A really nice arrival this morning of 50+ Barnacle Geese into the harbour, flying up the Middlebere Channel, before then heading out towards Round Island. Only a sporadic visitor to Poole Harbour and sightings of just ones and twos are presumed to be escapees from collections, often hanging out with mixed goose flocks. But when a big flock of Barnacle Geese arrives like this, they are likely to be from true wild populations in northern Europe/Svalbard/Greenland. 1 male Hen Harrier also came through the Middlebere Channel and 1 Great White Egret.

The 2 Velvet Scoter came in through the harbour entrance this morning along with 1 Great Northern Diver, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Great-crested Grebe and 83 Shag. The Velvet Scoter were seen later this afternoon from Jerry’s Point along with now 2 Slavonian Grebe and 7 Black-necked Grebe. 16 Spoonbill were feeding in Holes Bay NW this afternoon. At Lytchett Fields RSPB there were 1 Ruff, 310 Lapwing, 309 Teal, 54 Dunlin, 45 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper and 1 Marsh Harrier as well as small numbers of Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit.

Barnacle Geese – Middlebere Channel – Richard Stephenson