Sightings Thursday 31st May 2018

Garganey - 3 (2drake 1 duck) Lytchett Fields RSPB
Great Northern Diver - 2 West Bexington (1 in summer plumage)
Osprey - 1 Middlebere with pale blue CR on right leg.
Spotted Crake - calling at dawn Overcombe side of Beachdown
Short-eared Owl - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Hobby - 1 north along the West Cliff Portland Bill
Rosy Starling - 1 still frequenting the Qinetiq compound Portland Bill

Sightings Wednesday 30th May 2018

Great White Egret - 1 over Portland Bill
Osprey - 1 Arne RSPB
Spotted Crake - 1 calling Overcombe
Little Tern - 1 Hengistbury Hd
Rosy Starling - 1 Portland Bill
Spotted Flycatcher - 20 Portland Bill, 3 Anvil Point, 1 Hengistbury Hd.

Jay- Hengistbury Head © David Wareham

Sightings -Tuesday 29th May 2018.

Great Northern Diver - 1 past Portland Bill.
Common Crane - 2 over Sturminster Newton.
Rose-coloured Starling - 1 still Bill Quarry, Portland. 1 flying N up Weston Road, Portland.
Hawfinch - 1 Portland observatory, briefly.

Sightings - Monday 28th May 2018.

Brent Goose - 1 Ferrybridge.
Rose-coloured Starling - 2 Nottington. 1 Portland Bill.
Black-headed Bunting - 1 male Top Fields, Portland Bill.


Rose-coloured Starling – Bill Quarry, Portland ©Roger Hewitt.

Sightings - Sunday 27th May 2018.

Little Gull - 1 Stanpit Marsh.
Yellow Wagtail - 1 Stanpit Marsh (Ashy-headed. M. f. cinereocapilla)
Rose-coloured Starling - 2 Portland Bill.

Greenfinch – Hengistbury Head © David Wareham. 

Sightings - Saturday 26th May 2018.

Snow Goose - 1 Abbotsbury Swannery(of unknown origin).
Knot - 1 in summer plumage Lytchett Fields RSPB.
Arctic Skua - 1E past Portland.
Arctic Tern - 1 Lytchett Bay.
Black Tern - 1 Brownsea Lagoon.
Alpine Swift - 1E over Hengistbury Head.
Bee-Eater - 1N over Abbotsbury Swannery.
Spotted Flycatcher - 21 Hengistbury Head.
Rose-coloured Starling -1 Weymouth.
Golden Oriole - 1 Portland Observatory area.
Tree Sparrow - 2 briefly at Portland Bill.

Sightings - Thursday 25th May 2018

Brent Goose - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Ringed Plover - 44 Lytchett Fields
Black-tailed Godwit - 242 Lytchett Fields
Sanderling - 45 West Bexington, 22 Mudeford Quay

Sightings - Thursday 24th May 2018

Red Kite - 1 Bere Regis area, 1 Thorncombe area
Honey Buzzard - 1 in off Weymouth
Sanderling - 80 West Bexington
Whimbrel - 3 West Bexington
Possible Siberian Common Tern - 1 Abbotsbury
Spotted Flycatcher - 16 Hengistbury Head, 50 Portland Bill

Sightings - Wednesday 23rd May 2018

Brent Goose - 1 Christchurch Harbour
Red-breasted Merganser - 1 Christchurch Harbour
Red Kite - 1 Turbary Common, 1 Arne, 3 Sixpenny Handley
Osprey - 2 Arne, 1 Tidmoor Point
Knot - 1 Abbotsbury
Sanderling - 66 West Bexington
Black-tailed Godwit - 181 Lytchett Fields
Ruff - 2 Lytchett Fields
Little Gull - 1 Lodmoor
Bee-eater - 1 heard Durlston

