The Christmas and New Year buzz all comes to an end for many tomorrow….typical, just as it’s forecast for the sun to come out. Anyway, still plenty to see today with male White-tailed Eagle seen several times, firstly in Brands Bay at around 11:30am, before then heading to Brownsea where he was seen and photographed from Baiter and Whitecliff, then at around 16:00 he was seen over the Wytch Channel heading towards Middlebere. Off the Houseboats there was a Great Northern Diver, 4 Black-necked Grebe, 3 Scaup and a Razorbill. In Brands Bay there were 2 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Scaup, 2 Common Scoter and 1 Guillemot. A Red-necked Grebe flew into the harbour entrance at dawn and there were 6+ Great Northern Diver around Studland/Shell Bay area and 3 Razorbill. Out from the Middlebere ‘lookout’ there were 2 Hen Harrier logged and 2 different Merlin, with a Peregrine causing havoc at the top of Middlebere a few times. Out in central harbour there were 3 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Great Northern Diver. At Holme Lane 3 Woodlark were in the usual cattle field feeding and a Cattle Egret was at the end of the Bog Lane footpath. The 2 Purple Sandpiper were on the groynes at beyond the Haven Hotel and there were 3 Spotted Redshank and 7 Spoonbill in Middlebere. Finally, a Norwegian colour-ringed Rock Pipit was seen in the Wytch Channel area, which we’re currently waiting to receive the ringing details for.

Merlin – Middlebere – Mark Wright (@markwright12002)

Red-breasted Merganser – Poole Park – Rene Goad (@GoadPhotography)