Sorry for the late post, we’ve literally only just got back in from hosting our final Sunnyside ringing demo of the season. It was a great final session with 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Woodcock and 2 Lapwing ringed. In total 4 Jack Snipe were seen along with c15 Woodcock and c10 Lapwing. It was another belter of a day too in terms of warm weather which saw White-tailed Eagles G463 and G466 active high above the Wareham Channel, with a Marsh Harrier displaying there too. It was good to hear of some semi-decent ‘Barwit’ and Sanderling totals from Whitley Lake yesterday which included 104 Bar-tailed Godwit and 35 Sanderling on the inner-Sandbanks shoreline. A pale-bellied Brent Goose was in Brands Bay. In Holes Bay SW 2 Spotted Redshank were hunkered up and off Middle Beach, Studland 5 Black-necked Grebe were just off shore. In Brands Bay this morning a clonking 444 Pintail were counted, which is a great February total. The mass-Black-tailed Godwit group now seems to be dispersing around the harbour with all c3500 having been tucked away in Holes Bay in recent months. Now flocks of c500-c600 are being counted back at sites like Lytchett Bay, Brands Bay and the Brownsea Lagoon. A Red Kite was over Upton.

Woodcock – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Brittany Maxted

Lapwing – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Brittany Maxted