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
Black-necked Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Fulmar
Cormorant
Shag
Gannet
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Dark-bellied Brent Goose
Shelduck
Mallard
Goosander
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Scoter
Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Osprey
Peregrine
Kestrel
Merlin
Oystercatcher
Whimbrel
Sanderling
Redshank
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull >
Common Gull
Herring Gull >
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Little Tern
Razorbill
Wood Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
Stock Dove
Collared Dove
Tawny Owl
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Ring-necked Parrakeet
Swift
Swallow
Sand Martin
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock >
Robin
Stonechat
Black Redstart
Blackbird
Redwing
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler (heard)
Sedge Warbler
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Wood Warbler
Goldcrest
Firecrest
Spotted Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Jay
Magpie
Rook
Raven
Jackdaw >
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow >
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Brambling
Jay, 13th November 2021
December 19th
The first Jay for a few weeks was in the same spot as it was on Nov 13th, near the Marsh. Today it was scolding a Buzzard that was being noisy but invisible in a nearby tree. The harbour produced just six Black-necked Grebes along with a brief view of a seal.
December 11th
The first calm day for some time revealed plenty of birds in the harbour including 8 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Great Northern Divers, 4 Razorbills and the first Slavonian Grebe and Goosander of 2021.
December 4th
An unusually large flock of about 50 Cormorants were fishing together in the shallows off Downclose this morning, along with about 30 mergansers.
Blackbird, Newstead Road, 23rd November 2021
This morning I finally managed to get a photo of the Jay that has been in the Rodwell Halt area for a week or two now. In the trees near it was a Buzzard and judging by the noises coming from dense Ivy nearby a sleepy Tawny Owl as well. Off Downclose were the first five Black-necked Grebes of the year along with eight Great Crested Grebes and about ten mergansers. Walking back the Coal Tit was singing again at Buxton Road.
November 12th
The first Brambling of the year was heard over Buxton Road this morning, on almost exactly the same date as the last record in 2019. The same spot, just south of the bridge, also produced a Goldcrest today.
November 7th
The first mergansers of the winter were off Smallmouth this morning where there was also a young male Stonechat. Yesterday a Coal Tit was singing at Marsh Road, much further north on the trail than normal, and a Goldcrest was singing at a more typical spot next to Buxton Road.
October 21st
After hearing Siskins all over Weymouth recently the first one actually over the trail this year was near Asda this morning. Nearby at Rodwell Halt I managed to actually see a Jay for the first time this year.
October 19th
All was quiet on the trail until I reached the southern end. Hundreds of Black-headed Gulls were feeding in the harbour along with a few Med Gulls and the first two Common Gulls of the autumn. Then a female Merlin appeared overhead and spent several minutes chasing the pipits and Linnets over the houses. Nearby a Stonechat, another first for the autumn, was keeping quiet in Wyke Cutting. Walking back through the cutting I could hsrdly believe my eyes when a young Gannet appeared over the rooftops of Doncaster Road and headed out across the harbour. Finally a late Swallow appeared over Sandsfoot Halt where there was also a Goldcrest.
Merlin, 19th October 2021
A Jay calling near the Newstead Road bridge was the first from the recent eruption to get as far as the trail.
August 26th
The first Spotted Flycatcher of the autumn was on the trail just north of Chickerell Road this morning.
August 17th
A bird calling from the bushes at Wyke Cutting this morning was quite probably a Lesser Whitethroat.
August 7th
One of the young Peregrines that have been around lately was hunting low over the rooftops at Sudan Road this morning. At Rodwell Trail a Sparrowhawk was calling from the trees.
August 2nd
The first Green Woodpecker on the trail since March was calling at Sudan Road today.
July 20th
This morning a Coal Tit was singing just north of Buxton Road, the first I've heard since April.
July 16th
A Redshank at Smallmouth indicated the start of the autumn migration season today.
Singing Chiffchaff at Marsh Road, 19th July 2021
July 10th
An adult Peregrine was circling high over the northern end of the trail this afternoon.
June 13th
Wyke Cutting provided some useful evidence of breeding this morning with a family of Blue Tits and a female Whitethroat carrying food.
June 7th
The first young Great Tit of the year was above the Sailing Club. In Wyke Cutting there was a young Robin and the usual Lesser Whitethroat. Smallmouth produced a fly-by Little Egret.
May 24th
During the last few days of wet and windy weather there have been one or two Gannets in the harbour and today they were joined by a Fulmar. Two pairs of Chiffchaffs seem to be breeding this year, one at Downclose and another at Chickerell Road. Blackcaps are more numerous with three or four pairs spread along the trail. One Lesser Whitethroat has been singing in the usual spot at Wyke Halt but this year there are no Common Whitethroats or Stonechats there.
