Dorset Birds: Sunday 5th January 2025

Common Scoter - 4 from Mudeford Quay

Long-tailed Duck - 1 Poole Harbour, 1 still yesterday at Abbotsbury Swannery

Water Rail - 1 River Brit Bridport, 4 Radipole park drive north, 2 in a garden stream at Uppington near Hinton Martell

Slavonian Grebe - 1 Poole Harbour

Black-necked Grebe - 1 Poole Harbour, 1 from Sandsfoot Castle Portland Harbour

Purple Sandpiper - 15 Mudeford Quay

Red-throated Diver - 1 Hengistbury

Black-throated Diver - 2 still Parkstone Bay

Great Northern Diver - 9 Poole Harbour

Spoonbills - 16 Poole Harbour

Cattle Egret - 17 Holmebridge

Marsh Harrier - 3 Swineham

White-tailed Eagle - 3 Wareham Channel

Short-eared Owl - 2 Wyke Down

Black Redstart - 1 Nothe Fort Weymouth

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.