Geoff Upton

I've seen quite a few hares on the Hanson land to the west of west lake but not in the main area as far as I recall.

Baikal Teal, Abbotsbury

Baikal Teal in the Swannery Western Embayment this morning so pretty close to the tank teeth. Please note there’s no right of way SE along the beach beyond the fence there. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Digiscoped pic…

... few weeks, whereby you'll receive the latest 3 sumptuous Dorset Bird Reports plus all the other usual benefits. Just click here: dorsetbirds.co.uk/membership/ 2/n

Front cover of the Dorset Bird Report 2024, showing a 1st winter 'Isabelline' Shrike perched on the top of a narrow branch, set against a blurred green. The report's title is in large white font in the top left of the image, & the club's logo (a Hoopoe overlaid on an outline of the county boundary) is in the bottom right.

Screengrab from the Dorset Bird Club website explaining the Christmas membership offer, with a photograph of a Hoopoe and the club name forming a narrow banner at the bottom of the image.

Support your county bird club! Dorset Bird Club is a fantastic organisation that funds conservation initiatives, collates ornithological data from across the county, & provides a social & focal hub for local birders. If you're not one already, DBC have a fab new membership offer for the next... 1/n

Membership offer, just click dorsetbirds.co.uk/membership/ 1/2

Coming very very soon. To get hold of one quickly why not take advantage of our offer and join us. dorsetbirds.co.uk/membership/ 2/2

More excavating, more tern islands starting to appear... and more totally unbothered waders 🤷‍♀️😅 #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Female Desert Wheatear

The Bridging Camp Desert Wheatear only ventured off base a couple of times yesterday morning.

Work has begun on the new tern islands in the lagoon... birds totally unbothered...redshank feeding on the freshly turned mud while the digger was working! 🤷‍♀️ #WildBrownsea @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Cracking day on patch at Littlesea, The Fleet. Highlight was finding a ♀️ Desert Wheatear in Bridging Camp. ♀️ Long-tailed Duck, 2 Slavonian Grebes & singles of Atlantic Brent Goose, Whimbrel & Water Rail, plus a Harbour Seal made up the rest of the highlights.

We've managed to read the BTO ring number of the adult female from this years' live hobby nest camera. EZ92156. Ringed by DRSG in 2019 as a chick at another F.E. site 8.5 miles away. To think she will have travelled at least 50,000 miles migrating alone!

Desert wheatear still present nw corner bridging camp

I was fortunate to make it over to the Fleet Bridging Camp this afternoon, just as the sun was setting, to take in the Desert Wheatear found an hr earlier by Brett. My 1st of this lovely spp in Dorset, & in the UK overall for a long time, braving the gale like a trooper @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A beaver kit nibbling on vegetation

A beaver in its wetland habitat filled with a variety of plants and a felled tree

A beaver-created wetland featuring a range of plants including the yellow flowers of Great Spearwort and trees in the background

Can beaver wetlands create a buzz and a flutter for pollinators? 🦫🦋

A new study, carried out by Senior Ecologist Patrick Cook for his PhD at the University of Stirling, revealed that wetlands created by beavers have 45% more butterflies than those created by people.

Path cleared for wildcat comeback in south-west England A new two-year feasibility study by the South West Wildcat Project shows that European Wildcats could be reintroduced to South West England after more than a century. With suitable habitat, strong public support and minimal ecological risk, the report marks an important step towards restoring the UK's most endangered mammal. Challenges such as hybridisation and community engagement remain, but conservationists say the study provides a solid foundation for future plans.

A major new feasibility study has concluded that European Wildcats could roam south-west England, more than a century after the species vanished from the region:

Thanks for resolving that Steve. Just looked a bit odd to me 👍

Could that be a hybrid with Bahama Pintail Dave? The contrast between cheeks and crown doesn't look quite right for normal Pintail to me.

Inland surveying this morning:
6 Red Kite together at Sydling St Nicholas.
2 Red Kite and 3 Green Sand at Magiston.
43 species seen at the disused Trout Farm.

This Snow Bunting turned up at Baiter Park today. A really confiding bird that will hopefully stick around for others to see, like the one last year on Hamworthy Beach.

Video by Brittany Maxted through binoculars
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
@birdguides.bsky.social

Standing in my Lyme Regis garden & there are still very large flocks of Wood Pigeons heading south....thousands.... #UKBirding

Baikal Teal still present this morning out in the Swannery Embayment. Swannery closed. View only from public rights of way. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Only a phone-scoped shot but you can see what it is 😅 It doesn’t show in the pic but head plumage has advanced a lot in a week so now pretty convinced that there has only been the one bird all along. So the female ‘type’ was the same 1cy drake.
@joestockwell.bsky.social
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Recently I was asked by Dorset Bird Club to reflect on growing up in the birdwatching and conservation space and last year's @btobirds.bsky.social
and @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social 'Nature's Recovery in Dorset' Conference.

Read the full article here: dorsetbirds.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Apparent Pine Bunting perched amongst Elder twigs.

Apparent Pine Bunting perched amongst Elder twigs.

Pine Bunting seen briefly with mobile Yellowhammer flock at St Aldhelm's Head Quarry at 1030hrs & not relocated as of 1250hrs. Ltd parking available in Renscombe car park, otherwise park in Worth Mattravers village car park and walk down, staying out of private fields @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Hidden wonders: my fascinating encounters with the Bittern Elusive and majestic, the Bittern’s booming call echoes across Minsmere’s reeds – a symbol of hope and conservation success

Back in 1997, there were just 11 booming male Bitterns left in the UK – almost extinct. Thanks to conservation by @rspb.bsky.social and @naturalengland.bsky.social 283 booming males were recorded in 2024.

Les Cater shares his story and stunning photos of these rare birds ⤵️

A Siberian Chiffchaff trapped this afternoon was the highlight from the Swannery. 5 Firecrest dotted around the site. Autumn doesn't feel anywhere near over yet! @swannerysteve.bsky.social

5th November There was certainly nothing by way of fireworks generated from the majority of today's fieldwork, with singles of Redwing and Siskin at the ...

www.portlandbirdobs.com/2025/11/5th-november.html

Fantastic turnout for our Duke of Burgundy workshop for land advisors in Dorset. So much interest in saving this lovely butterfly which is down to 6 small colonies in Dorset. Funded thanks to Farming in Protected Landscapes grant with Hilfield Friary and @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Help save nature by rewilding the Church’s massive landholdings! We need to rewild 30% of the planet to restore nature & protect our wildlife, but Britain is falling behind. So I've signed this new petition calling on one of our biggest landowners - the Church ...

We need to rewild 30% of the planet to restore nature & protect our wildlife, but Britain is falling behind. So I've signed this new petition calling on one of our biggest landowners - the Church of England - to rewild its land. Join me? you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pr...

Excellent Young Birders Intro to Winter Birds Walk this AM at Holes Bay! Highlights of 5 Spoonbill, 1 Cattle Egret, c50 Avocet, 1 Knot, 1 Kingfisher, c15 Pintail and very enthusiastic, knowledgeable young people 👏
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social