Wow, if the recent cold weather is what was needed to produce today, then we really didn’t mind. It could have easily been Easter Bank Holiday as masses of people basked in glorious sunshine along Poole Quay, and boats full of people ventured out across the harbour. Our own Wareham Channel cruise left the quay at 9am, and never have we seen the harbour so flat, certainly not in February! As a result, spotting open water species was nice and straight forward with 2 Great Northern Diver, 7 Black-necked Grebe, c100 Red-breasted Merganser, c50 Great Crested Grebe, c20 Shag and c80 Cormorant, On Shipstal Point 12 Spoonbill flew gracefully around before settling again, a single Cattle Egret was on Patchins point and a 2^nd year male Marsh Harrier flew down the Frome Valley. A single Sandwich Tern was also fishing off Baiter and after about 100 attempts, we finally saw a Golden Pheasant on Furzey Island…albeit a female! Numerous Buzzard were out soaring across the tree line and on the Brownsea Lagoon there were c300 Avocet, c40 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, c100 Black-tailed Godwit, c40 Grey Plover, c300 Dunlin and a small number of Shoveler, Teal and Gadwall. The male Black Redstart was still behind the Thistle Hotel, a Great White Egret flew over Lytchett Bay, a Siberian Chiffchaff was ringed in north Poole and a single Cattle Egret was along Holme Lane. At dusk a Short-eared Owl was seen along the edge of Hartland and the ringtail Hen Harrier was seen at Middlebere. Med Gulls are really numerous now with plenty flying around the harbour now, calling regularly and single Sand Martin was still flying around the north edge of Wareham.

Shag – Brownsea shoreline – Robin Sumsion

Great Northern Diver – North Channel – Robin Sumsion

 Siberian Chiffchaff – North Poole – Stephen Menzie