Sightings - Tuesday 22nd May 2018

Hardly any news today

Garganey - 1 Abbotsbury
Red Kite - 3 Wareham Forest, 1 Ulwell

Sightings - Monday 21st May 2018

Manx Shearwater - 225 off Abbotsbury Beach this evening
Red Kite - small numbers still moving in the south of the county

Bee-eater - 1 over Portland Bill, 1 heard over Wareham near train station at 16:30
Whinchat - 1 Seatown, near Chideok

Sightings - Sunday 20th May 2018

Nightjar - 2 distantly off Chesil Cove late evening

Egyptian Goose - Lodmoor RSPB © Edmund Mackrill

Sightings - Saturday 19th May 2018

Black-tailed Godwit - 130 Brownsea Lagoon
Bar-tailed Godwit - 3 Brownsea Lagoon
Little Gull - 1 2cy Abbotsbury Swannery
Short-eared Owl  - 1 in the Lorton Valley, Lodmoor RSPB

Stonechat - Hengistbury Head © David Wareham

Sightings - Friday 18th May 2018

Spoonbill - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Arctic Skua - 4 past Chesil Cove
Greenshank - 2 Lytchett Fields RSPB
Hen Harrier - 1 near Wareham Forest
Tree Sparrow - 3 Portland Bill

Siskin - West Moors © Roy Nicklin

Pochard - Radipole Lake RSPB © David Wareham

Sightings - Thursday 17th May 2018

Spoonbill - 1 Lytchett Fields RSPB, 1 Stanpit
Red Kite -  1 over Wareham Forest
Osprey - 1 Wareham Channel
Common Sandpiper - 1 Hatch Pond, 1 Abbotsbury Swannery
Arctic Skua - 1 Portland Bill
Nightjar - 1 Brownsea Island
Spotted Flycatcher - 6 Portland, 1 Winspit
Whinchat - 2 Portland

Further information about yesterdays sightings : It has been reported that, based on their colour rings, the two Cranes over Horton are Soar and Humbug from the Somerset Great Crane Project.

Also a Sandwich Tern seen at Abbotsbury Swannery yesterday was ringed at Lady's Island Lake, (County Wexford, Ireland), in 2015, then wintered in Namibia; it's next sighting was in Lancashire in 2017 before appearing at Abbotsbury.

Sightings - Wednesday 16th May 2018

Red Kite -  1 over Wareham
Osprey - 1 over Blacknor (Portland), 1 Wareham Channel
Hobby - 2 Swineham, 1 Portland Bill
Crane - 2 over Horton
Whimbrel - 2 over Portesham
Arctic Tern - 12 Abbotsbury Swannery
Yellow-legged Gull - 1 2cy at Radipole RSPB
Cuckoo - 1 Swineham
Garden Warbler - 1 Portland Bill
Spotted Flycatcher - 6 Portland Bill, 4 Winspit Valley
Nightingale - 1 Lydlinch Common
Tree Sparrow - 1 Portland Bill

Cranes over Horton © John Wareham

Yellow-legged Gull at Radipole RSPB © Edmund Mackrill

Sightings - Tuesday 15th May 2018

Scaup -  1 Abbotsbury Swannery
Red Kite -  good numbers reported from coastal and some inland sites: highest
count 58 over Abbotsbury
Whimbrel - 6 Christchurch Harbour
Sanderling - 9 Hengistbury Head
Purple Sandpiper - 14 on the Cobb at Lyme Regis
Greenshank - 1 Lytchett Fields RSPB
Pomarine Skua - 1 Weymouth Bay
Garden Warbler - 1 Stanpit
Spotted Flycatcher - 1 Hengistbury
Nightingale - 1 Reap Lane (Portland)

