Another grey day in the harbour but that didn’t mean there weren’t plenty of good sightings. A very confiding female-type Black Redstart on Poole Quay, opposite the Swan Inn was a nice treat after our boat trip this morning. It was feeding around the palm tree and some of the surrounding rooftops. The Barnacle Goose was still present at Swineham on the Arne Moors side this time, still amongst the mixed goose flock. The Snow Bunting was still showing well from Hamworthy Beach. At least 5 Great Northern Diver were distributed around the harbour and 1 Black-throated Diver was still off Parkstone Bay. The White-tailed Eagle pair were seen distantly in Brands Bay and there was plenty of wader activity on the Brownsea Lagoon at high tide with c100 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1000+ Dunlin, c50 Grey Plover and small numbers of Greenshank, Turnstone and Black-tailed Godwit. The 1 Spotted Redshank in Holes Bay south-west was joined by a second today, although there was no further sign of the red-head Goosander. In Lytchett Bay 1 Lesser Redpoll was visible along with 140 Avocet and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Mediterranean Gull red ringed ‘PUN1’ – Shell Bay Beach on Monday 13th – Life history information shows this is a 9-year old bird (born in 2016), ringed as a nestling in south-west Poland. It regularly winters at Studland but has also been to Suffolk, Belgium, back to Poland and the Netherlands!

It was still beautifully calm today, allowing for good viewing in all areas. A redhead Goosander in Holes Bay south was ‘new in’ and there was a Spotted Redshank there too. There were 7 Black-necked Grebe, 5 Common Scoter and 1 Great Northern Diver off Middle Beach, Studland and off Jerry’s Point 1 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Great Northern Diver. Once again there were 3-4 White-tailed Eagles moving around the harbour, this time with the arrival of female G818 who tends to prefer the Avon Valley, but today she seemed to like Brownsea. The Snow Bunting was still at Hamworthy Beach and 1 Black-throated Diver was off Baiter this morning.

Wigeon – Middlebere

With thick fog covering the landscape for most of the day it’s no surprise that sightings and reports were a tad limited today. The Snow Bunting spent the afternoon moving in and out of the gloom and at least 1 Black-throated Diver was visible off baiter this afternoon. Off Middle Beach, Studland 7 Black-necked Grebe were just visible as were 2 Slavonian Grebe. A Purple Sandpiper was feeding off Jerry’s Point this morning, 13 Spoonbill were on Shipstal Point, Arne and the White-tailed Eagle pair were moving between Middlebere, the Wareham Channel and the southern shore.

Avocet – Holes Bay 

It was a day of White-tailed Eagle sightings today, with multiple sightings of up to 4(!) individuals around the harbour including in the Wareham Channel from our School Bird Boat, RSPB Arne and around Long and Round Islands. 2 of these are immature birds and so do not have the white tails like our local pair yet. They were certainly interacting today, but don’t seem to have been pushed out just yet by our territorial pair. Elsewhere in the harbour 1 Black-throated Diver was still off Baiter Park along with at least 2 Great Northern Diver in the North Channel and 1 in the Wareham Channel off Ham Common. 1 Great White Egret was at Swineham along with 1 Barnacle Goose and 2 Ruff in the Lower Piddle Valley. 1 Goshawk was in and around Middlebere and 15 Spoonbill were roosting at Shipstal Point, Arne. 5 Black-necked Grebes were spending time around Long Island as seen from Arne. 1 Spotted Redshank was at Lytchett Fields from Rock Lea View and the long-staying Snow Bunting was still being very confiding at Hamworthy Beach. Brownsea Lagoon was packed full of waders today with c1000 Dunlin, c50 Grey Plover, c10 Knot, 3 Greenshank, c100 Black-tailed Godwit and c20 Bar-tailed Godwit.

Dunlin and Grey Plover Flock over Brownsea Lagoon – School Bird Boat this morning

Despite a light/moderate wind during the course of the day, it had settled down by this afternoon allowing for some decent coverage of open water areas. From Jerry’s Point this afternoon 3 Slavonian Grebe were just off the point, along with the Long-tailed Duck, 2 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Goldeneye and 20+ each of Red-breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe. Shell Bay had 1 Great Northern Diver just off shore and 25 Sanderling on the beach and off Middle Beach this evening 11 Black-necked Grebe went into the roost along with 7 Common Scoter. In Brands Bay 1 Spoonbill was feeding, there were excellent totals of Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover and 34 Knot. Yesterday 23 Goldeneye were counted at dusk roosting off Fitzworth. A drake Goosander was out in Arne Bay this afternoon, the Snow Bunting was still on Hamworthy Beach, a ringtail Hen Harrier was on a post out from Middlebere this afternoon, 3 Sandwich Tern passed out in Shell Bay and a Spotted Redshank and 3 Spoonbill were in Lytchett Bay.

