Mike Morse

Great to report that Cirl Buntings have bred on patch again this year. Now would be a good time of year to look for juvs, especially in areas where Cirls have been seen during winter. Please send any sighting to recorder@dorsetbirds.co.uk. Breeding records will be treated in strictest confidence.

The last Harbour Porpoise sighting at Bex was on 18th June Paul, we don't get that many. Common Dolphin sightings are usually more regular but have been way down this year...not sure why.

I'm sure some locals will be keen to see it too Viv...you probably won't be the only one looking.

Brilliant Viv, great find.

Three Yellow Wags at West Bex this morning were the first of the year here (we rarely see them in spring)... also new Wheatear and Whinchat.

Our first Whinchat of the autumn this morning along with 2 Green Sandpipers.... The Wheatear is still around, now in heavy moult and a juv Redshank here yesterday. Things are beginning to happen...

Happy days...

Certainly not here sadly...

Our first juv Yellow-legged Gulls of the 'autumn' at West Bex this morning along with a juv Wheatear...

Quail singing and seen briefly along track to the old lookout west of Cogden car park. It went quiet around 7.15 however and I've not heard it since, but I'm sure it's still there...

This Corn Bunting was giving it some at West Bex this morning... breeding here is a bit hit and miss but fingers crossed.

A Little Gull at West Bex this morning, first for a week @swannerysteve.bsky.social. Also, Kingfisher through... scare here and as usual it didn't linger.

Watching this sun-bathing juv Stonechat this morning had searching for my copy of The Sunning Behaviour of Birds when I got home... Written by KEL Simmonds and illustrated by Robin Prytherch. I remember reading many 'papers' by them over the years...their contribution to ornithology was immense.

Three 'unaccompanied' juv Bearded Tits at West Bex this morning. We're pretty sure there wasn't a breeding attempt on patch, so dispersing birds, possibly from the Swannery. Also, the GN Diver was again off-shore and showing a lot better and at least one Little Gull still.

Fantastic...

Collared Fly would be close...

West Bex this morning and a very distant blob resolved into this stunning breeding plumaged GN Diver. Can't be many better looking monochrome birds on the British List...

Wow!

Little Gulls still around this morning including this one close in off West Bex.

I've just been sent a picture of a Woodchat Shrike, seen at Downhouse Farm NT, Eype this morning. No other details I'm afraid...

At least two, possibly three, Little Gulls off West Bex this morning. Are they still roosting at the Swannery Steve? @swannerysteve.bsky.social

Not good Jon... interestingly I'm on my third pair of Swaros and I've never had an issue with the armour. Just been luck I guess, I know many have.

Cheers Dave, I trimmed my rain guard lugs with a scalpel to get a better fit. Swarovski supplied new eyecups for free when they started to disintegrate. My current problem is a tad more severe unfortunately...

Trying to get a feel for how common this problem with my binoculars is. Swaro NL Pure and the boss that takes the strap pin has come away from the body on one side They are on their way to Austria for warranty repair. They are worked hard, 5-6 hours every day, but even so it’s a surprising failure!

Tried a sea-watch this morning, nothing spectacular but we did have this distinctive Manx go through close in. Always good to get these sorts of views from the beach.

Stunning...

Great news...

Cheers, if that's the case then that's almost certainly what it was.. snatched flight shot.

'Omissus' Herring Gull? This bird at Cogden this morning never looked dark enough for Yellow-legged Gull... Also 2 Little Gulls, 3 Barwits, 43 Sanderling and 9 Common Scoter through.

Great Northern Diver at West Bex this morning.... a breeding plumaged bird would have been nice but since this one was actually our first of the year I'm not complaining. Also, probable Nightingale heard briefly at Cogden...