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)
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)
Great Northern Diver
Black-throated Diver
Red-throated Diver
Black-necked Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
Cormorant
Shag
Gannet
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Mute Swan
Dark-bellied Brent Goose
Pale-bellied Brent Goose
Canada Goose
Shelduck
Mallard
Red-breasted Merganser
Eider
Common Scoter
Velvet Scoter
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Osprey
Peregrine
Kestrel
Merlin
Water Rail
Oystercatcher
Bar-tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Curlew
Golden Plover
Redshank
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull >
Common Gull
Herring Gull >
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Guillemot
Razorbill
Wood Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
Collared Dove
Kingfisher
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Swift
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Skylark
Wren
Dunnock >
Robin
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Redwing
Song Thrush
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Goldcrest
Firecrest
Pied Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Treecreeper
Nuthatch
Magpie
Rook
Raven
Jackdaw >
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow >
Chaffinch
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Brambling
Grey Wagtail at Rodwell Halt, 24 December 2019
December 27th
The Firecrest was back at Buxton Road again this morning, with a pair of Goldcrests displaying just north of Wyke Road Tunnel. At Sudan Road the first Song Thrush of the winter was in song.
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Firecrest at Buxton Road, 22 and 27 December 2019
Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were at Rodwell Halt, seemingly visiting a bird feeder in a garden in Portwey Close.
Great Spotted Woodpecker at Rodwell Halt, 24 December 2019
December 22nd
A Firecrest was just south of Buxton Road and a Coal Tit was in full song at Rodwell Halt.
December 15th
The first Velvet Scoter that I have seen for several years flew past Downclose this morning with a Great Northern Diver close inshore. A bit further along the trail at Wellworthy Close a Peregrine put in a very brief appearance. The Eider was offshore here again as well.
Eider at Smallmouth, 29 November 2019
The first Slavonian Grebe of the winter was off Downclose, but a very long way out. Also several Black-necked Grebes and the female Eider, but no sign of the Common Scoters that have been around in varying numbers for the last few weeks.
November 23rd
The first Eider of the winter was off Downclose today. Also four Black-necked Grebes and a Great Northern Diver.
Sparrowhawk at Sudan Road, 8 November 2019
November 8th
The highlight today was a superb juv Brambling on the rocks at Whiteheads this afternoon. Offshore there was a distant group of four Great Northern Divers and at Rodwell Halt a Firecrest and a settled Buzzard (see photo below). The Sparrowhawk above was sat above the bridge over Sudan Road this morning.
Buzzard at Rodwell Halt, 8 November 2019
Grey Wagtail at Rodwell Halt, 5 November 2019
November 6th
A Kingfisher flying down the middle of the trail at Downclose was a bit of a shock this morning, the furst seen for two years. Yesterday's Common Scoter off Downclose was today joined by nine friends and the first three Black-necked Grebes of the winter. Finally the first Stonechat for several months was at Downclose Cutting.
November 5th
At Rodwell Halt the first Treecreeper seen for several years was found along with a feeding flock of tits, a Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff. A female Common Scoter was off Downclose on Saturday 2nd and again today.
October 11th
A Merlin near Smallmouth was a new bird for the trail this morning. Also the first two Great Crested Grebes of the winter here.
September 29th
A Golden Plover was calling over Newstead Road this afternoon.
September 25th
At midday a Yellow-browed Warbler could be heard calling near Ilchester Road. I went out to look for it after lunch and instead found two Goldcrests and a Firecrest at Rodwell Halt.
September 24th
A juvenile Pale-bellied Brent Goose was close in by the Sailing Club today.
August 27th
A remarkable day on the Trail starting with a new species added in the shape of a Pied Flycatcher near the OAC. Then an Osprey arrived off Hamm Beach and proceeded to make several unsuccessful dives in the shallows. Finally a group of three Yellow Wagtails flew north over Smallmouth.
Osprey fishing just south of Smallmouth, 27th August 2019
August 13th
It seems likely that Sparrowhawks bred at Rodwell Halt again this year with several calling juvs heard near the platforms and an adult flying about further north.
August 4th
A Redshank could be heard calling near the Sailing Centre this morning.
August 2nd
The first Willow Warblers of the Autumn were seen this morning, with 5 or so in Downclose Cutting.
July 6th
A Green Woodpecker at Rodwell Cutting was the first record of this species of the summer. Nearby a Coal Tit was singing, they have been heard the south side of Buxton Road recently as well. Further south at Wyke Cutting a group of Goldfinches included at least one juvenile.
June 29th
The second ever Nuthatch on the trail was heard today around Old Castle Road.
May 23rd
The first fishing flock of seven or eight Common Terns of the year were off Downclose today where a Gannet could also be seen further out in the harbour.
May 19th
The second Reed Warbler of the year was singing near Wyke Road and a Sedge Warbler was singing on Downclose Embankment. Here a young Linnet was sat with an adult, the first indication of successful breeding at this site for some years. A little further on towards Whiteheads a Peregrine flew over carrying food towards Portland. Yesterday a Whimbrel was feeding amongst the rocks there and a Bullfinch was calling near Hillcrest.
May 16th
The Downclose Stonechat was back this morning - with a youngster!
May 10th
Reed Warbler singing at Downclose this morning. Also Whitethroat singing nearby but no sign of the Lesser Whitethroat or Stonechat lately.
May 2nd
A Whimbrel was with a pair of Oystercatchers on the shore at Downclose this morning. A Pied Wagtail has been feeding around Smallmouth lately and must be breeding nearby.
April 23rd
The first Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats were in song at Downclose.
April 16th
The first Whimbrel was on the beach just north of Smallmouth this morning with the first Common Tern sat on a bouy off Downclose. A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were being very noisy in Rodwell Cutting.
April 7th
The first Swallows were seen flying north at Smallmouth this morning and a male Stonechat was back in Wyke Cutting.
April 2nd
The first Willow Warblers were seen this morning with several Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs nearby. Still a couple of Great Crested Grebes and a dozen or so mergansers in the harbour. Four Sandwich Terns were at Smallmouth.
Raven at Underbarn, 26th March 2019
March 22nd
The first Sandwich Tern was off Smallmouth this morning where there was also a distant Common Scoter and a singing Meadow Pipit, just south of the trail. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps have been singing for a week or so now, with two of each heard today. Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers have been calling around the centre of the trail throughout February and March with two Great Spotted above Marsh Road this morning.
February 1st
Overnight snow brought hundreds of Redwings into the trees around Wyke Road this morning. More were on the Knightsdale Road playing field along with lots of Fieldfares. At Smallmouth about 50 Skylarks were seen heading east.
January 24th
A Great-spotted Woodpecker was drumming at Rodwell Halt and another was at Old Castle Road. A Green Woodpecker was at Wyke Halt and two Meadow Pipits were at Smallmouth.
January 20th
The first Red-necked Grebe of the winter was off Downclose today.
January 18th
A Shelduck was sat on the sea near the Sailing Club today. Most of my records of this species are of birds in flight (this one did fly off south after a few minutes). Also added Raven and Common Gull to the Trail year list.
January 10th
The first Blackcap of the winter was at Buxton Road today.
January 1st
A pair of Peregrines hunting low over Wyke Cutting was the highlight today. Offshore the Black-necked Grebes had built up to at least twenty birds in four or five separate flocks, all very distant. Even more distant were two or three Great Northern Divers. The male Stonechat was still in Wyke Cutting and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was at Rodwell Halt, with another head drumming near Sandsfoot.