Mediterranean Gull – Shell Bay, Studland

Kingfisher on the Houseboats – Bramble Bush Bay, Studland

Spoonbill – Brands Bay, Studland

Slavonian Grebes – Jerry’s Point, Studland

Today was one of those perfect days where the harbour produced the goods, the weather behaved and the birds performed. From our Winter Safari Cruise this AM we managed to log 3 Black-throated Diver, which were loafing all together out in the main channel between Brownsea and Baiter. In total there were c12 Great Northern Diver with the majority located between the northern urban shore and across to South Deep/Goat Horn. Male White-tailed Eagle G463 came in low over Evening Hill, Sandbanks and passed right over our boat as he flew off towards Brownsea/Arne. There were 2 Black-necked Grebe out off Jerry’s Point, 4 Spoonbill on the Gull Islands and 4 Marsh Harrier at Swineham. The Brownsea Lagoon was fairly busy and saw c300 Avocet, c50 Bar-tailed Godwit, c500 Dunlin and smaller numbers of Sanderling and Turnstone. A small Lapwing flock over Keysworth contained 3 Golden Plover this morning and later this afternoon the Short-eared Owl was reported again over Arne Moors with a ringtail Hen Harrier seen at sunset. The Snow Bunting was still pleasing the crowds at Hamworthy Beach, off Middle Beach this evening 8 Black-necked Grebe went into the roost and 3 Slavonian Grebe were off Jerry’s Point with the Long-tailed Duck this afternoon. Finally, a random check of a wet field near the Bakers Arms pub on the way home after WeBS yielded a rather confiding Jack Snipe.

Jack Snipe – Field just West of Bakers Arms pub

Although there isn’t much snow left, there was a glimmer of pale beauty just outside the harbour recording area today when a pale morph Gyr Falcon was photographed at Durlston CP this afternoon. We haven’t seen the photo yet, but we don’t need to. The words ‘Gyr Falcon’ instantaneously form an image of power, strength and wonder in to any birders imagination. Apparently it flew west towards Seacombe and Winspit this afternoon, so no doubt the Purbeck coast will be an ‘area of interest’ for many birders tomorrow morning. Who knows….maybe it u-tuned and decided to roost on top of Ballard Down. We can all but dream.

Meanwhile, back down here on planet earth, the Snow Bunting was still at Hamworthy Beach, a Black-throated Diver was in Parkstone Bay and c20 Common Chiffchaff were in the PCW Drain this afternoon. This evening there was a Spoonbill and Great White Egret on the Stilt Pools at Swineham and 27 Cattle Egret went into roost at Swineham where a drake Pochard was on the gravel pit. On Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne 18 Spoonbill were on the spit, a lone Spotted Redshank was in the Lower Piddle Valley and there wasn’t much reported from the Studland area today other than 2 Great Northern Diver and 2 Black-necked Grebe off Jerry’s Point.

Great Northern Diver – Jerry’s Point 

Black-necked Grebe – Jerry’s Point 

What a contrast to yesterday. The ‘Golden Hour’ at sunrise and sunset today produced a beautifully crisp setting right across the harbour. It was back to form again today with the Snow Bunting back showing again at Hamworthy Beach. Maybe it was just camouflaged by the snow yesterday? Both Black-throated Divers were seen in Parkstone Bay this morning. Off Jerry’s Point this afternoon the Long-tailed Duck was bobbing about between ‘Jerry’s and Redhorn Quay, along with 2 Slavonian Grebe, 3 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Great Northern Diver. This afternoon from our Winter Safari cruise, both adult White-tailed Eagles were sat in trees on the Goathorn peninsular, a Guillemot was off Poole Quay and there were 8 Great Northern Diver spread around. Also 3-4 Marsh Harrier came into roost at Swineham. An adult male Hen Harrier went through Lytchett Bay this afternoon and one (the same?) went through Middlebere this evening. This morning 3 Spoonbill and a Spotted Redshank were in Middlebere.

Bar-tailed Godwit – Shore Road

Sanderling & Turnstone – Shore Road