Today was the Poole Harbour WeBS and despite the wind a great variety of birds were counted. Highlight was a 1^st winter Iceland Gull that landed on Brownsea as the gull roost assembled. Unfortunately a Buzzard passed over and flushed it before we could get it on the camera. Also on the lagoon were just 1 Spoonbill and a Spotted Redshank. In Holes Bay, the Smew was again just south of the railway line with 3 Goldeneye, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 21 Avocet, 1 Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Med Gull. Out in the Wareham Channel 7 Spoonbill were feeding, also 15 Grey Heron out on the mud, also 1 ringtail Hen Harrier and 2 Marsh Harrier seen. At Swineham a female Goldeneye was on the pits and 350 Lapwing and a single Spotted Redshank were in in the mouth of the River Piddle. Lytchett Bay saw 1 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank and 1 Marsh Harrier. The Great White Egret made a reappearance at Littlesea, Studland and out in Brands Bay there were 2 Spoonbill, 5 Greenshank, 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver, a few (almost) summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe and a single Red-necked Grebe. On Lytchett Pools a nice selection of Pipits included 3 Water Pipit, several Rock Pipit (1 presumed littoralis) and a few Meadow Pipit offering good comparison opportunities.

Water Pipit – Lytchett Pools – Peter Moore

Rock Pipit – Lytchett Pools – Peter Moore

Meadow Pipit – Lytchett Pools – Peter Moore