Dorset Birds: Thursday 12th February 2026

Mandarin Duck - 1 Drake small lake Poole Park
Pochard - 1 Drake Poole Park
Common Scoter - 3, 2 drake 1 female, Middle Beach Studland
Slavonian Grebe - 1 Castle Cove Portland Harbour
Black Necked Grebe - 3 Middle Beach Studland, 11 Castle Cove Portland Harbour
Purple Sandpiper - 6 The Cobb Lyme Regis, 12 Highcliffe Groyne H10
Little Gull - 1 NE Holes Bay
Great Northern Diver - 4 Portland Harbour

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.