Poole Harbour does well for scarce and rare species over the course of the year, with most (as you’d expect) occurring during peak migration times. What you wouldn’t necessarily expect is to have four cracking rare/scarce birds in the harbour the week before Christmas! For a brief moment today both the Green-winged Teal and Lesser Yellowlegs could be seen in one scope view on Lytchett Fields, with both birds hanging around the site all day. At Holme Lane the Cattle Egret was again feeding in the cattle field half way along the road and during the weekly ‘Wednesday walk’ at Arne RSPB reserve a Great Grey Shrike was seen. 

Cattle Egret – Holme Lane

Great Grey Shrike – Arne RSPB Reserve 

Today we also hosted a school bird boat trip, which was actually fairly quiet, probably due to the enormous high tide which allowed birds to venture elsewhere and spread out. Highlights included 24 Spoonbill out on Shipstal Point, 2 Common Scoter in Brands Bay, 1 Great Northern Diver flying over the Hamworthy shoreline and big numbers of waders on the Brownsea Lagoon. At Holme Lane up to 5 Woodlark were feeding in the same field as the Cattle Egret and at least 2 Firecrest were still in the woods on the left. In Middlebere a female Marsh Harrier passed by and up to 400 Avocet were at the top end of the channel. Dartford Warbler were out enjoying the winter sun on Coombe Heath, Arne as were 2 Red Admiral Butterfly. At Bramble Bush Bay, Studland there were 40 Sanderling, 20 Ringed Plover and 1 Goldeneye. At Poole Park Lake there were still 8 Goldeneye out on the main lake and a female Red-breasted Merganser. The 22 Barnacle Geese were seen again on Swineham GP. 

Green-winged Teal – Lytchett Fields – Shaun Robson

Cattle Egret – Holme Lane – Paul Morton

Great Grey Shrike – Arne RSPB Reserve – Paul Morton

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam