Beautifully still, clear skies and frost-cover ground made for promising birding conditions if you were prepared to brave the sub-zero temperatures (some areas around the harbour reached a biting -8°C just before dawn!). The cold start saw 21 Marsh Harriers leave the Poole Harbour roosts this morning, joined by a fly by ringtail Hen Harrier shortly before a Red Kite drifted towards Brownsea from Studland and the new Rock Lea Viewpoint enjoyed action from 3 Marsh Harriers, Merlin and Sparrowhawk. The Wareham Common Great White Egret was present again, in search of suitable feeding grounds beyond the frozen floods. The Black Brant was photographed among the dark-bellied Brent Goose flock in the Middlebere Channel and plummeting temperatures during a Studland visit at sunset produced singles of Great Northern Diver, 5 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Slavonian Grebe, as well as a minimum count of 9 Black-necked Grebe and 4 Ring-necked Parakeets all from Middle Beach. Moving to Jerry’s Point at dusk offered a further 2 Great Northern Diver, a Red-throated Diver, 28 Great Crested Grebe and a decent variety of  waders at the Houseboats logging 20+ Sanderling, 20+ Turnstone, 32 Ringed Plover with 4 Grey Plover.

Great White Egret – Peter Moore – Wareham Common

Kate Plater – Black Brant (centre) among dark-bellied Brent Goose flock – Middlebere Channel