Sanderling and Dunlin at Hengistbury Head © Clive Hargrave

Skylark at Hengistbury Head © David Wareham

Purple Sandpiper - The Cobb, Lyme Regis on 12th May © Roger Boswell

Sightings - Monday 14th May 2018

Scaup -  1 Abbotsbury Swannery
Red Kite - 12+ over 1 Abbotsbury Swannery, up to 5 over Bournemouth and Christchurch, 4 over Crossways, 3 over Briantspuddle, 1 Morden Bog, 1 Bere Regis, 1 Canford
Whimbrel - 2 Abbotsbury Swannery
Sanderling - 13 Hengistbury Head
Greenshank - 5 Christchurch Harbour
Spotted Flycatcher - 3 Abbotsbury, 2 Hengistbury
Red-spotted Bluethroat - 1 Lodmoor RSPB
Whinchat - 1 Hengistbury

Red-spotted Bluethroat at Lodmoor RSPB © Daragh Croxson
Red-spotted Bluethroat at Lodmoor RSPB © Edmund Mackrill
Red-spotted Bluethroat at Lodmoor RSPB © Edmund Mackrill
Red Kite over Briantspuddle © Roger Hewitt


Red Kite over Morden Bog © Clive Hargrave

Sightings - Sunday 13th May 2018.

Shelduck - 118 - Brownsea Island Lagoon
Scaup - 1 Abbotsbury Swannery, North lake - Longham Lakes
Common Scoter - 40 Durlston CP
Manx Shearwater - 134 Durlston CP
Red Kite - 1 Wimbourne - Cranborne Road
Whimbrel - 4 Durlston CP
Bar tailed Godwit - 1 Brownsea Island Lagoon
Pomarine Skua - 1 Chesil Cove, 3 Durlston CP, 
Arctic Skua - 3 Durlston CP
Wood Warbler - 1 Verne Cemetery, Portland
Continental Coal Tit - 1 Pennsylvania Castle, Portland
Tree Sparrow - 1 Reap Lane, Portland


Sightings - Saturday 12th May 2018.

Common Scoter - 35 Portland
Great Northern Diver - 2 Portland
Manx Shearwater - 200+ feeding off the Bill, Portland 
Osprey - 1 over Bridport, 1 over Abbotsbury, Swannery
Great Skua - 2 Portland
Pomarine Skua - 2 Portland
Arctic Skua - 2 Portland
Tree Sparrow - 1 the Obs/huts area, Portland

Sightings - Friday 11th May 2018.

Scaup - 1 Longham Lakes
Black throated Diver - 1 Portland
Great Northern Diver - 7 Portland
Red Kite - 1 flew north over Winterbourne, Whitechurch
Pomarine Skua - 3 Portland, 1 past Burton Bradstock
Roseate Tern - 1 Burton Bradstock
Continental Coal Tit - 1 Penn's Wood, Portland

Sightings - Thursday 10th May 2018.

Scaup - 1 Longham Lakes, 1 Abbotsbury Swannery
Great White Egret - 1 flew over Briantspuddle heading towards Wareham
Osprey - 1 Wareham Channel, Poole Harbour
Hooded Crow - 1 Flew south west over Lodmoor RSPB


Hooded Crow - Lodmoor RSPB © Edmund Mackrill



Reports of interest, Wednesday 9th May 2018

Manx Shearwater - 6 Durlston CP, 50+ distantly past Hengistbury Head.
Spoonbill - 1 Stanpit.
Great Skua - 1 Durlston CP.
Cuckoo - 1 Wick.
Spotted Flycatcher - 1 Hengistbury Head.

Reports of interest, Tuesday 8th May 2018.

Spoonbill - 1 Stanpit.
Red Kite - 1 Durlston CP, 1 Weymouth.
Osprey - 1 Arne.

Hobby - 1 Longham Lakes.
Whimbrel - 4 Christchurch Harbour.
Sanderling - 4 Christchurch Harbour.
Purple Sandpiper - 4 Hengistbury sandspit.
Common Sandpiper - 1 Longham Lakes.
Cuckoo - 1 Arne, 1 Morden Bog.
Yellow Wagtail - 1 Ferrybridge.
SAVI'S WARBLER - 1 heard Radipole Lake this morning.