May 15th
An early family of Goldfinches on the trail between Buxton Road and Sudan Road was a rare example of proof of breeding for this species.
May 9th
An outstanding day that started off with a new species for the trail bird list when a flock of four Sanderling flew west across the harbour towards Smallmouth. Then as a light drizzle set in on my way back warblers started to appear all along the trail. The highlight was a singing Wood Warbler above Sudan Road, sharing a tree with a Spotted Flycatcher and a Garden Warbler. Nearby a Sedge Warbler was singing while along the trail to the south were Common and Lesser Whitethroats and to the north Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs ans Willow Warblers.
May 8th
The first Swift and Whitethroat of the year were at Ilchester Road this morning, a very late date for the Whitethroat.
May 6th
A Cetti's Warbler gave a burst of song at the southern end of Wyke Cutting this morning - a new site for this species.
May 3rd
A bird seemingly prospecting for nest sites was at its usual location at Rodwell Halt this morning, the first since a similar date last year.
April 30th
The Wyke Cutting Lesser Whitethroat was back for the first time this year but no Common Whitethroats yet, although there was a Willow Warbler singing at Rodwell.
April 25th
The first two Little Terns of the year were at Smallmouth along with a couple of Whimbrel. At Wyke Road the first Sedge Warbler of the year was heard singing.
Blackcap, 25th April 2021
Three Whimbrel flying east over Wyke Halt this morning were the first for the year on the trail. A Kestrel hunting near the Sailing Club has been around for a few days.
April 20th
Although Jays almost certainly breed nearby I very rarely see them on the trail so I was very pleased today when one flew right over my head just south of Buxton Road. At Downclose a very late Brent Goose was sat on the sea just off the beach and a Grey Heron flew overhead going north.
April 18th
The first Kestrel of the year was at the Sailing Club today, where there were also several Swallows and Sand Martins flying north. Both Rook nests seem to be occupied.
Rook nests, 10th April 2021
A major event today with the first Rook nests ever on the trail, opposite Asda.
March 29th
The first Willow Warbler turnec up this afternoon at Ilchester Road, not long after another Osprey had flown over heading north.
March 21st
An Osprey soaring north high over the northern end of the trail was today's highlight. In the harbour most of the grebes seem to have gone with just one Black-necked Grebe visible today.
March 17th
As well as the first Sandwich Tern of the year this morning the harbour produced 50 mergansers, the highest count this winter, a few Meadow Pipits overhead and a Black Redstart just south of the end of the trail at Smallmouth.
March 13th
A few more birds sheltering in the harbour this morning after several days of strong winds. The best was a male Common Scoter, the first since last winter, with a Great Northern Diver nearby that was the first for a month.
Black-necked Grebe, Smallmouth, 22nd February 2021
Another addition to the 2021 bird list today when a Peregrine flew over the northern end of the trail.
February 8th
A Coal Tit singing at Rodwell Halt was the first on the trail this year, although there has been one singing nearby at Bincleaves. A female Blackcap was at Wyke Halt but there was no sign of the Stonechats..
February 5th
A very brief burst of song from a Cetti's Warbler near Chickerell Road early this morning was the first record for the trail this winter, as was the Shelduck which flew west high over Smallmouth a bit later on. A couple of days ago Firecrest entered the year list as well with one at Downclose, unusually far south for this species on the trail.
February 1st
The recent windy weather out in the Channel must have affected the divers because five or six Great Northerns were visible from Downclose this morning after a complete absence of several weeks. At Wellworthy's Close a male Stonechat has joined the female that has been there for a while.
January 30th
The first Firecrest of the year was at Downclose this morning, with singles of Black-necked and Red-necked Grebes offshore there.
January 22nd
Another species was added to the bird list today when a Ring-necked Parrakeet flew over Wyke Road early this morning.
January 8th
The 20 Great Crested Grebes seen from Sandsfoot this mornng was by far the highest total for the winter so far. A flock of 8 Black-necked Grebes was also a good number but no divers could be found, just a lone Razorbill. On the way back the first Green Woodpecker seen for some time was at Old Castle Road. A commotion in the bushes near Chickerell Road was almost certainly caused by a roosting Tawny Owl but nothing could actually be seen of it.
January 7th
A flock of 15 Redwings flying along the northernmost section of the trail at dawn this morning was the largest number I have seen for years.
January 1st
An excellent start to the year with a Black-throated Diver off Sandsfoot and a Red-necked Grebe off the Sailing Club. Great-crested Grebes were at a maximum for this winter with about 15 visible from Sandsfoot. One or two Black-necked Grebes were further out and a Stonechat was at the southern end of the Trail. A Redwing was in the trees near Buxton Road and Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling from Rodwell Cutting.