What a difference a day makes, not a breath of wind could be felt or heard as we headed out early doors for a bit of a pootle around the harbour and it seems many other people did the same judging by the number of reports. Starting off at Lytchett Fields where there were 5 Ruff, 5 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 100+ Dunlin, 2 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 100+ Dunlin, 6 Yellow Wagtail and an Osprey caught a fish out in Lytchett Bay. Off Swineham Point a count of 233 Black-tailed godwit, 24 Curlew, 22 Oystercatcher, 2 Greenshank, 41 Shelduck and 8 Sandwich Tern was made whilst a small mixed feeding party of 12 Reed Bunting and several Skylark were flushed, whilst in and around Swineham GP there were 2 Wheatear, 3 Kingfisher, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler and a Grey Wagtail over. The Brownsea Lagoon was given a good grilling too as Spoonbill numbers rose to 22, also 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 27 Ringed Plover, 40 Dunlin, 2 Turnstone, 9 Spotted Redshank, 15 Greenshank, 140 Redshank, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 170 Black-tailed Godwit, 60 Avocet, 26 Curlew, 250 Oystercatcher, 2 Wigeon, 107 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 6 Common Tern and 3 Sandwich Tern. From Coombe Heath, Arne there were 2 Osprey still in the dead trees with 7 Knot in the Middlebere Channel. Up on Stoborough Heath early evening a small passerine flurry consisted of 5 Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 5 Whitethroat, 20 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Hobby and 5 Woodlark. At the PC World drain there were singles of Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Reed Warbler, 20+ Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 1 Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail. On the twin Sails site just a single Wheatear and a Tree Pipit over. Whilst over on the Studland side at Greenland’s Farm there was 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 15 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat and 1 Redstart and in Brands Bay 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and 126 Black-tailed Godwit.
The harbour was at it’s coldest, wintery best today with what seemed like a monumental number of birds…
Find out moreAnother cold day, but there seems to be loads of common wetland birds in the harbour currently. In…
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