Today saw a good mixture of spring and winter birds rubbing shoulders as some arrive whilst others leave. The highlight was not one, but now 2 Snow Bunting are residing on Pilots Point, Studland with both seen feeding together briefly at 2pm. There was a good supporting cast of birds at Studland too with a 1^st winter drake Eider very close in shore, up to 5 Black-necked Grebe, some in near full pristine summer plumage, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Razorbill, 46 Sanderling, 3 Common Scoter, several Meadow Pipit coming in off the sea, 15+ Med Gulls and a Sandwich Tern feeding in Shell Bay. The first 2 Sand Martins of the spring were feeding over Swineham GP as they flew low over the heads of the 11 Barnacle Geese and the first Northern Wheatear was near Ower Bay (Greenland’s Farm area). At Poole Park 2 Goldeneye remained with 7 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Little Grebe and a single poorly Dunlin feeding just 1m from the footpath. The 4 Corfe Mullun Waxwing were still feeding around the Hanham Road area on and off throughout the day.  In Poole Harbour west there are still 3 ringtail Hen Harrier, one of which has been present all winter, the other two being fairly recent arrivals and they were joined by a male Merlin. 

Snow Bunting – Shell Beach, Studland – Ian Ballam

Black-necked Grebe – Shell Beach – Paul Morton

Eider – Shell Beach – Paul Morton