It’s always nice to pull together the sightings on a Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) day. Birds of Poole Harbour coordinate the local WeBS count, tasking a team of volunteers to count non-breeding waterbirds each month at low tide. Due to it’s size, the Harbour is spilt into over 30 sectors which are all counted at the same time, ensuring maximum coverage. Sightings are still filtering in, but highlights from the afternoon count include 8 White-fronted Geese flying west up the Middlebere Channel towards Wareham, 2 Great Northern Diver, 4 Dark-bellied Brent Goose and an Arctic Skua from Studland Bay, and a Grey Phalarope off Fitzworth.

Little Gull were numerous, logged at various sites in the morning, North Haven (3), Lytchett Bay (1) and Studland Bay (3), plus a drake Common Scoter also from the latter. A seawatch at Branksome Chine from first light produced 2 Arctic Skua, 15 Little Gull, and a Great Northern Diver all heading back out of Poole Bay. Inland, there was news of a Ring Ouzel in an Upton garden since Friday, 23 Cattle Egrets on Wareham Water Meadows. A Black Redstart around North Haven car park.

White-fronted Geese in flight – Ed Betteridge