With a low-tide cruise looming at 12:30pm today and a bank of low cloud/drizzle looming even lower over the harbour, there was a question as to whether we’d see anything at all. However, the birding gods were looking down on us and provided a great range of species for everyone to enjoy. As we reached the top end of the Wareham Channel the tide drained away nicely allowing 300+ Dunlin to feed on the mud along with Curlew, Oystercatcher, 200+ Lapwing and a few Avocet. The best though were 3 Marsh Harrier, 1 close to the boat and the Hen Harrier flew along the Arne Moors shoreline, also a feeding Spoonbill close to the boat on the Arne shoreline. A Common Seal also came and said hello close to the boat. Out around the harbour we had 8 Great Northern Diver, c10 Goldeneye, 1 Common Scoter, 2 Long-tailed Duck (South Deep) and 100+ Red-breasted Merganser, The Brownsea Lagoon was busy with 1500+ Black-tailed Godwit, c70 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 100+ Avocet, 50+ Shoveler and gatherings of gulls coming into roost. Off Middle Beach there were 10 Black-necked Grebe and 5 Common Scoter with a Slavonian Grebe off Shell Bay where 44 Grey Plover roosted with 13 Ringed Plover and 18 Sanderling.