Bird report for 2011

Oct 2011 (46 species) >   
Sep 2011 (38 species) >   
Jul 2011 (29 species) >   
May 2011 (32 species) >   
April 2011 (48 species) >   
March 2011 (46 species) >   
February 2011 (43 species) >   
January 2011 (43 species) >   


Great Northern Diver > common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
Just 2 records in January and March make this the poorest year for this species for a long time.

Black-throated Diver regular winter visitor to Portland Harbour
Just one record, on December 31st.

Little Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
Up to 4 in Small Mouth from November to March. Remarkably, none at the end of the year.

Slavonian Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
2 off Sandsfoot most days from January - March with a maximum of 5 in early March. Only one at the end of the year, on December 31st.

Black-necked Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
Up to 18 off Sandsfoot in January/February, the highest number recorded in the harbour for 9 years. Returned late this year, on December 22nd, when there were 10 off Downclose.

Great Crested Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
Present from November - March with a peak of 20 at the start and end of the year. The first autumn birds were seen on October 22nd, a week earlier than last year.

Cormorant common in Portland Harbour all year
Present in the harbour all year and also seen flying over the Weymouth end of the trail.

Shag common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
A few in the harbour from October - March.

Little Egret regular visitor to Portland Harbour
Seen on and off between Sandsfoot and Small Mouth throughout the year.

Brent Goose common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
Apart from the large flocks often seen flying over Ferrybridge just a few individuals visited the harbour ths year. A very late group were off Sandsfoot Castle on April 7th - remarkably consisting of 4 dark-bellied birds and 4 pale-bellied birds.

Shelduck occasional visitor to Portland Harbour
5 over Smallmouth on March 28th.

Mallard regular visitor to Portland Harbour
4 below Downclose early January.

Red-breasted Merganser common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
The wintering flock in the harbour was stable at around 50 birds throughout the winter months reaching a peak of at least 150 in mid-March.

Goosander occasional winter visitor to Portland Harbour
3 females off Smallmouth in early January.

Sparrowhawk commonly seen, perhaps 1 pair breeding
Odd individuals seen throughout the year all along the trail.

Kestrel regular visitor
Very scarce this year, with just a handful of sightings spread throughout the year.

Peregrine regular visitor
1 over Newstead Road on January 29th/30th and another on July 30th.

Buzzard commonly seen, perhaps 1 pair breeding nearby
Odd individuals seen from various sites along the trail throughout the year.



Pheasant very rare, 1 sighting only
A fine male at Downclose Embankment on March 1st was my first record for the trail.

Oystercatcher regularly seen in Portland Harbour all year
Up to 3 birds occasionally seen between Sandsfoot and Small Mouth throughout the year.

Grey Plover very rare, 1 heard record only
1 heard near Smallmouth on April 29th.

Whimbrel regular summer visitor to Portland Harbour
Seen at Downclose on April 9th and 29th.

Turnstone occasional visitor to Portland Harbour
1 at Smallmouth on October 2nd.

Black-headed Gull commonly seen around the trail
Commonly seen from all points of the trail throughout the year apart from April - June when they are all in their breeding colonies in Poole Harbour.

Mediterranean Gull >
Throughout the winter months there were usually a few in the harbour around the Sailing Centre or feeding further out. The maximum number recorded in the harbour was 80 off Downclose on January 25th, a reord which was beaten on December 22nd when there were about 100 in the harbour, mostly off Sandsfoot.

Common Gull occasional visitor to Portland Harbour
Surprisingly rare in the harbour with just a few records early in the year and 2 on December 31st.

Herring Gull > common breeding bird around the trail
Common throughout the year and seen from all points of the trail.

Great Black-backed Gull common resident in Portland Harbour
Usually 1 or 2 off Sandsfoot and also seen in flight from most parts of the trail.

Kittiwake occasional winter visitor to Portland Harbour
A few cutting through the harbour in rough weather on October 23rd and a single bird in relatively calm conditions on December 31st.



Little Tern occasional summer visitor to Portland Harbour
A few records in May, with the first birds seen on May 2nd.

Common Tern > common summer visitor to Portland Harbour
Birds from the Lodmoor colony were seen from May to September.

Sandwich Tern > common summer visitor to Portland Harbour
First seen on March 28th, the same date as in 2010 and 2008. 20 on April 4th was the maximum.

Guillemot occasional winter visitor to Portland Harbour
One seen in the harbour in early March and another on December 31st.

Razorbill regular winter visitor to Portland Harbour
Two off Sandsfoot on December 22nd and 4 on December 31st.

Wood Pigeon common breeding bird on the trail
Common in all parts of the trail apart from the far south. An enormous easterly passage took place on November 15th involving at least 7,500 birds.

Collared Dove common breeding bird on the trail
Common in all parts of the trail apart from the far south.

Swift common breeding bird around the trail
Common over the northern end of the trail from May to the second week of August.

Kingfisher occasional winter visitor to Portland Harbour
One on the rocks at Downclose on October 2nd.

Green Woodpecker regularly seen or heard , perhaps 1 pair breeding
Heard on 3 dates in March, April and August.

