Our Christmas cruise this morning featured 1 ringtail Hen Harrier amongst 5 Marsh Harrier surveying the reedbeds over Arne Moors and Swineham, with the low tide at the top end of the Wareham Channel giving views of 200+ Lapwing and Dunlin. 2 Spoonbill were present on the shoreline near Ower Bay and at least 13 Great Northern Diver were counted across the harbour, with 1 Red-throated Diver off Furzey Island and the Black-throated Diver off the south shore of Brownsea. In Studland Bay, there were 5 Black-necked Grebe and 8 Common Scoter. On the rising tide in Brands Bay was a high count of 554 Wigeon, 227 Pintail, 161 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 21 Lapwing, 25 Grey Plover, 91 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Knot, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, c.550 Dunlin and 240 Common Gull. Also from Jerry’s Point on the higher tide were 3 Great Northern Diver, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Eider, 17 Red-breasted Merganser and the Long-tailed Duck. 1 Spotted Redshank was reported in Lytchett Bay this morning. 1 White-tailed Eagle was seen flying high from Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne this morning.

Alison Copland – Black-throated Diver – South Brownsea Shore