Dorset Birds: Saturday 17th October 2026

Goldeneye - 1 Male flew into the harbour early morning
Red Brerasted Meerganser - 3 Littlesea Tidmoor
Greater Scaup - 1 1st winter off Goathorn, 1 Wareham Channel ID showed to be different birds, 1 Drake Abbotsbury swannery
Red Kite - 1 Sydling St Nicholas, 2 Spetsbury, 15 Pentridge Down
Merlin - 1 Littlesea SE, 1 Ballard Down
Redpoll - 3 N.Haven 5 Pentridge Down
Black Redstart - Reap Lane Portland, 1 Range Tidmoor

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.