Dorset Birds: 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

Raven at Burton Cliff © Maurice Budden

RARE BREEDING BIRDS

Dorset Bird Club and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel advocate special caution when reporting rare breeding birds as they are vulnerable to persecution and disturbance.

Please consider the birds welfare and do not share details of any rare breeding species on X/Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp groups, personal websites, blogs, or local birdwatching message boards.

We urge all finders of rare birds to consider whether they may be breeding before sharing the news.

Sightings should always be submitted, in confidence, to the county recorder to contribute to long-term national monitoring.

DORSET BIRD REPORT 2023

The Dorset Bird Report 2023, produced by Dorset Bird Club, is now available for purchase by non-members via the DBC website (click on the report cover image below). Featuring a review of the year, a comprehensive systematic list of all species recorded in 2023, rarity finder accounts including the first Moltoni's Warbler and Isabelline Wheatear for Dorset, articles on Baltic Gull, the Alpine Swift influx, Cory's and Great Shearwaters, and the return of the Cirl Bunting. Illustrated throughout with images taken by Dorset's leading photographers. £16 (+ £3 shipping).