Late news:  The Osprey seen over Portland yesterday has been identified at Kielder Water today, where it was ringed as a pullus in 2016.




Green Woodpecker at Wallisdown © David Wareham

Reports of interest, Monday 7th May 2018.

Mandarin Duck - 2 Thorncombe.
Red Kite - 1 Chickerell, 4 Coombe Valley, 5 Lytchett Matravers, 1 Portland.
Osprey - 2 Morden Bog, 1 Portland (Weston).
Whimbrel - 1 Coombe Valley, 23 Ferrybridge, 3 Lytchett Bay, 7 Three-Legged Cross.
Ruff - 1 Lytchett Fields RSPB.
Pomarine Skua - 3 Portland Bill.
Cuckoo - 1 Badbury Rings, 1 Lytchett Matravers.
Yellow Wagtail - 1 Hengistbury Head.
Redstart - 2 Morden Bog.
Whinchat - 1 Hengistbury Head.
Nightingale - 3 Ringstead.
Lesser Whitethroat - 1 Ringstead.




Wheatear at Hengistbury Head © Clinton Whale


Mallard chick jumping at flies, Holton Lea © Brian Smith

Reports of interest, Sunday 6th May 2018

Red-Throated Diver - 2 Chesil.
Red Kite - Many birds reported from coastal and near-coastal areas (total about 30 individuals).
Merlin - 1 Chesil.
Little Ringed Plover - 3 Chesil.
Whimbrel - 80 Chesil, 5 Christchurch Harbour, 7 Ferrybridge.
Common Sandpiper - 2 Christchurch Harbour.
Arctic Tern - 26 Chesil.

 

Linnet at Hengistbury Head © Clinton Whale


Whimbrel at Hengistbury Head © Clinton Whale

Sightings - Saturday 5th May 2018

Scaup -  1 Abbotsbury Swannery, 1 Longham Lakes
Great Northern Diver - 1 Weymouth Bay (Overcombe end)
Osprey - 1 Arne RSPB
Purple Sandpiper - 9 on the Cobb, Lyme Regis
Whimbrel - 7 Lodmoor, 4 Christchurch Harbour, 1 Ferrybridge
Puffin - 5 Dancing Ledge
BONAPARTE’S GULL - 1 Longham Lakes
Hobby - 6 Poole Harbour, 1 Cold Harbour (Wareham Forest)
Red-rumped Swallow - 1 briefly at High Angle Battery (Portland )
Whinchat - 5 Portland Bill, 2 Hengistbury, 2 over Abbotsbury

Puffin at Dancing Ledge © Ian & Helen Mears




Stonechat at Hengistbury Head © Clinton Whale

Sightings - Friday 4th May 2018

Common Scoter - 22 past Chesil Cove
Spoonbill - 1 Stanpit Marsh, 1 Gigger's Island
Red Kite - 1 west over St. Leonards
Goshawk - 1 over Wareham Channel
Whimbrel - 2 Portland Bill, 2 Chesil Cove, 1 Ferrybridge
Purple Sandpiper - 4 Hengistbury Hd.
Common Sandpiper - 3 Wareham Channel, 2 Brownsea shore, 1 Longham Lakes
Arctic Skua - 1 past Chesil cove
Great Shua - 1 Chesil Cove
Arctic Tern - 27 Chesil Cove
'Commic Terns' - 137 Chesil Cove
Bonaparte's Gull - 1 3CY Longham Lakes
Hobby - 2+ Hartland Moor, 1 Slepe Heath
Wheatear - 20+ Portland Bill, 8 Sunnyside Farm
Yellow Wagtail - 1 over Chesil Cove
Whimbrel - Hengistbury Head © Clinton Whale
















