We’re loving this cold weather as it keeps delivering good birds, with todays best bird not actually being seen today though. News reached us today that on Dec 20^th a Bittern was seen in front of the viewing screen at Lytchett Bay which is the first for the bay in quite a while and certainly one of only a handful of records from the harbour over the last several years. Birds from today at Lytchett Bay included 2 Cattle Egret over the bay at dusk heading to the Holes Bay roost, also 1 Merlin, 1 Peregrine, 1 Yellow-legged Gull and 5 Spoonbill. At Swineham there was a Jack Snipe c100 Lapwing, 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Water Rail and 1 Chiffchaff. In Holes Bay SE there were 3 Goldeneye with another 1 on Poole Park Lake. Off Jerry’s Point/Brands Bay there were 2 Great Northern Diver, 3 Scaup, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 23 Sanderling, 1200 Dunlin, 30 Grey Plover, 10 Knot, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit and 3 Grey Plover. In Middlebere 3 Bearded Tit were seen which are a rare find there and in the Middlebere Channel there were 4 Spotted Redshank, 26 Curlew, 550 Avocet, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier and 120 Lapwing. At Littlesea, Studland the Great White Egret flew into roost at dusk and a Woodcock was seen.

Bullfinch – Swineham – Peter Moore