Literally just meters outside the harbour boundary, some of the Corfe Mullen Waxwing re-appeared today with 4 originally on the corner of Hanham Road, but later flew south towards Springdale Road where they then disappeared up Heckford Road. We managed to snatch a magical couple of minutes as the 4 Waxwing sat in a tree just outside the Lesley Shand funeral directors (a bit macabre we know), with the birds only 10 feet above us calling away, allowing us to get a semi-decent sound recording of their characteristic sweet trill. At North Haven the elusive 4 Purple Sandpiper weren’t that elusive for once and off Pilots Point, Studland a 1w male Eider was preening. Up on Branksome cliff top a Firecrest was in scrub, 2 Egyptian Geese passed over Lytchett Bay and in Holes Bay the Smew, 1 Spotted Redshank and a single Knot were still present. At Swineham 11 Barnacle Geese were on the pits, on Hartland the Great Grey Shrike was still along the Soldiers Road area and in Middlebere a single Spoonbill was present with 7 on Shipstal and a Crossbill passed over Middlebere. On the groynes at Sandbanks Ringed Plover and Dunlin were roosting together and in Poole Bay 11 Great Crested Grebe were still feeding in a tight flock. At Norden sewage works c10 Chiffchaff were still present. Across the way in Christchurch Harbour a Northern Wheatear was reported yesterday so keep your eyes peeled for any early returners.

 Waxwings 21/02/17 – Calls of 4 perched birds Corfe Mullen, Poole 14:47

Waxwing – Corfe Mullen 

Purple Sandpiper – Sandbanks – Ian Ballam