Wednesday 7th January 2026

 Tundra Bean Goose - 1 north meadows Bardolf Farm viewable from Athelhampton Road just before Athelhampton,

Russian White-fronted Goose - 3 flew over Swineham Point, 52 Swineham GPs

Green-winged Teal - drake Shipstal Point  Arne RSPB

Long-tailed Duck - 1 still on East Fleet Chickerell

Slavonian Grebe - 1 Portland Harbour, 1 from Jerry's Point

Black-necked Grebe - 4 Portland Harbour,1 Poole Harbour, 1 south lake Longham Lakes, 1 from Jerry's Point

Golden Plover - c.150 Maiden Castle in field to the east

Lapwing - 40 Maiden Castle, 43 Sadborow Thorncombe

Purple Sandpiper - 30 Mudeford Quay

Black-throated Diver - 1 Portland Harbour, 1 Poole Harbour

Great Northern Diver - 1 Portland Harbour, 5 Poole Harbour

Glossy Ibis - 9 Waddock Cross CB

Red Kite - 1over Corfe Mullen

Yellow-browed Warbler - 2 Chickerell Woods, 1 still Hatch Pond LNR (path between Sandyhurst Close and Stinsford Road)

Black Redstart - juvenile west end of Bridging Camp Wyke Regis

Yesterday: 1 Ring-necked Parakeet Baldwin Close Christchurch

Tuesday 6th January 2026

 Tundra Bean Goose - 7 still at Rodden Hive Langton Herring, 15 south of Binnegar Lane East Stoke

Russian White-fronted Goose - 6 flew over Rodden Hive, 10 by the River Frome East Stoke

Whooper Swan - 1 Rodden Hive

Egyptian Goose - 34 East Stoke

Shoveler - 200+ Holes Bay

Pintail - 326 Holes Bay

Teal - c.1000 Holes Bay

Slavonian Grebe - 2 still from Jerry's Point

Black-necked Grebe - 3 from Jerry's Point

Avocet - 250+ Holes Bay

Golden Plover - 30 in field south east of Came Down Golf Club

Jack Snipe - 2 Rodden Hive

Spotted Redshank - 1 Holes Bay, 1 Middlebere

Knot - 5 Holes Bay

Dunlin - 600+ Holes Bay, 

Black-throated Diver - 1 flew into Poole Harbour, 1 in Portland Harbour

Spoonbill - 11 Wareham Channel

Hen Harrier - 1 Middlebere, 2 Hartland Moor

White-tailed Eagle - 1 Rodden Hive

Merlin - 1 Hartland Moor

Yellow-browed Warbler - 1 Hatch Pond LNR (path between Sandyhurst Close and Stinsford Road)

Firecrest - 1 Corfe Castle gardens

Monday 5th January 2026

Tundra Bean Goose - 2 Charminster water meadows, 14 still in field south of Binnegar Lane, East Stoke

Russian White-fronted Goose - 44 in field north of Arne Road east of Ridge

Greater Scaup - 1st winter drake Abbotsbury Swannery (closed for winter; use beach car park DT3 4LA)

Slavonian Grebe - 3 on East Fleet Chickerell, 2 from Jerry's Point

Black-necked Grebe - 1 still off Sandsfoot Castle Portland Harbour, 3 Jerry's Point

