Linked to Weymouth by Chesil Beach, the Isle of Portland has a unique geographical position, extending seven miles into the English Channel. This makes it exciting and rewarding for birds, especially during spring and autumn migration. The Portland Bill Bird Observatory in the old Lighthouse has a full time warden who monitors and rings migrating birds. Moths are also trapped and recorded here.Sea watching from the Bill or nearby East Cliffs can produce terns, skuas, shearwaters, Fulmar, Common Scoter and (if you're lucky) dolphins, seals or even Basking Sharks. On the nearby cliffs Fulmar, Kittiwake, Razorbill and a few Puffins breed in May and June. Autumn is the best time to hope for a rarity here, with Melodious Warblers being regular.Portland is famed as a birding rarity hot-spot, and past "megas" have included Britain's first Desert Warbler, Calandra and Lesser-Short-toed Larks and Savannah Sparrow, plus Egyptian Nightjar, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Pechora Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Northern Parula and Upland Sandpiper. Regular rarities and sub-rarities include Red-breasted Flycatcher, Ortolan Bunting, Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike, Bee-eater, Golden Oriole and many more.

There are several good sites for the naturalist on the Isle of Purbeck, from the heaths of the Poole Harbour basin in the north, to the headlands of the south coast.

Among the latter, our favourite is Durlston Head CP, where migrating birds, excellent botany and stunning landscape mix. Durlston gets almost as many rare migrant birds as Portland (probably!), but observer coverage is much lower. Major falls of passerines and large hirundine movements are quite common. Guillemots breed on the cliffs, and many seabirds pass by, along with a small but resident population of Bottle-nosed Dolphins.

Botanically, the highlight is undoubtedly Early Spider Orchid, best seen in late April and early May, plus numerous Green-winged and Early Purple Orchids, Cowslips and Adder's-tongue Fern. Adders themselves are common, too!

Studland Nature Reserve lies at the mouth of Poole Harbour, and has a wide range of habitats, including open heathland, bog, woodland, sand dunes and long, sandy beaches. The area is well known for dragonflies and butterflies, and is especially notable for having all six British reptiles present.

Birding is most productive in the winter months for wildfowl, ducks, grebes and divers. One can find good numbers of Red-breasted Merganzers, some Eider, Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter and the occasional Velvet Scoter and Black Guillemot. Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes overwinter here, particularly in Studland and Shell Bays, along with Great-crested Grebes and odd Red-necked Grebes. Great Northern and Black-throated Divers can also be found, with Red-throated Diver occurring in most years. Scaup, Smew, Goosander and even Bewick's Swans have been seen at Little Sea. Look out also for winter raptors, Great Grey Shrike and Snow Bunting.

Rarities seen here include Lesser Scaup, Spoonbill, Melodious and Yellow-browed Warblers, Pied-billed Grebe, American Robin, American Wigeon and Little and Alpine Swifts.