It was very mild again today, and despite only being early January there were plenty of signs that spring is just around the corner. Daffodil heads are just begging to pop their heads above ground in some warm sheltered spots, a Mistle Thrush is is back on territory already in the Piddle Valley and a pair of Kestrel have been seen going into one of our harbour nest boxes. All good stuff! There were also signs of some Poole Bay passage when a flock of 11 Red-throated Diver settled off Middle Beach briefly before heading back out to sea again where there were also 6 Black-necked Grebe and 6 Common Scoter. There was also a Black-necked Grebe in Shell Bay with a Great Northern Diver. Off Jerry’s Point the Velvet Scoter was still feeding and there with 20+ Red-breasted Merganser. A White-tailed Eagle drifted over Arne and headed towards Brands Bay with another or the same seen at Lytchett Fields where there was also a Spotted Redshank. Brownsea Lagoon saw some cracking totals with 1112 Avocet and 3150 Black-tailed Godwit. A Red-throated Diver was off the Brownsea south shore and later in the afternoon 2 Great Northern Diver were in the harbour mouth.

A busy Brownsea Lagoon – Nicki Tutton