With the wind building today, it made birding conditions slightly trickier but there was still lots ‘to be had’. The Purple Sandpiper group grew to 3 today, which is the highest harbour total for a number of years! Todays were located on one of the rocky groynes by the ‘Shack by the Shore’ food outlet at Shore Road, Sandbanks. The harbour entrance and Jerry’s Point area wa sbusy again and saw 2 Slavonian Grebe, 6 Black-necked Grebe, 6 Goldeneye, 5 Great Northern Diver, 1 Velvet Scoter and 34 Red-breasted Merganser. Across the whole harbour c10 Great Northern Diver were counted, plus there were c20 Spoonbill around the shipstal area of RSPB Arne, 8 Marsh Harrier around Swineham and 8 Glossy Ibis were still in wet meadows at Swineham by the gravel pit. Merlin have been a bit scrace this winter, but 1 was hunting briefly over the gull islands in the Wareham Channel this morning.

Purple Sandpiper – Shore Road, Sandbanks – Garry Hayman

Glossy Ibis – Swineham – Garry Hayman

A busy day across the harbour today, and with this mornings rain clearing quickly it allowed for some good coverage across the harbour including from our Winter Safari this morning. Highlights from across the harbour included 9 Glossy Ibis on the Swineham Pools, 1 Velvet Scoter, 7 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver and 8 Black-necked Grebe off of Jerry’s Point. The 2 Purple Sandpiper were still on rocky groynes off the main Sandbanks Beach, c20 Spoonbill were feeding between Shipstal and Middlebere, Swineham had 4-5 different Marsh Harrier moving around. The Brownsea Lagoon was pretty full of water, but did hold c500 Avocet, 76 Bar-tailed Godwit, c1160 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Greenshank and 6 Grey Plover. Middlebere logged 1 Goshawk bombing through, also 1 Jack Snipe flushed, 1 Spotted Redshank was in the channel and 40+ Fieldfare were along the track.

Purple Sandpiper – Sandbanks – Ian Ballam

This morning, a neck-collared dark-bellied Brent Goose was found on Baiter Park, and although efforts were made to try and read the ring number, sadly it flew before it the number could be obtained. The neck collar seems to be a sat-tag, meaning the team running this project will get some fantastic data of these long distance winter visitors, and although we haven’t been able to find the specific project, we’re hoping we’ll be able to track down it down so we can see/learn some of the routes our wintering Brent Geese are taking. Checking online, there have been several ‘Brents’ tagged in Essex over the years, so it could be from there, or alternatively, this could be a bird thats been tagged on it’s Siberian breeding grounds and venturing here? We hopefully look forward to finding out more more!

Elsewhere 3 Great Northern Diver were off Jerry’s Point, 3 Black-necked Grebe were off Knoll Beach, 2 White-tailed Eagle were over Middlebere and Spotted Redshanks were at Lytchett Fields and Holes Bay.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose – Baiter Park – Mya Bambrick

It seems the harbour Purple Sandpiper total has doubled to 2 with a pair on one of the Sandbanks beach groynes this afternoon along with 7 Ringed Plover (including a colour-ringed individual). The male Mandarine Duck was on Poole Park lake again and a Black Redstart was on Corfe Castle this evening. Six Black-necked Grebe were in Brands Bay this afternoon and 3 Great Northern Diver were off Jerry’s Point.

Mandarine Duck – Poole Park – Phil Bentley 

Its still so mild, almost t-shirt weather again, but the birds keep coming. Off Jerry’s Point, Studland there was still one Velvet Scoter this morning, also 3 Great Northern Diver and 1 Slavonian Grebe. There were between 25-30 Spoonbill on Shipstal Point, at RSPB Arne, plus both adult White-tailed Eagles were seen around Middlebere and the Wareham Channel.  A Great White Egret was in Middlebere.

Spoonbill flock – Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne – dizzygirl66.bsky.social (BlueSky)

Peregrine chasing down Curlew – Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne – dizzygirl66.bsky.social (BlueSky)

Velvet Scoter – Jerrys Point, Studland – Peter Moore

The predicted storm didn’t hit until this afternoon, and up until then, things were bearable. Off Branksome 6 Red-throated Diver passed west, along with 1 Great Northern Diver, c20 auks (most likely Razorbill) and 6 dark-bellied Brent Geese. To complete the diver hat-trick a Black-throated Diver was on the water close to the harbour entrance. A Spotted Redshank was in Lytchett Bay again this afternoon, at teh PCW Drain c10 Common Chiffchaff were feeding along the channel this morning,

Spotted Redshank – Lytchett Bay