Pictures of rare birds spotted by people in Dorset

Over the years rare birds calling Dorset their temporary home have had people flocking to different parts of the county to catch a glimpse. 

Very recently a hoopoe at Weston, Portland, drew a large crowd hoping for a sighting. 

The pictures below show some of the most unusual species that have got bird watchers in a flap in the county in recent years. 

From a bird thought to be transported across the Atlantic Ocean by a hurricane to a feathered vagrant from the Arctic, read on to find out which species have graced us with their very special presence....

American yellow warbler

American yellow warbler (Image: Martin Cade)

A rare transatlantic visitor made a visit to Portland in 2017.

The American Yellow Warbler was thought to have been carried across the Atlantic by Hurricane Gert. It was the first time the species had been spotted in England.

Martin Cade, warden of the Portland Bird Observatory, said at the time that over the course of two days around 400 people came to Portland for a piece of the action.

He said that on the first day people were “really excited”, dumping their cars on the roadside and rushing to try and see the bird before dusk came – many of them having driven all day to get there.

A spokesman for the RSPB said that prior to the sighting there were only nine recorded sightings of the American Yellow Warbler in the UK, with none of them in England. 

Brunnich's guillemot

Brunnich's guillemot (Image: Debby Saunders)

Also on Portland, a Brunnich’s Guillemot, a rare Arctic visitor, was spotted in the harbour.

Hundreds of people from all over the country headed to Portland Marina to get a glimpse of the species, which is usually found in colder, northern climates including Russia and Norway.

The vagrant was believed to have been blown off course in bad weather.

White blackbird

White blackbird (Image: Andy Turner)

It was Andy Turner's cat that alerted him to an all-white blackbird in his back garden in Weymouth.

His curious kitten 'threw itself' at his back window upon spotting the feathered friend.

Known as a leucistic blackbird, it is a genetic mutation which affects the pigment in the bird's feathers - turning them white - and is found in just one in every 30,000.

Little bustard 

Looking for a little bustard in West Bexington (Image: Supplied)

West Dorset was the place to be for enthusiasts in November 2014 when a little bustard was sighted in West Bexington.

It usually breeds in southern Europe and in western and central Asia.

This species is declining due to habitat loss. The previous sighting in the UK was in 1987 and prior to that in 1902.

White-tailed eagle

A white-tailed eagle in Dorset (Image: Kelly Sabourn) Wildlife enthusiasts were treated to an extremely rare sighting of a white tailed eagle flying over the Dorset skyline having made the long trip from the Isle of Wight.

Kelly Sabourn, a member of the Dorset Bird Club, shared a picture of the beautiful bird and was excited to share the update of her 100 mile trip across the UK.

By sharing the female birds ring code, it was identified that she had flown from the Isle of Wight, the Royal Dennis Wildlife Foundation said.

Lesser spotted woodpecker

A lesser spotted woodpecker (Image: WildNet)

A woodpecker which was thought to have almost died out locally has been spotted on a farm in Dorset.

The lesser spotted woodpecker was seen at Hollis Mead Organic Dairy Farm in Corscombe by the Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT).

Nationally, its population has fallen by 83 per cent since 1970 and when it was photographed there were only 12 breeding pairs in Dorset.

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Short-eared owl fighting a kestrel

A short-eared owl being ‘harassed’ by a kestrel (Image: Colin Mitchell)

A bird enthusiast captured an action shot of two birds of prey fighting over their dinner.

Colin Mitchell photographed a short-eared owl being ‘harassed’ by a resident male kestrel.

Short-eared owls are medium-sized owls known for their yellow eyes, pale facial discs, and distinctive ear tufts.

Unlike many owl species, they are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, particularly at dawn and dusk.

In the UK, they are most commonly found in upland moorlands during the breeding season and coastal areas in winter.

These owls are highly migratory and can be seen across Europe, North America, Asia, and even parts of South America.

Rare black swan in the wild

A rare black swan in the wild seen in Weymouth (Image: Julie Smith)

A rare black swan in the wild had earlier this year been spending time at Radipole Lake in Weymouth.

It is thought that the swan may have come to the area from Dawlish in Devon.

A black swan was spotted in Radipole Lake a couple of years ago and there were two that joined the colony of the more regular-coloured white birds at Abbotsbury Swannery.

The sight of the black swan, with its striking red bill and shimmering jet black plumage, wowed amateur photographers.

Although it is not a rare occurrence to see the birds in the area, the British Trust of Ornithology says that the swan is occasionally encountered in the wild, mostly as single individuals but sometimes in small groups.