WELCOME TO THE WEBSITE OF THE DORSET BIRD CLUB

The role of the Dorset Bird Club

• To promote interest in birds and bird watching in Dorset
• To collate Dorset bird records and to publish the annual Dorset Bird Report
• To provide comment and support on local conservation issues
• To promote small scale local bird conservation projects through the DBC Conservation Fund
• To initiate and encourage participation in local and national bird surveys

In 1987 local birdwatchers decided that there was a need for an independent bird club in the county and The (New) Dorset Bird Club was formed. The Club took over the role of collating bird records, producing the annual Dorset Bird Report ever since.

Previously, observations of Dorset's birdlife have been recorded in various publications since the late 1700s. The County's first avifauna, J.C. Mansel-Pleydell's 'The Birds of Dorsetshire: A Contribution to the Natural History of the County', appeared in 1888. It was nearly 100 years before the next avifauna was published in 1983 - 'The Birds of Dorset' by Col. E.D.V. Prendergast and J.V. Boys. This was followed 20 years later by the current avifauna 'The Birds of Dorset' by George Green, financially aided by The Dorset Bird Club and published by Christopher Helm in 2004.

The Dorset Bird Club is a membership-based club financed and run, by its members.

If you are not a member of the club but are interested in Dorset's birds, then do join!

DORSET BIRD REPORT 2020

The compilation of the annual Dorset Bird Report is a complex process which involves the incorporation of over 180,000 eBird and BirdTrack records in addition to those from other sources including site reports from across the county.  The production team aims for 100% accuracy in the compilation of the records, the writing of the species accounts and in the preparation of the final document. 

Unfortunately, during the process of preparing the print-ready copy of the 2020 Report, a number of errors have occurred.  These did not come to light until after printing and distribution of the Report.  The production team is understandably extremely disappointed that these errors have crept in and have detracted from what we believe is an otherwise excellent report.  We understand how the errors occurred and will put in place measures to ensure that this does not happen again.  

The production team has prepared an Errata Document which is available for download on the Club’s website at Publications - Dorset Bird Club (dorsetbirds.co.uk).  The Errata Document has been prepared in the same format as the printed Report.  For Members who do not have access to a printer, we will post hardcopies of the Errata Document; these can be requested by emailing membership@dorsetbirds.co.uk.

In preparing the Errata Document, we have also taken the opportunity to incorporate a number of records from the Ringing Report into the species accounts and remove a number of records which have subsequently been withdrawn by the observers. 

The production team apologises for any inconvenience caused.