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Dec 2012 (45 species) > Nov 2012 (49 species) > Sep 2012 (33 species) > Aug 2012 (22 species) > Jul 2012 (31 species) > Apr 2012 (36 species) > Mar 2012 (40 species) > Feb 2012 (43 species) > Jan 2012 (36 species) > |
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Great Northern Diver > common winter visitor to Portland Harbour Just 1 record on January 2nd makes 2011/2012 the poorest winter for this species for a long time. However they made a good return in the Autumn with six in the harbour on November 25th and then one or two through to the end of the year. Black-throated Diver regular winter visitor to Portland Harbour One or two records in January. Red-throated Diver rare winter visitor to Portland Harbour One off Downclose Embankment on November 10th. Little Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour Just two seen in Small Mouth in February. Slavonian Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour 1 or 2 off Sandsfoot occasionally from January - March. First seen again on November 10th, then one or two to the end of the year with 4 on December 26th. Black-necked Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour Up to 16 off Sandsfoot in January/February. 2 returned on November 10th with 4 on November 25th and a record 18 on December 4th. Red-necked Grebe regular winter visitor to Portland Harbour 1 off Underbarn on March 20th. Great Crested Grebe common winter visitor to Portland Harbour Present from November - March with a peak of 50 in February, the largest number ever recorded. Seen again fron November 10th. 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 November - February. Little Egret regular visitor to Portland Harbour Seen on just 2 dates in the winter and again on November 10th. Brent Goose common winter visitor to Portland Harbour Increasingly seen feeding on the Eelgrass beds off Sandsfoot Castle, up to 50 there from January to March. A late flock of 4 flew west through the harbour on April 17th. A flock of 6 Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew across the harbour on September 16th. Eider occasional winter visitor to Portland Harbour A female was seen between Sandsfoot and Smallmouth throughout November and December. Red-breasted Merganser common winter visitor to Portland Harbour The wintering flock in the harbour reached a peak of 200 in late February. Long-tailed Duck > rare winter visitor to Portland Harbour One out in the middle of the harbour on November 25th, viewable only with a telescope. Velvet Scoter rare winter visitor to Portland Harbour 2 off Sandsfoot on December 23rd. Sparrowhawk commonly seen, perhaps 1 pair breeding Odd individuals seen throughout the year all along the trail. One seen to fly across the harbour from Portland on December 4th. Kestrel regular visitor Not seen this year. Peregrine regular visitor 1 over Newstead Road in early July and another hunting over Hillcrest Road in late August. Buzzard commonly seen, perhaps 1 pair breeding nearby A few sightings over Newstead Road in July and August. A bird in the trees at Rodwell Halt on August 9th looked smart enough to be a youngster. A single bird was over Downclose on December 11th. Oystercatcher regularly seen in Portland Harbour all year Up to 3 birds occasionally seen between Sandsfoot and Small Mouth throughout the year. One bird was heard from the north end of the trail in June. Golden Plover rare autumn/winter visitor A flock of 7 flew east over Sandsfoot Halt on October 7th. Grey Plover very rare, 2 heard records only 1 heard over Newstead road in late May. Dunlin occasional visitor to Portland Harbour A flock of 25 flew through Portland Harbour on September 16th. Turnstone occasional visitor to Portland Harbour 2 on the jetty in Albert's Bay on September 16th and another at Smallmouth the next day. 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 > Just a handful of records in the harbour in the early part of the winter. Returned in some numbers in September with 20 feeding near Smallmouth on the 17th. Common Gull occasional visitor to Portland Harbour A few records in November and December. 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. 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 25 on April 9th was the maximum. Razorbill regular winter visitor to Portland Harbour Two off Sandsfoot on 2 dates in January and February, with another on November 10th. Guillemot scarce winter visitor to Portland Harbour One off Sandsfoot on November 10th. Wood Pigeon common breeding bird on the trail Common in all parts of the trail apart from the far south. 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. Green Woodpecker regularly seen or heard, perhaps 1 pair breeding One heard near Wyke Road on July 15th. Great Spotted Woodpecker regularly seen or heard , perhaps 1 pair breeding Heard calling around Rodwell in February/March, with drumming heard on March 11th. Swallow regular spring and autumn passage migrant, occasional breeder A pair appeared to be breeding at the very north end of the trail. House Martin common breeding bird around the trail Common only in the Newstead Road area, with very few records elsewhere. Meadow Pipit common winter visitor and passage migrant In the first half og the year just one record (in March) but then seen or heard several times during September. Tree Pipit occasional autumn passage migrant One heard on August 9th and another on September 17th. Rock Pipit common winter visitor to Portland Harbour A few sightings at Small Mouth through autumn and winter. Grey Wagtail common winter visitor No longer present after the recent cold winters, with just one record in the first part of the winter, then 2 flying south over Newstead Road on October 7th. From late November one bird present again in Rodwell Cutting. Pied Wagtail common breeding bird around the trail Very few records this year, 2 near the Sailing Club on November 25th. 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. Stonechat previously common, now a rare visitor A pair at Smallmouth on December 11th. Wheatear regular spring and autumn passage migrant A very few spring records. First 2 autumn birds on September 17th. 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. Redwing regular autumn and winter visitor The first autumn birds were heard on October 10th. Fieldfare scarce autumn and winter visitor One at Newstead Road on November 25th. Mistle Thrush rare visitor, one record only One over Abbotsbury Road on November 6th. Dartford Warbler occasional autumn and winter visitor One at Downclose on Feb 28th. Blackcap common passage and winter visitor, previously bred One record in February then present from March onwards with 5 still singing on July 15th. Chiffchaff common breeding and winter visitor, approx. 5 pairs Heard from late Feb onwards right through until September. Willow Warbler common passage migrant Just one sighting in April. Goldcrest a few birds present all year Heard singing throughout the first half of the year in Rodwell Cutting, where they presumably bred. A remarkable comeback after the recent spell of 3 cold winters. Firecrest occasional winter visitor 1 record in February. Long-tailed Tit common resident, approx. 5 pairs Common all through the year from Newstead Road to Downclose. Coal Tit common resident, approx. 1 pair breeding Heard just once in January. Blue Tit > common resident, approx. 5 - 10 pairs Common throughout the trail. Great Tit common resident, approx. 5 - 10 pairs Common throughout the trail. Nuthatch rare winter visitor, two records One heard just north of Wyke Road Tunnel on July 15th and again in Rodwell Cutting on December 4th. Magpie common resident, approx. 2 - 5 pairs Common throughout the trail, with a flock of 20 birds seen twice in Feb at the Marsh Road embankment. 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 Again a handful of records in early spring. One over Rodwell Halt on December 4th. 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 First autumn bird heard on September 15th, the same date as last year. Linnet common summer visitor, previously bred Just one record in March. Bullfinch common resident, approx. 1 pair Just one record in April. |
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