No Fog but a cold ESE wind sent a chill right through our bones this morning as a hardy group from Heatherland’s Primary School gritted their teeth and ‘enjoyed’ a whole variety of species from todays school bird boat including 14 Barnacle Geese near Green Island, 1 Great Northern Diver, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Hen Harrier, c50 Goldeneye, c200 Red-breasted Merganser and 10 Spoonbill, including 8 next to Robo-Spoony! Along Holes Bay 2 Jack Snipe were flushed from long grass verges near the cycle path and the redhead Smew was in Holes Bay NE trying to disguise its self as a Wigeon. Yet another Yellow-browed Warbler was found this AM feeding on a grass verge on Cabot Lane, Poole. How many more will get found this winter? On Lytchett Fields there were 4 Spoonbill and the Lesser Yellowlegs whilst a male Marsh Harrier passed over the site. Of Old Harry Rocks a flock of 9 Red-throated Diver passed east with a good run of Razorbill, Gannet, several Kittiwake and Fulmar noted too. 

Redhead Smew – Holes Bay – Ian Ballam