It was nice to squint a little today as the sun broke from the clouds late morning. The welcome warmth prompted some activity and we encountered our first butterfly of the year on the wing – a Peacock. It terms of bird records, an unringed Water Pipit was observed at Holton Pools and 3 Spotted Redshank were feeding in Middlebere Channel. A search for the Sandbanks Purple Sandpiper returned 3 Black-necked Grebe, Great Northern Diver and a Kittiwake. Moving south of the Ferry Terminal, Shell Bay clocked up a further 2 Black-necked and 2 Slavonian Grebes, 1 Great Northern Diver and a handful of Gannets feeding offshore. Jerry’s Point and Redhorn Quay totals included 4 Long-Tail Duck, 3 Common Scoter, 4 Great Northern Diver, 3 Slavonian Grebe, 4 Scaup, 4 Black-necked Grebe and good numbers of Goldeneye. Knoll Beach produced 26 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Common Scoter, a single Black-necked Grebe and several Great Crested Grebe. Turnstone were very prominent with good counts across the northern side of the harbour, various counts observed feeding flocks at Hamworthy (22), Poole and Baiter Parks (21), Whitley Lake (34) and Sandbanks (30).

Peacock Butterfly – Piddle Valley

Mediterranean Gull – Knoll Beach – Garry Hayman