Christmas Day looks as if it will be the best birding day for months! So will you be able to sneak out between the Turkey and Gavin & Stacey!!!?? If so, there are plenty of good birds about including some new arrivals.

Shell Bay; 1 Med Gull, 80 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 6 Oystercatcher, 1 Black-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Diver.

Bramble Bush Bay; 1 Little Egret, 7 Oystercatcher, 4 Turnstone, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Sanderling.

Jerry’s Point; 34 Brent Geese, 50 Oystercatcher, 13 Red-breasted Merganser, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 2 Black-necked Grebe.

Brands Bay; 3 Great Crested Grebe, 50+ Knot, 30 Wigeon, 50+ Redshank, 107 Brent Geese, 200+ Dunlin, 31 Curlew, 20 Oystercatcher, 8 Shelduck, 50+ Grey Plover.

Studland Bay, from Middle beach: Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Black- necked Grebe, 6 Common Scoter, 10 Brent Geese, 3 Med Gulls

Corfe Sewage Works, Norden; 3 Jays, 20+ Siskin, 1 Treecreeper, 6 Chiffchaff (no obvious Siberians), 4 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Goldcrest, 10+ Redwing, 1 Buzzard.

Middlebere (counts approximate as low tide & deep channels obscuring some birds); 8 Avocet, 150 Teal, 1 Curlew, 20 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck, 1 Heron, 1 Little Egret, 80+ Dunlin, 1 Buzzard, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Fieldfare, 4 Redshank.

Other highlights from around the harbour included 2 Marsh Harrier and 1 Water Pipit at Holton Pools, 1 Great White Egret at Littlesea, 20 Spoonbill at Shipstal Point, Arne, 2 Hen Harrier in the Wareham Channel and the Great Grey Shrike was at Morden Bog still.