Great Spotted Woodpecker regularly seen or heard , perhaps 1 pair breeding
Heard calling around Rodwell in February/March, with drumming heard on February 27th.

Skylark regular autumn passage migrant
Seen or heard on a few dates in January and October.

Swallow regular spring and autumn passage migrant
First seen on April 7th (a day earlier than last year). Subsequent sightings largely confined to passage in April/May and again in September. A significant northward movement was noted on May 2nd.

House Martin common breeding bird around the trail
Common only in the Newstead Road area, with very few records elsewhere. Several nests at the northern end of Melbury Road.

Meadow Pipit common winter visitor and passage migrant
Present early in the year and on passage in spring and autumn. Seen/heard sporadically through the winter.

Rock Pipit common winter visitor to Portland Harbour
A few sightings at Small Mouth in September/October.

Grey Wagtail common winter visitor
No longer a regular inhabitant of Rodwell Cutting after the recent cold winters, with just a handful of records in March, September and October.

Pied Wagtail common breeding bird around the trail
Seen occasionally flying over the trail throughout the year, apart from the summer mpnths, suggesting they did not breed in the area this year.



Waxwing very rare, 1 sighting only
3 at Newstead Road on January 3rd.

Wren common breeding bird , approx. 10 - 20 pairs
Common throughout the trail and in song all year. Seemingly not affected by recent cold winters.

Dunnock > common breeding bird , approx. 10 - 20 pairs
Common everywhere, but least seen in Rodwell Cutting.

Robin common breeding bird , approx. 10 pairs
Common throughout the trail and the most obvious songster all through the year, apart from a few weeks in mid-summer. Several youngsters seen, particularly around Rodwell.

Black Redstart occasional winter visitor
One at Smallmouth in late November and again on December 31st.

Stonechat previoysly a regular winter visitor
No sightings this year. A casualty of the cold winters.

Wheatear regular spring and autumn passage migrant
No spring records but a few at Smallmouth in September/October with a very late bird on October 31st.

Blackbird common breeding bird , approx. 10 pairs
Common everywhere all through the year but particularly numerous in October - November. Singing from March to June.

Song Thrush common breeding bird , approx. 5 pairs
Singing birds were noted on the trail in early March through to late May and again November/December.

Redwing rgular autumn and winter visitor
The first autumn birds were heard on October 20th, 11 days later than last year. Very few records after that.

Whitethroat common summer visitor, previously bred
Singing males at Downclose in April/May but may not have bred this year.

Lesser Whitethroat very rare, 1 previous sighting
One singing at Downclose in late April, the second record of this species for the trail.

Blackcap common passage and winter visitor, previously bred
Several from March - May but none after that until December, so probably did not breed this year.

Chiffchaff common breeding and winter visitor, approx. 5 pairs
Common from March - November, but no wintering birds for the third year running.

Willow Warbler common passage migrant
Most sightings in April, with just a few in autumn from July 30th through August.

Wood Warbler very rare, 1 record only
One singing at Rodwell on April 25th, the first record of this species for the trail.

Goldcrest regular winter visitor
No records early in the year but a singing bird waas heard early in April. The autumn passage started on September 18th. A singing male was above Old Castle Road on December 31st.

Firecrest occasional winter visitor
1, possibly 2, on February 1st.

Bearded Tit very rare, 1 record only
A flock of 11 calling birds high over Melbury Road on October 1st, the first record of this species for the trail.

Long-tailed Tit common resident, approx. 5 pairs
Common all through the year from Newstead Road to Downclose. Lots of records from September onwards.

Coal Tit common resident, approx. 1 pair breeding
Seen or heard sporadically around Rodwell throughout the year, with a pair on April 25th that looked like they were collecting food for a brood of youngsters. 2 males were singing there on December 17th.

Blue Tit > common resident, approx. 5 - 10 pairs
Common throughout the trail.

Great Tit common resident, approx. 5 - 10 pairs
Common throughout the trail.

Treecreeper common resident, probably 1 pair breeding
Heard at Rodwell Halt on several dates throughout the year.

Magpie common resident, approx. 2 - 5 pairs
Common throughout the trail.

Carrion Crow common resident, approx. 5 - 10 pairs
Common throughout the trail.

Jackdaw > common resident
Can be seen flying over any part of the trail, especially around Newstead Road.

Rook common resident
Only a handful of records this year, mostly in autumn.

Raven regular visitor
Only a handful of records this year, mostly in early spring.

Starling common resident
Often seen on rooftops mainly around Newstead Road and Downclose.

House Sparrow > common resident
Common throughout the trail.

Chaffinch > common resident
Common throughout the trail, especially around Wyke Road.

Greenfinch common resident
Common throughout the trail, especially around Downclose.

Goldfinch > common resident
Common throughout the trail.

Siskin regular autumn passage migrant
Heard flying over various points along the trail on several dates in the second half of September.

Linnet common summer visitor, previously bred
Just a few records in April/May.

Yellowhammer rare autumn passage migrant
One on a roof near Smallmouth on January 1st.



Bullfinch common resident, approx. 1 pair
A couple of records in January and November.