Dorset Bird Report 2012 Published August 2015 © 2015 Dorset Bird Club 2012 Dorset Bird Report 1 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 1 07/09/2015 10:51 Taylor Andrews Ltd CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS Worried about Self-Assessment? Need help with your Tax Returns or Accounts? With over 30 years’ experience of Accounts and Tax for small businesses and individuals, why not let us ease your worries? We will deal with HM Revenue & Customs on your behalf and ensure that all forms are completed correctly and on time, thus avoiding fines and penalties. We will also advise you how to keep your tax bill as low as possible. For a free initial consultation, please call Mark Andrews on 01202 398923 email: [email protected] 2 Dorset Bird Report 2012 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 2 07/09/2015 10:51 DORSET BIRD REPORT 2012 CONTENTS . 6-7 Report Production Team 5 .. 8-9 Notes for Contributors . 10-14 A Brief Review and Highlights of the Year . The Dorset List NotesSystematic to Systematic List for List2012 . 16-15015 . Escapes 151 . Pending and Requested Records 152-153 . Dorset Bird Ringing – Summary for 2012 154-155 . Dorset Bird Ringing – Selected Recoveries in 2012 156-164 I Dodd . Dorset Bird Ringing – County Totals up to end of 2012 165-171 . 174-176 Weymouth Siberian Chiffchaff 172-173 . 177-181 County Map . 182-184 Gazetteer . List of Contributors . Photographic Credits Inside Back Cover Acknowledgments Inside Back Cover 2012 Dorset Bird Report 3 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 3 07/09/2015 10:51 We offer Tailor-made birding & wildlife tours Specialists in out-of-print Themed birding and wildlife walks NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS Local guides for groups Books bought & sold Illustrated wildlife talks UK & overseas wildlife tours and guides Log on to our website for a full stock list or contact us for a copy Check out our website or contact us of our latest catalogue for further details www.callunabooks.co.uk www.dorsetbirdingandwildlife.co.uk [email protected] [email protected] Neil Gartshore, Moor Edge, 2 Bere Road, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 4DD 01929 552560 4 Dorset Bird Report 2012 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 4 07/09/2015 10:51 DORSET BIRD REPORT 2012 PRODUCTION TEAM Editor: Species Accounts: Kevin Lane Mute Swan to Mallard John Down Pintail to Ruddy Duck Robin Trundle Gamebirds to Spoonbill Mike Darke Raptors to Coot Geoff Upton Waders Daragh Croxson Skuas to Terns Ian Stanley Auks to Woodpeckers Clive Cottrell Larks to Wheatears Nevil Fowler Thrushes to Sylvia Warblers Shaun Robson Phylloscs to Starlings Kevin Lane Sparrows to Buntings John Lockwood RingingEscapes Information: Kevin Lane Map: Kevin Sayer Gazetteer: Nick Hull Dorset Records Panel: Nick Hull Dave Chown, Dave Taylor, Ian Stanley Kevin Lane, Mike Morse 2012 Dorset Bird Report 5 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 5 07/09/2015 10:51 NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS The Dorset Bird Report is an annual publication by the Dorset Bird Club of records and papers on all aspects of Dorset ornithology. All contributions, from both residents and visitors to the county, in the form of records, papers, drawings and photographs are welcomed. All contributors are acknowledged in the report. These notes should assist you WHATif you wish RECORDS to contribute DO WE to WANT? the report. Due to the volume of records received, it is not possible to list every one in the report. The report is an edited summary of these records, aimed at highlighting the occurrence and status of each species in a particular year. All records, however, are valuable and are archived in the DBC database, managed through the Dorset Environmental Records Centre, where they can be accessed by groups or individuals for future studies. Please refer to ‘The Dorset List’, on pages 10 - 14, which lists the type of records requested for each species. Species requiring a full written description are marked with either (*) for national rarities, or (D) for birds which are rare or scarce in Dorset. Descriptions of national rarities will be forwarded to the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC), whilst records of locally rare or scarce birds will be assessed by the Dorset Records Panel (DRP). The Dorset Records Panel reserves the right to request further information 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 location or time of ANDyear. WHEREUnsubstantiated FROM? records will not be published. all Records are welcomed from parts of the county. There is a natural bias towards coastal sites and nature reserves as they are excellent places to see birds. Many of these sites produce their own reports, which are incorporated