As winter progresses and autumn days fade away, trying to squeeze in a full days birding before the late afternoon darkness descends can be a fun challenge. Winter provides an all round spectacle in each corner of the harbour so weekend days spent circumnavigating the harbour can be really rewarding. Admittedly the weather this AM didn’t fill many people with enthusiasm as the rain lashed down but an early trip out saw the Pink-footed Goose still present although it was flushed mid-morning by wildfowlers and never returned. All the usual suspects were noted in their usual haunts with 44 Spoonbill on Shipstal, 2 Merlin in Middlebere with c700 Avocet and out over the western end of the Wareham Channel 3-4 Marsh Harrier. Redwing are pretty conspicuous now and the higher numbers of Blackbird and Song Thrush in hedgerows each morning suggest new birds are continuing to arrive in. 

Pink-footed Goose – Holmebridge – Ian Ballam