A fairly slow day today, with the only ‘new arrival’ being a drake Pochard out on Poole Park boating lake, which may not sound notable but these days certainly is! Also still 4 Goldeneye and 7 Red-breasted Merganser out on the lake. At Arne a Firecrest was in the car park and 3 Spoonbill were in Middlebere. A Hen Harrier was seen in the Wareham Channel near Swineham and good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew and Shoveler are using the flood plains in the lower Frome Valley near Bestwall and Swineham. Wader numbers are still reasonable with good numbers of Avocet, Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher around on the low tides and a few Little Egret seem to be returning having vacated the area during the cold snap. Below is another video we made earlier in the year this time one of the over-wintering Hawfinch at Norden park and ride. The thought of having a chance of seeing one of these everytime you headed out this winter certainly added a new dimension to a cold and blustery day in the field. 

Hawfinch – Norden park and ride – 21/02/18