St Aldhelms Birder

Just had 11 glossy ibis come in swineham point they continued west beyond the gravel pit and over the trees so I lost sight of them, heading towards Wareham @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Today's Blog Post - Fly Agaric Fungi on the @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social Brownsea reserve on Weds
Plus, an unidentified orange-brown Fungi that's beyond my Fungi beginner level
birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.com/2025/10/22-o...

Male Common Crossbill.

Common Crossbill in flight.

Crossbills today at Greenland’s Farm. Surprise late juvenile Gannet seen twice prospecting around Middle beach. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Baikal Teal still today but please note the Swannery Grounds are now closed for the winter (a little earlier than planned). The Swannery embayment now only viewable from usual rights of way. Probably best viewed from tank traps but note there is no access along the beach beyond the fence there…

Pilot whales are actually part of the dolphin family!

These striking animals are recognised by their rounded bulbous head and broad dorsal fin – often said to look like a witch’s nose.

Key features include:
• Bulbous head and blunt beak
• Broad, rounded dorsal fin
• Often seen spy-hopping

A quick look late PM from Middle Beach, Studland
No Grebes, Divers or Seaduck

Brent G 1
A Common Seal off the nudist beach. The commonest Seal in Studland waters inside the harbour. Only my second sighting on the seaward side
@harbourbirds.bsky.social
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
#DorsetBirds

Global Birdfair Funds New Effort to Protect the Antipodean Albatross BirdLife International welcomes $140,000 donation to combat longline fishing deaths and safeguard the species’ future

Global Birdfair Funds New Effort to Protect the Antipodean Albatross, well done @GlobalBirdfair @Rutlandbirds @BirdLife_News www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/G...

Good news on Dorset Cirl Buntings continues to arrive. Early data from the breeding season confirms they are continuing to re-establish a population in the county. Please submit any outstanding records now. 🙏 In winter our focus switches to feeding flocks - please send us all sightings. 🙏

We will once again be running the winter feeding station at RSPB Lytchett Fields. Hope to open it around Nov 1st. This is volunteer run and funded. If you would like to support us with a donation please see or contact @ianballam.bsky.social or myself 🙏

Thrilled to have the first Cirl Bunting colour ringed on Portland as part of a Dorset wide project to understand more about the species spread across the county. Please keep a look out and report any sightings. And huge thanks to all the ringers involved 💚.
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

We’re kicking off an incredible new season with an epic voyage from the Chilean Fjords all the way to Antarctica!

This year, our work with HX continues as we monitor and educate in South Georgia, the Falklands, and across the iconic Antarctic Peninsula.

Three ships, one shared mission!

A Black-necked Grebe was off Middle Beach, Studland per James Leaver
@harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #DorsetBirds

Artificial reef created at Rampion offshore wind farm in Sussex The reef protects the wind turbine and serves as a home for a wide range of marine life.

One of the largest artificial reefs in the world has been installed at a wind farm off the Sussex coast.

The project at Rampion Wind Farm is the first of its kind, with 75,000 specially designed "reef cubes" placed at the bottom of a single turbine.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

The entrance room in the @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social Brownsea villa is looking good after the redecorating. Well done to all involved
@wildontheroad.bsky.social

Pinkfoot/Bean flew north at 8am. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Less convincing vagrants Steve @swannerysteve.bsky.social

Baikal Teal Abbotsbury Swannery this am in western embayment from Helen Hide. Doubtfully viewable from rights of way other than grounds. There is no right of way SE of tank traps on beach. If you walk beyond fence there everything will flush! @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A mid PM scan of the Brownsea lagoon increased some of the counts:

Spoony 70
Teal 141
Wig 61
R Plov 40
Greenshank 19
Snipe 1
Kingfisher 1 showing regularly, but erratically, from the Avocet hide
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social #DorsetBirds
@wildontheroad.bsky.social

LITTLE BUNTING trapped this morning at East Fleet, nr Weymouth, Dorset. With thanks to Sarah F. for a couple of the photos. Also trapped: 2 Cetti's, 1 Reed Warbler and 1 Dartford.

The @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social Brownsea lagoon was packed this AM
Avocet 320
Grey Plov 3
Curlew 26
Blackwit 293
Barwit 22
Redshank 157
Greenshank 14
Knot 4
Turnstone 5
Dunlin 94
Spoony 56 in AE & NC2F
@harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @wildontheroad.bsky.social
#DorsetBirds

Today in 1805 Nelson won a shattering victory at Trafalgar.

Ships lost:
French and Spanish fleet: 22
British: 0

As part of a sort out old journals I have the following which are available for free if you fancy rehoming them:

Issues of Oryx from the late 80s & British Wildlife journal. I can provide dates if asked
If I don't get any takers they will go for recycling in the next week or so
Collect Swanage

As part of a sort out of journals I've found some duplicate copies which are available for free, if you fancy rehoming them:

African Bird Club Vol 24 no ! Mar 17
African Bird Club Vol 25 no 2 Sep 18
African Bird Club Vol 28 no 1 Mar 21
Cotinga No 6 - Aug 96

I can post them, if you pay

Today's Blog Post - Post 17 - Day 21 - Wandering around the scenic centre of Cadiz on our final landing between surveying for ORCA on a Saga Eastern Med cruise in Jan/Feb 25
birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.com/2025/10/9-fe...

Today's Blog Post - Post 17 - Day 21 - Wandering around Cadiz on our final landing between surveying for ORCA on a Saga Eastern Med cruise in Jan/Feb 25
Birds seen included Whimbrel, Monk & Ring-necked Parakeets
birdingpooleharbourandbeyond.blogspot.com/2025/10/9-fe...

Baikal Teal Abbotsbury Swannery this pm in western embayment from Helen Hide. Doubtfully viewable from rights of way other than grounds. There is no right of way SE of tank traps on beach. If you walk beyond fence there everything will flush! @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

After a dawn raid on the Point, this little beauty was cowering in the buckthorn on my birding walk back, not far south of the Breach at Spurn. Thomas Willoughby’s brilliant pic. Bird of a lifetime. A British tick as well 😂

Nice seawatch at the bill this morning with a Little Auk slowly west before losing sight behind the obs trees the highlight, also Ad Pomarine Skua, 2 Sooty Shearwater, Balearic, Arctic and Great Skua, 400+ Kittiwake, Purple Sand 8:30-12.

11 Glossy Ibis in the Wareham Channel this afternoon during a wet and wild @webs-gsmp.bsky.social , including a colour-ringed individual which we’ll try and source the project this week @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

🚨 BREAKING: Half of the UK’s top 10 fish stocks are being overexploited, including some of our most iconic fish, like North Sea cod - our new research shows

The government has the power to stop this. Tell them to: END OVERFISHING! https://act.oceana.org/page/178303/data/1?ea.tracking.id=bluesky