Today saw the first decent frost across the harbour with the water flat as glass across much of the area. Writing the sightings during the winter is always such a pleasure as there’s always so much to comment on. At Swineham the White-fronted Goose was still on the flood plain and a Jack Snipe was flushed from along the two-rivers walk. At Lytchett Fields there was 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 3 Greenshank, 7 Avocet, 70 Dunlin and 1 female Marsh Harrier. In Middlebere there were 2 Spotted Redshank, 30 Grey Plover, 200 Dunlin, 40 Curlew, 37 Redshank, c350 Avocet, c200 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Great White Egret and 1 Marsh Harrier. In Brands Bay counts included 281 Wigeon, 48 Pintail, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 121 Black-tailed Godwit and 30+ Lapwing. In Bramble Bush Bay 7 Sanderling were on the shoreline along with 6 Ringed Plover, c20 Turnstone and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit. On Hartland Moor c220 Fieldfare were still busy feeding on berries, a Marsh Harrier was sat out in the middle of the moor and 22 Lapwing flew over. In Poole Park a Water Rail was feeding on the small duck pond and there were 28 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 34 Oystercatcher, 36 Coot and 2 Redshank whilst around Baiter 2 Goldeneye were out in Parkstone Bay along with 21 Brent Geese, 20 Turnstone, 76 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Med Gull. There were 2 Kingfisher were off Poole Quay, 8 Black-necked Grebe off Middle Beach and the 1st winter Long-tailed Duck was off the northern end of the Brownsea Lagoon.

Water Rail – Poole Park – Samuel Levy