There was a real wintery vibe across the harbour today, especially from our Low-Tide Cruise this afternoon. And although the tide didn’t drop as much as predicted due to the low pressure, there was still plenty to enjoy. There was 1 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Common Scoter off Jerry’s Point with 6 Great Crested Grebe. In Central Harbour 3 Eider were loafing with 7 Red-breasted Merganser and a Red-throated Diver was off the SW corner of Brownsea. A surprise, late Arctic Tern was in the Wareham Channel and 3 Marsh Harrier were at Swineham in the mouth of the Frome where there were also 3 Greenshank, 1 Ruff and 11 Lapwing. The Brownsea Lagoon had 17 Spoonbill, 3 Rock Pipit, 1 Kingfisher and a large gull roost this evening. Across the low tide in the harbour there was a typical late October total of common waders and wildfowl with moderate numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatcher and dark-bellied Brent Geese. The rising tide in Lytchett Bay tonight saw 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 7 Little Grebe, 200 Dunlin and 160 Redshank and a Water Pipit was logged at Lytchett Fields. This morning in the PCW Drain, behind KFC there were still 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 2 Firecrest, 1 Kingfisher and 4 Goldcrest. A Spotted Redshank was in Middlebere, the White-tailed Eagle pair were on Brownsea this morning and a ringtail Hen Harrier was also at Middlebere. An (over-wintering?) Common Sandpiper was on the Brownsea north shore.

Arctic Tern – Wareham Channel, from Low-Tide Cruise – Harry McBride