Sightings02/12/2019

Harbour Update – posted 02/12/19

Blimey it was cold today! Starting off at -4 degrees, we weren’t quite sure how our school bird boat trip would go down with the kids from Winchelsea School, but they braved the elements and were an excellent group. The light made things tricky but on Shipstal Point, Arne 21 Spoonbill were on their usual spit. A Great Northern Diver as in South Deep and the 2 Velvet Scoter were split up with one off Gold Point, Arne and another off Jerry’s Point with a single Slavonian Grebe and 5 Black-necked Grebe. The Cattle Egret was seen flying up the Frome Valley past Holmebridge with a Peregrine and Marsh Harrier there too. At a frozen Holton Pools another Marsh Harrier as hunting and a Kingfisher fed from the perching posts with another 2 Kingfisher active in Holes Bay NE and SE. In the Frome mouth near Swineham 4 Bearded Tit were active and in Upton CP a Firecrest was in the SE corner of the park along with good numbers of Pintail, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, 300+ Dunlin and 300+ Black-tailed Godwit. Finally another Hen Harrier has appeared with a ringtail out hunting in the Frome Mouth plus there were 2 Merlin around Middlebere and Hartland and 4 Marsh Harrier scattered around. It seems there are 2 Great Grey Shrikein Wareham Forest with one at Morden Bog today and another at Sugar Hill.

Shell Bay featured 2 Black necked Grebes. Bramble Bush Bay held 18 Turnstones, 21 Sanderling, 17 Oystercatchers, Grey Plover, Great crested Grebes and 2 Red breasted Mergansers. Jerry’s Point featured a further 19 Great crested Grebes, 5 Black necked Grebes, 5 Red breasted Mergansers, 1 Common Scoter, 1 juvenile Long tailed Duck, 26 Oystercatchers, 1 Slavonian Grebe. Brands Bay drew in 6 Redwings, 2 Little Egrets, 208 Black tailed Godwits, 3 Avocets, 123 Wigeon, 26 Dunlin, 42 Shelduck, 151 Brent Geese, 42 Curlew, 4 Red breasted Mergansers, 5 Great crested Grebes. An additional 3 Black necked Grebes, 80 Brent Geese from Middle Beach. Corfe Sewage Works, Norden harboured 2 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Grey Wagtail. Middlebere channel attracted 22 Lapwing, 15 Curlew, 5 Oystercatchers, 183 Avocets, 1 Marsh Harrier, 177 Teal, 4 Spotted Redshanks, 33 Common Redshank, 4 Dunlin, 4 Grey Plover, 1 Little Egret,  2 Snipe, 44 Wigeon, 6 Mallard.

Slavonian Grebe – Jerry’s Point – Rene Goad

Long-tailed Duck – Jerry’s Point – Rene Goad (28/11/19)

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