Purple Sandpiper - 2 Sandbanks, 11 Mudeford Quay yesterday

Black-throated Diver - 1 flew into Poole Harbour

Glossy Ibis - 10 Wareham water meadows

Hen Harrier - Ringtail West Compton

Red Kite - 1 World End Almer

Merlin - 1 Middlebere

Yellow-browed Warbler - 1 still in Chickerell Downs Wood

Black Redstart - 1 Anvil Point Durlston CP

Egyptian Goose, Burleston  © Bill Robins

Purple Sandpiper, The Cobb Lyme Regis © Geoff Mitchell

Redwing, Stour Valley LNR © Robert Fielding

Sunday 4th January 2026

Tundra Bean Goose - 12 still in field south of Binnegar turning, 7 Rodden Hive, 2 still Charminster WM
Russian White-fronted Goose - 26 west from Longham Lakes, 6 still in field East of Ridge nr, Arne Road
Scaup - 1 between Furzey Island & Brownsea Island
Long-tailed Duck - 1 from Tidmoor Point, The Fleet
Goldeneye - 5 off Jerrys Point, 1 off Tidmoor Point
Goosander - 1m from Ferrybridge and along The Fleet
Slavonian Grebe - 3 off Tidmoor Point, 2 off Jerrys Point
Black-necked Grebe - 12 off Chesil Cove, 8 from Sandsfoot Castle, 6 off Houseboats, 1 still Longham
Avocet - 170 Holes Bay
Grey Plover - 105 from Jerrys Point to Brands Bay, 5 Ferrybridge
Whimbrel - 1 Ferrybridge
Bar-tailed Godwit - 3 still Ferrybridge
Knot - 7 Holes Bay
Purple Sandpiper - 10 Portland Bill
Woodcock - 1 Fleet Lane
Little Gull - 1 west from Chickerell Hive Point
Black-throated Diver - 1 east past Portland Bill, 1 into Poole harbour towards Furzey Island
Great Northern Diver - 3 from Jerrys Point, 1 Shell Bay
Glossy Ibis - 10 again over Wareham Common
Spoonbill - 1 Holes Bay
Cattle Egret - 11 to roost from Wareham Common
Great White Egret - 1 Holes bay, 1 over South Lake, Longham Lakes
Yellow Browed Warbler - 1 still Chickerell Downs Woods
Dusky Warbler - 1 Herbury, The Fleet
Firecrest - 1 Pamphill Copse, 1 Chickerell Downs Woods
Fieldfare - 10 nr. North Lake, Longham Lakes
Redwing - 15 nr. Boardwalk, Upton CP
Black Redstart - 2 Charminster, 1 Chesil Cove

 

Goldcrest, Radipole © Russell Parrett

Black-necked Grebe, Longham Lakes © David John Faulkner

Curlew, Bridging Camp, The Fleet © Phil Cheeseman

Saturday 3rd January 2026

Brent Goose - 25+ Ferrybridge
Tundra Bean Goose - 14 East Stoke, nr. Binnegar, 2 still Charminster Water Meadows
Red- breasted Merganser - 3 Ferrybridge
Goldeneye - 8 off Jerry's Point
Slavonian Grebe - 2 still off Jerry's Point
Black-necked Grebe - 3 still off South Beach, Studland, 1 still South Lake, Longham Lakes
Golden Plover - 100+ Tarrant Rushton Airfield
Grey Plover - 4 Ferrybridge
Bar-tailed Godwit - 3 Ferrybridge
Purple Sandpiper - 11 Portland Bill, 1 still Sandbanks Groyne
Black-throated Diver - 1 Studland Beach towards Haven Hotel
Great Northrn Diver - 1 off Jerry's Point 
Cattle Egret - 4 Christchurch harbour Roost, 1 Buckland Ripers, 1 over Upwey
Great White Egret - 1 Chrsitchurch Harbour Roost
Red Kite - 1 over Corfe Mullen
White-tailed Eagle - 1 over Woodville, N. Dorset
Yellow-browed Warbler - 1 Chickerell Down Woods
Firecrest - 3 Hengistbury Head, 1 Lytchett Bay
Black Redstart - 1 still Charminster, 1 Chesil Cove
Brambling - 2 nth of West Morden Farm
Redpoll - 2 Lytchett Bay
Corn Bunting - 2 Tarrant Rushton Airfield, 1 Moonfleet

