Well, with a New Year there often comes new plans, new ideas and new aims. One thing we know many of you do is a year list, a simple concept to see how many bird species you can see in a single year. You can choose to do this in your own garden, your favourite nature reserve or create your own ‘patch’. Not only does this really get you looking and understanding an area a lot better it also provides motivation to just get out and explore. People have been ‘year listing’ for…well…years, but it seems there are many of you out there who have never taken up the challenge. It doesn’t have to be competitive, you can keep it a secret list, but either way year lists are really great fun (if not a little addictive) and you’re sure to see and discover species you’d not perhaps see otherwise…Why not give it a go?

As with most ‘year listers’, Jan 1^st is always a busy day and sightings came in thick and fast. Starting off at Lytchett Fields where the Green-winged Teal and Lesser Yellowlegs were ticked off quickly with a Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank c400 Dunlin c30 Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier. Only the Canford Heath Great Grey Shrike was found today but almost certainly the Hartland (and Godlingston) birds will be around somewhere. In Poole Park 11 Goldeneye were on the Boating Lake with a Kingfisher, 21 Tufted Duck and 2 Little Grebe. Along footpath 12 at Lytchett Bay Bearded Tits could be heard pinging away with Avocet and Red-breasted Merganser feeding out in the Bay. At Swineham only 14 of the 22 Barnacle Geese were present. At South Haven, Studland there were 4 Great Northern Diver, 5 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Eider (Shell Bay), 28 Sanderling, 1 Peregrine and 2 Razorbill. In Brands Bay 1 Great Northern Diver and 1 pale-bellied Brent Goose and off Middle Beach another Great Northern Diver and 19 Black-necked Grebe. In the mouth of the Frome Valley a Great White Egret was feeding with 2 Spoonbill and there were 2 ringtail Hen Harrier and 5 Marsh Harrier in Poole Harbour west with a male Merlin on Stoborough Heath. At Arne there were 2 Firecrest in the car park and finally a flock of 12 Goosander were seen off Baiter before flying off towards Holes Bay.