Dorset Bird Report 2016 Published December 2018 © 2018 Dorset Bird Club 2016 Dorset Bird Report 1 2 Dorset Bird Report 2016 DORSET BIRD REPORT 2016 CONTENTS Report Production Team . 5 . 6-7 A Brief Review and Highlights of the Year .. 8-12 Notes for Contributors The Dorset List . 13-17 Notes to Systematic List . 18 Systematic List for 2016 . 19-167 Selected escapes in 2016 . 168 Pending and Requested Records . 169-170 Not Proven Records . 170 Dorset Bird Ringing – Summary for 2016 . 171-172 Dorset Bird Ringing – Selected Recoveries in 2016. 173-180 . 181-185 . 186-188 Dorset Bird Ringing – County Totals up to end of 2016 Gazetteer . 189-193 County Map . 194-197 . List of Contributors Photographic Credits Inside Back Cover 2016 Dorset Bird Report 3 Calluna Books now publish The Birdwatcher’s Yearbook The 2019 edition is now available @ £18.00 incl. postage (usual price £20.00) CALLUNA BOOKS Specialists in out-of-print NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS Books bought & sold Log on to the website for our stock list or contact us for a copy of our latest catalogue T: 01929 552 560 E: [email protected] W: www.callunabooks.co.uk Callers welcome by appointment Neil Gartshore, Moor Edge, 2 Bere Road 10% discount to DBC members Wareham, BH20 4DD 4 Dorset Bird Report 2016 DORSET BIRD REPORT 2016 PRODUCTION TEAM Editor: Species Accounts: Marcus Lawson Pintail to Ruddy Duck Robin Trundle Mute Swan to Mallard Marcus Lawson Galliformes to Grebes Marcus Lawson Fulmar to Spoonbill Jol Mitchell Raptors to Coot Geoff Upton SkuasCrane to TernsLapwing IanGeoff Stanley Upton Knot to Phalaropes Daragh Croxson Auks to Swifts Clive Cottrell ThrushesKingfisher to to Hippolais Pipits ShaunNick Woods Robson Wagtails to Wheatears Stephen S Smith Sylvias to Phylloscs Geoff Upton Crests to Shrikes Pete Forrest Corvids to Redpolls Malcolm Dowty Crossbills to Buntings John Lockwood RingingEscapes Information: KevinMarcus Sayer Lawson Map and Gazetter: Nick Hull Editorial sub-committee: Marcus Lawson, Jol Mitchell, Stephen S Smith, Geoff Upton Andrew Duff for proofreading . With thanks to Neil Gartshore for entering the Species Accounts into InDesign and to CURRENT COMMITTEE OF THE DORSET BIRD CLUB Trustees: George Green, John Lockwood, Jol Mitchell, Robin Trundle Treasurer:Chairman: TrevorMarcus Buck Lawson; [email protected] Secretary: Jol Mitchell Membership Secretary: Richard Charman; [email protected] Guided Walks: Richard Charman; [email protected] County Recorder: Marcus Lawson; [email protected] Dorset Records Panel : Dave Foot, Marcus Lawson, Mike Morse, Ian Stanley. 2016 Dorset Bird Report 5 NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Dorset Bird Report is an annual publication by the Dorset Bird Club of records and papers contributorson all aspects are of Dorsetacknowledged ornithology. in the All report contributions, . These notes from should both residentsassist you and if you visitors wish to contributethe county, to in the the report form of. records, papers, drawings and photographs are welcomed. All WHAT RECORDS DO WE WANT? Due to the volume of records received it is not possible to list every one in the report . All records are valuable and the report is an edited summary highlighting the occurrence groupsand status or individuals of each species for future for that reference year. The . DBC database, managed through the Dorset Environmental Records Centre, is an archive of all the records where they are accessible by Please refer to the Dorset Bird List here http://www .dorsetbirds .org .uk/#/dorset-bird- list/4545548008 which lists the type of records requested for each species . This list can also be found in this report on pages 13-17 . Species requiring a full written description the county . Descriptions of national rarities will be forwarded to the British Birds Rarities are marked with either (*) for national rarities, or (D) for birds which are rare or scarce in Dorset Records Panel (DRP) . The DRP reserves the right to request further information Committee (BBRC), whilst records of locally rare or scarce birds will be assessed by the in order to assess records, if necessary. This may include records of species not usually requiring a full written description if they are, for example, reported from an unusual ANDlocation WHERE or unseasonal FROM? time of year. Unsubstantiated records will not be published. Records are welcomed from all parts of the county . There is a natural bias towards coastal don’tsites assumeand nature that reservesyour records as they will beare forwarded excellent toplaces us automatically to see birds. by Manyother organisationsof these sites . produce their own reports, which are incorporated into the Dorset Bird Report, but please casual recording from less well-watched areas are very important – this includes such sites asRecords your own away garden! from theseThese sitesenable are us often to gain thin as fullon thea picture ground, as possibleso “local of patch” what isrecords happening and soto Dorset’sthe information birds. Many can benational added surveys to our database are carried . out annually in the county as part of the wider picture of the UK’s bird life. A copy of any Dorset results would be greatly appreciated HOW SHOULD I SEND MY RECORDS IN? following address: recorder@dorsetbirds .org .uk Casual records and descriptions of rare and scarce birds can be e-mailed to the DBC at the This is also the correct address to send any local patch bird reports to, as well as any completed DBC spreadsheets. 