Massive high tides in the harbour today meaning lots of birds were pushed out of their usual feeding areas and roosts, making the Brownsea Lagoon very popular. Good numbers of Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin and Sanderling were all seen on the lagoon as well as more Black-tailed Godwit than there have been with most feeding up in the Avon Valley floodplain. At least 6 Waxwing were showing well at Upton, Dacombe Drive with plenty of people seeing them feeding low in the mistletoe. At Arne, RSPB 1 ringtail Hen Harrier was still present and 3 White-tailed Eagle were seen from Hydes Heath. A Bittern flew across Swineham GP again this evening and on Wareham Common there were 19 Cattle Egret. This morning 3 Red Kite drifted over Wareham Common and buzzard were displaying en mass…..and so were Woodlark at traditional sites, albeit in lesser numbers!

Our first Winter Pop-up watch was very successful with the warm sunshine bringing lots of people out this morning in Holes Bay. Plenty of birds to be seen with highlights of c100 Pintail, c150 Avocet, c100 Redshank, c30 Common Snipe and 1 Mediterranean Gull. You can find the full list here. We’ll be stationed at Jerry’s Point, Studland tomorrow morning from 9am-12pm looking for more open water species like divers and grebes as well as plenty of waders and waterfowl. Drop in at anytime during the session, but the weather certainly looks better earlier on!

Common Redshank – Holes Bay North East – Alison Copland

Holes Bay Pop-up Watch – Barbara Bisset