Well, that was the break in the weather we needed. Flat calm waters and bright sunshine allowed for some excellent birding around the harbour today with plenty seen. Several highlights included a Red-necked Grebe which entered the harbour at dawn along with 3 Eider, 16 Red-breasted Merganser and 76 Shag with 255 Brent Geese counted leaving the harbour. From our school bird boat which toured the whole harbour pretty much we had 2 Great Northern Diver (1 Brands Bay and 1 over Hamworthy Beach), 6 Black-necked Grebe (central harbour and South Deep), 1 Slavonian Grebe (South Deep), c150 Great Crested Grebe, c150 Red-breasted Merganser, c50 Goldeneye, 34 Spoonbill (Shipstal), 3 Sandwich Tern, c400 Avocet, c60 Bar-tailed Godwit and c1500 Dunlin on the Brownsea Lagoon. Later in the day 6 Eider were counted off the Houseboats at Bramble Bush Bay with 2 Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver, 6 Black-necked Grebe, 25 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Goldeneye and 2 Common Scoter. Off Middle Beach, Studland there were 23 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver and 2 Common Scoter and on Shell Beach there were 32 Sanderling with 3 Black-necked Grebe in the bay. At Lytchett Bay/Heath a really late Reed Warbler was seen which is without doubt the latest Poole Harbour record and in the reeds at the end of Lytchett Heath were c15 Bearded Tit. There was a Short-eared Owl out on Hartland at dusk and a ringtail Hen Harrier was seen on Slepe Heath. At the PC World drain there were a minimum of 8 collybita Chiffchaff, again one in full song. In Brands Bay there was a Great White Egret with the same or potentially another at Little Sea, Studland and 2 more Great Northern Diver. And finally in Poole Park there were 5 Goldeneye, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Kingfisher and 7 Little Grebe meaning we had a full suit of winter grebes in the harbour today. Finally a piece of passerine news, there was a Black Redstart up at Old Harry this morning. A great winter birding day!

Sanderling – Shell Beach – Ian Ballam

Red-breasted Merganser – Poole Park – Ian Ballam