6 Dorset Bird Report 2016 WHEN SHOULD I SUBMIT MY RECORDS? the year to enable them to be logged on to the database over a period of time . This will help toIf possible, ensure that individual there will records not be should a backlog be sent of datato the inputting County Recorder to be done periodically all at once throughout which can hold up production of the annual bird report . Please, at the latest, send records in by the end of January the following year. Late records Recordswill be accepted, of birds requiringbut it may a not full be written possible description to include should them in be the submitted report for as that soon year. after the sighting as possible . Rarity submission forms can be found here http://www .dorsetbirds . Recorder at recorder@dorsetbirds .org .uk org.uk/dorset-bird-list/4545548008 and once completed should be sent to the County WHO SHOULD I SUBMIT MY RECORDS TO? BirdTrack, allows the individual preferredThe British way Trust in whichfor Ornithology we would (BTO) like to recording receive your system, records . to input records directly online which the County Recorder can then access. This is the This from the BTO website: BirdTrack throughout Britain and Ireland . BirdTrack provides facilities for observers to store and manage“ their is own an exciting personal tool records that looks as well at migration as using these movements to support and distributionsspecies conservation of birds at local, regional, national and international scales.” http://www .bto .org/volunteer-surveys/birdtrack/about/introducing-birdtrack-home http://wwwMore details .btoon BirdTrack .org/volunteer-surveys/birdtrack/taking-part/how-register can be found here: When registering please ensure to check the box which allows the forwarding of records to the County Recorder . All other records should be submitted directly to the County Recorder . Please note that ALL records REQUIRING A FULL WRITTEN DESCRIPTION at EITHER county OR national LEVEL SHOULD BE SENT directly to THE COUNTY Recorder USING THE forms AVAILABLE HERE: http://www .dorsetbirds .org .uk/dorset-bird-list/4545548008 Records of rare and scarce birds in Dorset will only be entered onto the official Dorset totals after acceptance by either BBRC or DRP . An Excel spreadsheet is available for listing your sightings and is transferable directly into the database, thereby saving a lot of time. If anyone wishes to receive a copy (instructions will be given on its use), please contact the County Recorder. 2016 Dorset Bird Report 7 REVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS OF 2016 Marcus Lawson and Geoff Upton 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 A total258 of 276278 species 261were recorded258 in 2016,279 with275 a mean of269 270 for277 the 10 years270 2007-2016.276 No new species were added to the Dorset list in 2016, however there was a respectable yield of national rarities: Black Stork, four Black-winged Stilt, Red-flanked Bluetail, Aquatic Warbler, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Hume’s Warbler, Isabelline Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo and longDorset’s enough 2nd-ever to be Pinewidely Bunting. appreciated Unfortunately, . most of these were short-staying individuals, but a Lesser Yellowlegs at Lytchett Bay and a Great Spotted Cuckoo on Portland both stayed Many of the year’s scarcities were similarly brief in their appearance, but one of the highlights for Dorset birders was a Pallas’s Warbler which remained at Portesham for two months. A Red-footed Falcon at Morden Bog also delighted many during its 5-day stay and a Woodchat Shrike near Martinstown was also fairly obliging. An influx of Cattle Egret, with numbersat least nine to warrantbirds present removal in December, them from was the remarkable, list of county as wasrarities the . countAgainst of 60a continuing Spoonbill in October – the highest UK count to date. Great White Egret started to appear in sufficient decline in the UK’s breeding birds, Dorset specialities such as Nightjar, Firecrest, Woodlark and Dartford Warbler all had good breeding seasons and four Marsh Harrier pairs bred pairssuccessfully, the previous including decade at a . new site. Perhaps the brightest news for breeding birds was the successful fledging of 71 Little Tern at Chesil Beach, from a colony that had shrunk to 10 Both migration periods were rather uneventful by recent standards, apart from on Portland, which seemed almost to have a monopoly on rare and scarce birds.