Wildlife of the Rodwell Trail
birds seen from the trail in 2025

previous years:  
2024 (89 sp)   
2023 (88 sp)   
2022 (90 sp)   
2021 (91 sp)   
2020 (103 sp)  
2019 (94 sp)   
2018 (108 sp)  
2017 (94 sp)   
2016 (76 sp)   
2015 (75 sp)   


yearly summaries:  
2023   (88 sp)  
2022   (90 sp)  
2021   (91 sp)  
2020 (103 sp)  
2019   (94 sp)  
2018 (108 sp)  
2017   (94 sp)  
2016   (76 sp)  
2015   (75 sp)  
2014   (75 sp)  
2013   (66 sp)  
2012   (79 sp)  
2011   (84 sp)  
2010   (99 sp)  
2009   (98 sp)  
2008   (97 sp)  


best months:  
Dec 2013 (50 sp)    
Jan 2013 (50 sp)    
Jan 2010 (60 sp)    
Nov 2008 (57 sp)    
Oct 2008 (57 sp)    
61 species so far this year

Great Northern Diver
Black-necked Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Shag
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Mute Swan
Dark-bellied Brent Goose
Canada Goose
Mallard
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
White-tailed Eagle
Red Kite
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Kestrel
Oystercatcher
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull >
Common Gull
Herring Gull >
Great Black-backed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Wood Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
Stock Dove
Collared Dove
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock >
Robin
Stonechat
Blackbird
Redwing
Song Thrush
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Magpie
Rook
Raven
Jackdaw >
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow >
Chaffinch
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet




Hume's Leaf Warbler at Rodwell Halt, 28th November 2024

April 13th
The first Whitethroat of the year was at Dover Road this morning, with severalm Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers also present.

April 1st
At Smallmouth a flock of eleven Sandwich Terns flew north up the Fleet. Later in the afternoon a Red Kite flew across the trail over Marsh Road.

March 30th
The first Willow Warbler of the year was singing at Rodwell Cutting this morning and nearby a Mallard was the first of the year when it flew over Marsh Road. In the harbour were the first two Sandwich Terns of the year, two Great Northern Divers again and about 5 mergansers.

March 23rd
The big surprise today was a Redwing moving north through Wyke Cutting - the first I've seen on the trail this year. A half hour spent scanning the harbour from the Sailing Club produced good telescope views of the two Long-tailed Ducks as well as the female Common Scoter, two Great Northern Divers (together, probably the two that have been around all winter), two or three Black-necked Grebes and 25 mergansers.

March 10th
The first singing Chiffchaff of the year was at Marsh Road this morning with another at Dover Road. A Goldcrest was in the Rodwell Cutting but no sign of the Stock Doves there for over a week now. A Long-tailed Tit was carrying nest material yesterday just north of the Newstead Road bridge.

March 5th
The first Blackcap of the year was singing at Old Castle Road and the two Long-tailed Ducks were off Smallmouth again.

March 4th
The Long-tailed Ducks were a bit closer today along with singles of Black-necked Grebe and Great Northern Diver. Over Marsh Road three pairs of Ravens were engaging in some sort of territorial dispute, probably the most I have ever seen together here. One pair was still overhead several hours later. Greenfinches were in song all the way from their usual site in Wyke Cutting all the way back to Sudan Road. A sngle Chaffinch was in song at Rodwell Halt.

March 2nd
A pair of Long-tailed Ducks were just about visible out in the middle of the harbour this morning, the first seen here for over ten years. Also the first Little Egret of the year flying over Sandsfoot Castle.

March 1st
Todays (and the year's) highlight was the White tailed Eagle that was circling over the southern end of the trail this morning. In addition to this outstanding bird a couple of summer-plumaged Black-necked Grebes were off Sandsfoot where there was also a flock of 45 Brent Geese, probably the most ever seen from the trail. The merganser flock reached 34, another record for the year so far. At Rodwell Cutting the pair of Stock Doves were present again.

February 24th
Two Rooks were in attendance this morning at the only nest so far started at the Marsh Road rookery. Underneath themwas a very lively Chiffchaff which looked very much as if it was an early migrant. At Wyke Halt the Greenfinches, about ten of them, were very much in evidence and starting to sing. Offshore here was a flock of twenty mergansers, the most seen this winter so far. Apart from these just one Great Crested Grebe and one Great Northern Diver could be found. On the way back a very tame Grey Wagtail was in the traditional spot in Rodwell Cutting.

February 16th
No Rook nests have been started yet but three pairs were sat in the rookery site this morning. In the harbour were three Great Northern Divers and three Common Scoter, all near Smallmouth.

February 8th
A Bullfinch next to the OEC was the first seen on the trail since 2022. The harbour produced three Great Crested and two Black-necked Grebes and a Great Northern Diver.

February 2nd
A pair of Stock Doves were at Rodwell Halt this morning, a first for the Trail I believe. A choppy harbour only produced one each of Great Crested and Black-necked Grebe but the first Kestrel of the year was at Wyke Halt. The first Song Thrush of the year was singing near Chickerell Road.

January 28th
Recent stormy weather has brought an influx of Great Northern Divers into the harbour with at least ten easily visible this morning including one very close in to the start of the trail in Smallmouth Bay. Offshore was the usual flock of six or seven Common Scoter and the first mergansers of the year! A Stock Dove could be heard singing in its usual spot just north of the platform at Rodwell Halt.

January 21st
The Grey Wagtail was back at the Outdoor Education Centre this afternoon along with two Chiffchaffs. Nearby the Rooks have started rebuilding one of last year's nests.

January 12th
The wintering flock of Common Scoter reached ten birds today but strangely still no mergansers in this part of the harbour yet. The first Black-necked Grebe of the year was seen yesterday off Sandsfoot.

January 4th
A Buzzard was being mobbed by gulls over Dover Road and a Goldcrest was below the bridge at Newstead Road.

January 1st
A Grey Wagtail was at an unusual location on the lower path next to the Outdoor Education Centre.

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