Today was the last public RSPB bird boat of the season, and what a boat it was. We got a bit competitive and were trying to beat the boat record, which was set by Haymoor Junior School last week, a record of 56 species. Well, we were scraping the barrel by the end but managed to crawl over the line with a thumping 57 species…hoorah! Although beating a group of year 6 school children in a birding competition doesn’t quite provide the competitive satisfaction you’d expect! Best of all was the Great White Egret sat on the sea wall of the Brownsea Lagoon, providing a few life ticks for some guests on board. Also on the lagoon 2 Spoonbill and the usual cast of Avocet, Black and Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler and Pintail. There were 2 Black-necked Grebe in Shell Bay with another 2 in South Deep, off Brownsea. A Common Scoter was off Goathorn and a Tufted Duck was near Ower Bay. The tide was falling as we made our way around exposing the mud and bringing us close to many many Shelduck, Brent Geese, Common and Herring Gulls and the over-wintering Whimbrel. Red-breasted Merganser and Goldeneye are still around in good numbers and several Buzzards were displaying over various woodlands. At the Holes Bay channel still 15+ Chiffchaff, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff and a Firecrest.

Also, just as a teaser of some up and coming news I have attached a photo of a bridge located somewhere in the harbour you will soon be able to use thanks to some joint partnership working between us and the RSPB…watch this space!