A nice arrival of a vocal Snow Bunting overhead at Shell Bay, close to the chain ferry this morning. It couldn’t be re-found at Studland, but could easily be hiding somewhere in the sand dune system, so worth checking in the next couple of days. In Studland Bay there were 1 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Great Northern Diver off Middle Beach, with 3 Slavonian Grebe off South Beach. 1 Jack Snipe was also seen from Shell Bay and 5 Red-throated diver passed south. 1 Siberian Chiffchaff was still in the PC World Drain and another was found at Norden Sewage Works.

43 Russian White-fronted Geese were again in the field just East of Ridge, this time with 1 Barnacle Goose. 1 Purple Sandpiper was still on the Sandbanks Groynes. In Lytchett Bay on the falling tide early morning, there was a season high count of 321 Lapwing, 67 Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Avocet, 1 Green Sandpiper and later in the morning there were 13 Spoonbill and 1 Spotted Redshank.

The 9 Glossy Ibis moved up the River Frome today, outside of the harbour boundary and were feeding at Waddock Cross Cress Beds with 2 Green Sandpiper. The 17 Tundra Bean Geese were feeding in the fields south of Binegar again. 1 female Goosander flew upriver from Holmebridge. The 1 Yellow-browed Warbler was seen at Hatch Pond, although not showing very well and only seen briefly. 85 Bar-tailed Godwit were feeding on this morning’s low tide in Whitley Lake. Late reports included a drake Goosander on Swineham this evening.

From our Young Birders Boat Trip this morning, Dorset fledged White-tailed Eagle G834 was again in the Wareham Channel, this time sat out on the mudflats devouring a fish. On the low tide there were c500 Avocet feeding, c400 Dunlin, 2 Marsh Harrier and 3 Goldeneye with 2 Pochard on Swineham Gravel Pit. In South Deep there were at least 7 Black-necked Grebe, 16 Goldeneye and 3 Great Northern Diver with a further 4 between the north shore of Brownsea and Poole. 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe and 6 Great Northern Diver were seen flying into the harbour at first light but no sign of the Black-throated Diver that has been flying into the harbour every morning.

Great Northern Diver – South Deep from our Winter Safari Cruise – Alastair Swinnerton