A perfect late winter/early spring day with the sun poking its head out this afternoon making it feel very spring like indeed. Today was also Poole Harbour WeBS count day (Wetland Bird Survey) so the whole area got coverage. The Smew was still in Holes Bay SE with a good variety of other species including 6 Goldeneye, 121 Avocet and in Holes Bay NE still at least 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank and a Spoonbill. The Great White Egret reappeared of Goathorn Point and was then later seen at Littlesea. 2 Golden Plover were found at separate site, 1 at Lytchett Bay and 1 at Brands Bay. A large raft of 52 Great Crested Grebe were out in central harbour on glass calm water, with a handful of pairs displaying, also 1 Spoonbill on Shipstal Point. Brands Bay also hosted good numbers of other wader species including 1200+ Dunlin also 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper and 11 Knot. There were 10+ Chiffchaff at the holes Bay outflow channel including the Siberian Chiffchaff, also a Firecrest there. Off Middle Beach 15 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Slavonian Grebe were counted. Out in the Wytch Channel a good count of 642 Avocet was made and a Whimbrel (odd this time of year) was in Newton Bay. 

Dartford Warbler- Hartland Moor 14/02/15 (Best watched in HD. Press play, hover curser over video screen, click on cog icon and choose 1080)