Nuthatch, Upton CP © Tracy Hart

Rook, Bridging Camp, The Fleet © Phil Cheeseman

White-tailed Eagle, Woodville, N. Dorset © John Bishop

Friday 2nd January 2026

Tundra Bean Goose - 15 Frome valley (Binnegar), 2 Charminster (Dorchester), 2 Marnhull.
White-fronted Goose - c40 Ridge/Arne Moors, 11 S of Avon Causeway.
Barnacle Goose - 1 Swineham.
Egyptian Goose - 2 Charminster (Dorchester).
Pochard - 1 Swineham.
Scaup - 1 off Goathorn.
Goosander - 1 Ferrybridge.
Slavonian Grebe - 1 Brands Bay (Jerry's Pt).
Black-necked Grebe - 7 Poole Hbr (South Deep).
Grey Plover - 2+ Brands Bay.
Woodcock - 2 Moreton.
Spotted Redshank - 1 Lytchett Bay.
Great Northern Diver - 4 Poole Hbr.
Black-throated Diver - 1 Poole Harbour mouth.
Glossy Ibis - 10 Frome valley seen from A352.
Spoonbill - 18 Wareham Channel.
Great White Egret - 2 Swineham roost, 1 Frome valley seen from A352, 1 Mudeford Quay.
Cattle Egret - c50 Swineham roost, 1 Holmebridge, 1 Lodmoor.
Bittern - 1 Swineham.
White-tailed Eagle - 2 Holmebridge, 1 Frome valley seen from A352, 1 Wareham Channel.
Red Kite - 6 Tarrant Rushton airfield.
Marsh Harrier - 7 Swineham, 6 Lodmoor, 3+ Christchurch Hbr, 1 Holmebridge, 1 Lytchett Bay.
Merlin - 1 Swineham.
Black Redstart - 1 nr Dancing Ledge.
Firecrest - 1 Durlston CP, 1 Lodmoor, 1 Sherborne (West Mill).

Goosander, Ferrybridge © Steven Carey

Tundra Bean Geese & Canada Geese,
Marnhull © J Howell

Redpoll, Thorncombe © Neil Croton (licensed ringer)

Thursday 1st January 2026

Many thanks to all contributors to this sightings blog last year

We wish everyone a very happy and prosperous 2026

Barnacle Goose - 1 Arne Moors
Tundra Bean Goose - 7 Winterborne Monkton, 2 still Charminster WMs, 14 near East Stoke in field S of Binnegar turning
White-fronted Goose - 43 still in field N of Arne Road E of Ridge, c35 flew NE over Dorchester late morning
Scaup - 2 in East Fleet off Chickerell Hive Point, 1 drake still in  Poole Harbour between Goathorn & Green/Furzey Islands
Long-tailed Duck - 1 in East Fleet off Chickerell Hive Point
Slavonian Grebe - 4 Portland Harbour, 4 on the Fleet off Tidmoor Point, 2 Poole Harbour off Jerry's Point
Black-necked Grebe - 7 Poole Harbour off Redhorn Quay, 2 Studland Bay from Middle Beach, 1 Longham Lakes on South Lake
Spotted Redshank - 1 Lytchett Fields RSPB from Rock Lea Viewpoint, 1 Upton CP
Purple Sandpiper - 5 Portland Bill
Greenshank - 1 Lytchett Bay from Turlin Moor
Great Northern Diver - 1 off Redhorn Quay, 1 Portland Harbour off Portland Castle
Glossy Ibis - 10 flew over Wareham Common this morning towards Frome Valley
Spoonbill - 5 Lytchett Bay from Turlin Moor, 4 Arne RSPB, 2 Upton CP, 1 Brand's Bay
Red Kite - 2 Lytchett Matravers, 1 Piddlehinton
Goshawk - 1 adult at Lewesdon Hill near Broadwindsor
Merlin - 1 Slepe Heath, 1 Wick Fields 
White-tailed Eagle - 1 at Goathorn
Siberian Chiffchaff - 1 Piddlehinton STW
Black Redstart - 1 Chickerell Hive Point
Brambling - 2 Lewesdon Hill near Broadwindsor
Crossbill - 3 Goathorn, 2 Slepe Heath
Redpoll - 2 over Slepe Heath

Tundra Bean Goose, Winterborne Monkton © Steven Carey

Tundra Bean Goose, Winterborne Monkton © Steven Carey

 

Fieldfare, Middlebere © Steven Carey

Leucistic Bullfinch, Middlebere Farm Cottages © David Sexton

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