Wheatear - Stanpit Marsh © Clinton Whale






















Little Owl - Portland Bill © Clive Hargrave
















Whimbrel Portland Bill © Clive Hargrave




Sightings - Thursday 3rd May 2018

Scaup - 1 fem Abbotsbury Swannery, 1 male Longham Lakes
Spoonbill - 1 Stanpit Marsh
Red Kite - 1 south Moors Valley CP.
Osprey - 1 Wareham Forest, 1 Wareham Channel (pos. same), 1 over Christchurch Hbr.
Whimbrel - 23 Swineham Pt, 13 over Stanpit, 4 Ferrybridge, 2 Middlebere, 1 Brand's Bay
Little Tern - 9 Ferrybridge
Bonaparte's Gull - 1 3CY Longham Lakes
Hobby - 6 Wareham Channel area, 1 over Stanpit Marsh
Golden Oriole - 1 imm. Wyke Regis off Camp Rd. behind Value House.
Whitethroat - 3 Sucthumb Quarry, 1 Barleycrates Lane
Grasshopper Warbler - 1 Wick Fields, 1 Portland Bill, 1 Lytchett Fields
Pied Flycatcher - 1 female Reap Lane
Redstart - 1 female Portland Bill (Top Fields)
Whinchat - 2 Portland Bill (Top Fields), 1 Barleycrates Lane
Yellow Wagtail - 1 Ferrybridge

Whimbrel - Swineham Pt. © Neil Gartshore















Green Woodpecker - Hengistbury Hd. © David Wareham




















Mute Swan - Canford © Roger Peart




Sightings - Wednesday 2nd May 2018

Scaup - 1 drake Longham Lakes
Common Scoter - 20 Chesil Cove, 16 Portland Bill
Red-throated Diver - 1 Portland Bill
Black-throated Diver - 1 Portland Diver, 1 Mudeford Quay
Great Northern Diver - 2 Portland Bill
Manx Shearwater - 16 from Dancing Ledge
Spoonbill - 1 Middlebere
Osprey - 1 Middlebere
Whimbrel - 6 Mudeford Quay, 2 Ferrybridge, 3 Middlebere
Pomarine Skua - 1 Portland Bill
Arctic Skua - 2 Portland Bill
Great Skua - 3 Portland Bill
Little Tern - 22 past Chesil Cove
Common Tern - 510 Chesil Cove
Arctic Tern - 2 Mudeford Quay
Bonaparte's Gull - 1 3CY Longham Lakes
Hobby - 3 Arne, 1 Middlebere, 1 Blacknor
Golden Oriole - 2 Portland Bill
Pied Flycatcher - 1 Portland Bill
Whinchat - 3 King Down
Wheatear - 15 Ferrybridge, 3 Arne, 2 Middlebere

Osprey from Middlebere © Joe Baldwin


















Linnet - Hengistbury Head © David Wareham













Sightings - Tuesday 1st May 2018

Manx Shearwater - Steady passage past Portland
Cattle Egret - 1 Swineham Point
White Stork - 1wandering individual, seen over Canford Heath, Magna Academy and Stoborough
Glossy Ibis - Lytchett Fields and then seen at Arne
Greater Scaup - 1 Abbotsbury, 1 Longham Lakes
Mandarin Duck - 2 on River Stour near Canford School
Marsh Harrier - 1 Wareham Channel
Osprey - 1 Wareham Channel
Little Ringed Plover - 1 Lytchett Fields
Common Sandpiper - 3 Lodmoor
Great Skua - 2 past Portland
Pomarine Skua - 1 past Portland
Bonaparte's Gull - 1 Longham Lakes
Redstart - 4 Portland, 1 Durlston
Golden Oriole - 1 male, 1 female/first summer male Portland

Glossy Ibis - Lytchett Fields RSPB © R.A. Howes
                                        

Glossy Ibis in flight © R.A. Howes
                                           

Green Woodpecker - Colehill garden © Trevor Wilkinson
          

Common Whitethroat - Hengistbury Head © Clinton Whale