Geoff Upton

Although elusive the Red-spotted Bluethroat showed well at times along the eastern path at Swineham Gp’s this morning. @DorsetBirdClub

A few more of the Red-spotted Bluethroat at Swineham this morning @harbourbirds @DorsetBirdClub

Things are hotting up. Following belated reports of Woodchat shrike & Hoopoe on Portland, today a potential Caspian tern flew past. Blue winged teal at Abbotsbury yesterday & today Bonaparte’s gull on the fleet relocated to Briantspuddle. Plus plenty of spring migrants arriving.

Bluethroat still at Swineham! bsky.app/profile/zp-pic…

The spring migration door has creaked open a bit more today with firsts of Hobby, Yellow wagtail, Grasshopper warbler, Cuckoo, Redstart & passage Whimbrel from various coastal locations.

News has reached us of people trespassing at the Woodsford Garganey to get a better view or a better picture. This is an active working quarry & risks disturbing a rare breeding species. It also dissuades finders from releasing bird news. A lose, lose, lose situation. Please!

WOW !!! Great going everybody £49,700 raised so far.Keep spreading the word but thanks so far for the amazing generosity to help our friends at Dorset Wildlife Trust save some special Dorset habitat

Now is the time to brush up your common bird songs, before all the rest of the migrants come on and it gets too confusing. See this simple Dorset-based guide by @GeoffUpton3 dorsetbirds.co.uk/wp-content/upl…

Have you looked at the 'Birding Sites' page in the members area of our website lately? Local site reports for 2025 from all our sites are there now, including these latest ones 👇. dorsetbirds.co.uk/birding-sites/ Do keep an eye on our website, we're constantly adding to and updating it.

A nice example of Great Egret in summer plumage, the bill has gone mainly dark (instead of yellow) , the legs are a pale pink colour and the obvious theatrical feather plumes

@DorsetBirdClub Any ringers out there to confirm or refute the comments on age/sex?

Winter Buntings are confusing: Lapland is a fat bird with rufous wing panel between 2 white stripes; Little hss orange ear coverts; Rufous is redder with a white spot in the ear coverts. Reed has those reddish lesser wing coverts at the bend in the wing. More likely but do check!

How is it the last day of the winter bird season already?! We're seeing off the season at Upton Country Park with a pop-up, come and say hi 😊

BBC News - Returning ospreys in Dorset avoid last season's love drama - BBC News bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

In the unlikely event that this film has passed you by so far here is another review and encouragement to watch it. As stated, it's birding gold.

BBC News - Fears for loss of tiny Dorset Dancing Ledge puffin colony - BBC News bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@markwright12002 @DorsetBirdClub We've got to look out for hybrids with Syrian Woodpecker now, as related in March issue of British Birds!

Great-spotted Woodpecker Purbeck Heaths NNR, Dorset @DorsetBirdClub

@DorsetBirdClub @_BTO Fame at last!

Generous review by @_BTO News of our latest bird report. “Dorset is justifiably regarded as one of England’s finest birding counties, and this is more than reflected in the EXCEPTIONAL Dorset Bird Report 2024” with “stunning photographs”. Free with club membership 😀

@tom_m_brereton Amazing that you can just go across the Channel and see a totally different set of birds! I didn't realise you could see most of those species so far north and in such abundance.

Cherbourg Peninsula 22/3 2 Black-shouldered Kite, 5♂️ Bluethroat, 5 Garganey, 3 Kentish Plover, 180 Ruff, 70 Glossy Ibis, 15 Spoonbill, 15 White Stork, 2 Little & Caspian Gull, 5 Black-necked & 2 Slav Grebe, 2 Water Pipit, Serin, F-t Warbler, Black Red, 3 spp Egret, 2Sedge Warblr

@PeterMo03067857 @harbourbirds @DorsetBirdClub Brilliant addition to your 2026 list! I feel this year you'll do well - but don't overdo it!

@GeoffUpton3 @harbourbirds @DorsetBirdClub Yes Geoff I was pootling down on my bike anyway when news broke - so had to quicken the pace!

Amazing find of a Bluethroat at Swineham by Paul Morton tonight - even more amazing that I was just 5 minutes away when he found it. Pretty dark by the time it showed us its front (ISO6400) - but no complaints! @harbourbirds @DorsetBirdClub