellow-Legged Gull - 1 departed the Weymouth Bay roost.
Lapwing - 900+ Charminster water meadows may be a site record.
Purple Sandpiper  - 22 Hengistbury sandspit.

Late news: Black Redstart at Blacknor, Portland, and Firecrest at Longham Lakes, both yesterday.

Marsh Harrier over Weymouth Bay today © Dave Chown

Sightings - Sunday 7th February 2016

Smew - 1 north Holes Bay.
Marsh Harrier - 4 Arne Moors.
Hen Harrier - 1 over Arne Moors.
Lapwing - 773 Stanpit.
Jack Snipe - 1 Stanpit Scrubs.
Purple Sandpiper  - 16 Hengistbury sandspit.
Spotted Redshank - 1 Stanpit Scrubs.
Grey Phalarope - 1 off Hengistbury Head.
Mediterranean Gull - c. 1200 in Weymouth Bay roost.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull - 33 in Weymouth Bay roost.
Short-Eared Owl - 1 Arne Moors.
Black Redstart - 1 Cassiobury Rd area (Weymouth).
Chiffchaff - 2+ Stanpit.
Firecrest - 1 DWT Happy Bottom reserve (Corfe Mullen).

Red-Breasted Merganser at Holes Bay © Clinton Whale.

 

Sightings - Saturday 6th February 2016

Common Scoter - 2 Mudeford Quay
Woodcock - c. 30 in fields around SW Poole Harbour last night.
Jack Snipe - 1 SW Poole Harbour last night.
Purple Sandpiper - 12 past Mudeford Quay
Green Sandpiper - 5 went from Holton Lee to Lytchett Bay.
Mediterranean Gull - 1 Christchurch Harbour
Great Skua - 3 Chesil Cove; 1 Portland Bill.
Sandwich Tern - 2 Baiter.

Sandwich Tern at Baiter © Clinton Whale.

Sightings - Friday 5th February 2016

Egyptian Goose - 3 Dorchester water meadows.
Red-Throated Diver - 1 Portland Bill.
Bittern - 1 Radipole Lake.
Marsh Harrier - 1 Portland Bill, 1 Radipole Lake
Scandinavian-type Herring Gull - 2 Mudeford Quay.
Lapwing - c.600 Dorchester water meadows.
Short-Eared Owl - 2 Portland Bill.
Black Redstart - 1 Portland Bill.
Chiffchaff - 1 Portland Bill.
Firecrest - 2 Hengistbury Head, 2 Portland Bill.

Egyptian Geese at Dorchester today © Allan Reese

Sightings - Thursday 4th February 2016.

Purple Sandpiper - 6 Lyme Regis, 1 Christchurch Harbour.
Woodcock - 1 Culpeppers Dish.
Spotted Redshank - 1 Stanpit Marsh.
Short-eared Owl - 2 Portland.
Woodlark - 4 Turnerspuddle Heath.
Black Redstart - 1 Lyme Regis.
Chiffchaff - 4+ Stanpit.
Firecrest - 1 Hengistbury, 1 Portland Observatory.
Great Grey Shrike - 1 Bere Heath.

Wigeon – Hengistbury Head © Geoff Norquoy.

Sightings - Wednesday 3rd February 2016.

Common Scoter - 2 past Portland Bill, 1 Portland Harbour.
Red-throated Diver - 5 past Portland Bill.
Great Northern Diver - 1+ Portland Harbour.
Slavonian Grebe - 3 Portland Harbour.
Black-necked Grebe - 4+ Portland Harbour.
Spoonbill - 2 Lodmoor.
Lapwing - 330 Lodmoor.
Sandwich Tern - 2 Lodmoor.
Short-eared Owl - 5 Portland Bill.
Barn Owl - 1 Portland Bill.
Woodlark - 1 Bere Heath.
Black Redstart - 2 Weymouth.
Crossbill - 30+ Bere Heath, 6 Sugar Hill.

Wigeon – Hengistbury Head ©Joe Murphy.

Oystercatcher – Hengistbury Head © Geoff Norquoy.    

Sightings - Tuesday 2nd February 2016.

Marsh Harrier - 1 Upton CP.
Hen Harrier - 1 Ring Tail Holton Heath.
Lapwing - 560 Stanpit Marsh, 500 Dorchester, 450+ Swineham, 332 Lychett Fields.
Sandwich Tern - 2 Stanpit Marsh.
'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit - 7 Lychett Fields.
Chiffchaff - 4+ Longham Lakes.

Sightings - Monday 1st February 2016.

Great Northern Diver - 2 off Durlston Head.
Red Kite - 1 over Stourpaine.
Sandwich Tern - 1 Ferrybridge.