Dorset Birds: Thursday 21st May 2026

Cuckoo - 1 Frome Woodsford, 1 Lower Bockhampton, 1 Affpuddle Woods

Turtle Dove - 3 Top fields Portland Bill

Whimbrel - 3 Christchurch Harbour

Sanderling - 8 Portland Bill, 36 Christchurch Harbour

Curlew Sandpiper - 1 Ferrybridge

Roseate Tern - 2 Abbotsbury Swannery

Arctic Skua - 1 past Portland Bill

Red-throated Diver - 1 flew over Arne RSPB

Great Northern Diver - 1 Christchurch Harbour

Sooty Shearwater - 1 lingering off Portland Bill

Balearic Shearwater - 1 off Portland Bill

Spoonbill - 2 Lodmoor

Great White Egret - 1 Silverlake

Osprey - 2 Wareham channel

Red Kite - 1 Limekiln Farm Sherborne

Red-footed Falcon - male still north end of Holt Heath

1 probable male flew north west over gully Durlston CP

Hobby - 1 Radipole, 1 Whitfield

Woodchat Shrike - 1 New Ground Portland

Spotted Flycatcher - 1 Hengistbury Head, 3 Crouch Hill Christchurch

Cirl Bunting - 1 Durlson CP

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 social media, 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.