Dorset Birds: Thursday 23rd February 2023

Eider - 5 off Middle Beach Studland Bay

Velvet Scoter - 1 off South Beach Studland Bay

Common Scoter - 1 drake off Baiter Poole Harbour

Black-necked Grebe - 4 off South Beach Studland Bay, 2 off Sandsfoot Castle Portland Harbour

Spotted Redshank - 1 Lytchett Fields RSPB

Cattle Egret - 2 on a private farm Coldharbour Chickerell

Red Kite - 1 Winterborne Zelston

Barn Owl - 1 nr Tarrant Monkton

White Tailed Eagle - 4 Arne RSPB flying towards Corfe Castle, 3 Over Abbotsbury flying NW (IoW Reintroduction)

Crossbill - 1 Oakers Wood / Culpeppers Dish

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.