Lots going on today, with more signs of winter than spring in evidence, but still enjoyable all the same. The cold NW wind was biting at times but a stunning Velvet Scoter in central harbour was a great find from our public bird boat mid-morning. With no records since early January, this must surely be a staging migrant heading north, utilising the harbour as a permanent feeding station. There was also a lone Barnacle Goose logged coming in from the south, circling Brownsea before landing on the lagoon at midday. Also logged from the boat were 3-4 Marsh Harrier at Swineham, 2-3 Common Guillemot off Poole Quay, decent numbers Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal and Gadwall on the Swineham scrapes, the Brownsea Lagoon was still busy hosting 8 Greenshank, c250 Avocet, c50 Bar-tailed Godwit, 100 Oystercatcher, c350 Black-tailed Godwit and 40 Grey Plover. Also at Swineham the 3 Tundra Bean Geese were still in the paddock to the west of the B&B and a Siberian Chiffchaff was present at the eastern end of the pit. At the PCW Drain 4 Common Chiffchaff were singing and strangest of all, a Kingfisher was flying around Fleetsbridge roundabout, perhaps a migrant beginning to head back in land to it’s breeding site?

Velvet Scoter – Cental harbour – Mike Gibbons