Divers (or Loons if you’re in America) were always an enigma to me when I was a lad. Having been mad on birds since I was 8, I spent weeks day dreaming, looking at my pocket field guide wondering if or when I would ever see one of these incredibly charismatic birds in my lifetime, blissfully unaware that every winter many would spend the cold winter months just a few miles from my house! I’m now very familiar with all three British species and am lucky to know where to look each winter to find these birds. One such place is out at sea. Divers move around…a lot, and can often be seen passing coastal sites in their tens depending on the weather. Yesterday morning a flock of 11 Red-throated Diver past east to west out in Poole Bay right across the sun and towards Old Harry rocks…beautiful. Black-throated and Great Northern Diver were also on passage with the 3 of latter settled in and around the harbour mouth. A Little Auk was witnessed flying into Poole Bay from Hengistbury. Out in Shell Bay 4 Black-necked Grebe were still present as were the 4 Eider, 71 Shag and 53 Red-breasted Merganser passed. 3 Purple Sandpiper were on the rocks at North Haven and 17 Sanderling were on Shell Beach. At Hatch Pond 40 Snipe were present, 4 Pochard and 1 Little Grebe.   

Click HERE for some stunning footage of Black-tailed Godwit in Poole Park yesterday