into the Dorset Bird Report. Records away from these sites are often thin on the ground, so ‘local patch’ records and casual recording from less well-watched areas are very important. These enable us to gain as full a picture as possible of what is happening to Dorset’s birds. Many national surveys are carried out annually in the county as part of a wider picture of the UK’s bird life. A copy of any Dorset results would be greatly appreciated – the information will be added to our HOWdatabase. SHOULD I SEND MY RECORDS IN? Casual records and descriptions of rare and scarce birds can be e-mailed to the DBC at the dorsetbirdclub@hotmailfollowing address: .com This is also the correct address to send any local patch bird reports to, as well as any completed DBC spreadsheets. If you do not have access to e-mail, please send your records by post to the County Recorder. The address can be found on page 5 of this report. 6 Dorset Bird Report 2012 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 6 07/09/2015 10:51 WHEN SHOULD I SUBMIT MY RECORDS? as soon after the sighting as possible Recordswww.bbrc.org.uk of birds requiring full written descriptions should be submitted . National raritywww.dorsetbirds.org.uk forms can be downloaded from the BBRC website ( ). DRP forms are downloadable from either the ‘Dorset List’ or ‘Dorset Decisions’ pages of the DBC website ( ). Both forms are also available from the County Recorder. If possible, individual records should be sent to the County Recorder periodically throughout the year to enable them to be logged on to the database over a period of time. This will help to ensure that there will not be a backlog of data inputting to be done at the last minute (and so hold up production of the report). end of January Please, at the latest, send records in by the the following year. Late records WHOwill be SHOULD accepted, I SUBMITbut it may MY not RECORDS be possible TO? to include them in the report for that year. to their recorders The following sites publish their own reports and request that records are submitted directly • Christchurch. Once Harbour collated theseOrnithological reports are Group: included in the Dorset Bird Report. • Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre: Mr DN Smith, 11 Moffat Road, Purewell, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1HQ. Mr M Cade, Portland Bird All otherObservatory, records should Old Lowerbe submitted Light, Portland directly Bill, to Dorset, the County DT5 2JT. 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 . Records of rare and scarce birds in Dorset will only be entered onto the official Dorset totals after acceptance by either BBRC or DRP . Excel An spreadsheet is available for listing your sightings and is transferable directly into the database, therebyExcel saving a lot of time. If anyone wishes to receive a copy (instructions will be given on its use), please contact the County Recorder. Likewise, if people wish to use their own spreadsheets, these can be copied into the database with the greatest of ease. 2012 Dorset Bird Report 7 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 7 07/09/2015 10:51 A BRIEF REVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR Marcus Lawson Another good year with 274 species recorded. The table below shows the annual totals for the last 10 2004years. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 276 269 270 268 278 261 278 274 2003 2005 258 258 2012 will be most remembered for the exceptionally high levels of rainfall throughout the year. It was the second wettest year since records began in 1910 with June being the wettest on record. In early February there was a brief cold snap, which saw the likes of Lytchett Bay become 95% frozen as well as the Fleet becoming extensively covered in ice. These conditions prompted a bit of a localised cold weather movement but also included the arrival of a few Smew amongst other expected winter wanderers. Unsurprisingly, given the amount of rainfall, the summer wasTemperature one in of South the England dullest 2012 in terms of sunshine recorded. (Against 1981-2010 Period Average) 18.0 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0 Mean Temp (°C) Mean Temp 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2012 S England 1981-2010 S England Rainfall in South England 2012 (Against 1981-2010 Period Average) 160.0 140.0 120.0 100.0 80.0 Rainfall (mm) 60.0 40.0 20.0 0.0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2012 S England 1981-2010 S England 8 Dorset Bird Report 2012 DBR2012 Master Text.indd 8 07/09/2015 10:51 Selected “best days” at Portland: Spring migration was veryphylloscopus good in terms warbler of numbers ofBlackcap birds and theWheatear first, somewhatRedstart modest, fall6 Ring of the Ouzel year occurredBlack Redstart on 21st March.