April 2010
49 species so far this monthCormorant
Mute Swan
Red-breasted Merganser
Sparrowhawk
Osprey
Kestrel
Peregrine
Oystercatcher
Curlew
Whimbrel
Mediterranean Gull >
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull >
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Tern >
Sandwich Tern >
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Sand Martin
Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Wren
Dunnock >
Robin
Wheatear
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit >
Great Tit
Magpie
Jackdaw >
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow >
Chaffinch >
Greenfinch
Goldfinch >
Linnet
April 3rd
The surprise bird today was a Cetti's Warbler singing very loudly at Sandsfoot Halt, the third record for the trail. A bit further on a Sparrowhawk and a Peregrine flew overhead.
April 8th
A few more migrants today with the first Willow Warblers and Linnets at Downclose Embankment and a Swallow flying north across Smallmouth. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling nead Newstead Road.
April 11th
The first Wheatear was at Smallmouth and there were still plenty of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps around.
April 13th
It had to happen eventually - an Osprey over the trail! With today's clear weather and the mid-April date an Osprey sighting was a definite possibility and when all the gulls on Chesil Beach got up and started creating a fuss I was pretty certain what the cause was. The Osprey appeared over the caravan park at Ferrybridge and spent a while cruising over Smallmouth before heading south to Portland. Later it returned to Ferrybridge and headed off towards Radipole, which was when I got the photo above.
April 15th
Just 8 Mergansers left in the harbour today but there was a rare sighting of a Curlew settled at Whitehead's Pier at low tide. A Green Woodpecker was calling at Rodwell Halt and nearby a female Blackbird was collecting food for her young.
April 16th
The first Whimbrels of the year, 3 of them, were settled on the shore at Albert's Bay this morning. Also the first Coal Tit heard for some weeks, singing at Buxton Road.
April 20th
Lots of migrants around today with a record 15 Wheatears at Smallmouth and several Sand Martins with the Swallows flying north. All the Mergansers seem to have gone now, apart from a few lingering in the Fleet at Ferrybridge. A pair of Peregrines were soaring high over Abbotsbury Road.
April 21st
The first Common Tern and a late Mediterranean Gull were off Sandsfoot Castle this afternoon.