Dorset Birds: Sunday 20th April 2025

Scaup -1 off Mudeford Quay this morning
LESSER SCAUP - 1 still on South Lake, Longham Lakes
Swift - 3 Longham Lakes, 1 Worth Matravers, 1 Came Wood (near Weymouth)
Cuckoo - 2 south of Morden Bog, 1 south of Tolpuddle

Common Crane - 4 flew SE along Lower Piddle Valley this afternoon

Whimbrel - 8 Hengistbury Head
Common Sandpiper - 1 Longham Lakes

Black Tern - 1 over Christchurch Harbour
Little Gull - 2 Lodmoor RSPB
Arctic Skua - 1 Hengistbury Head
Puffin - 2 Dancing Ledge
Manx Shearwater - 3 west past Hengistbury Head
Great White Egret - 1 past Portland Bill
Cattle Egret - 1 Bardolf WMs

Red Kite - 6 Worth Matravers, 2 Came Wood, 1 Morden Bog, 1 Upton, 1 Bardolf WMs, 1 Winterborne Zelston
Hoopoe - 1 Worth Matravers village but elusive
Firecrest - 2 near Lawson's Clump
Ring Ouzel - 1 in Barn Field on Hengistbury Head
Whinchat - 1 Hengistbury
Yellow Wagtail - 3 Christchurch Harbour
Tree Pipit - 1 Morden Bog, 1 Avon Heath CP

Whinchat, yesterday on Portland © Garry Hayman

Lesser Whitethroat, Stanpit Marsh © Clinton Whale

Ring Ouzel, Hengistbury © Scott Usher


Red Kite, Swyre © Richard Cook

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).