With a cold windy front approaching in the afternoon a birding session along the Studland peninsular at dawn was held as part of our Birding Poole Harbour ID series. A good session saw 2 Sanderling in Bramble Bush Bay with 10+ Red-breasted Merganser. Off Shell Beach 4 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Great Northern Diver were settled and at Middle Beach 1 Firecrest and a further 8 Black-necked Grebe were logged. The Black Redstart was in the same courtyard again behind the Thistle Hotel. A sea watch off Branksome in the afternoon saw 1 Black-throated Diver, 2 Red-throated Diver, 6 Razorbill, 1 Kittiwake and 5 Gannet. The Common Crane was yet gain on Hartland Moor, but this time was settled in the middle of Hartland for part of the day. A leucisitic Herring Gull showed up in the Brownsea gull roost, initially giving the impression of an Iceland Gull, but further scrutiny proved otherwise. Around Baiter there were Turnstone on the beaches and a Sandwich Tern flew by and in Parkstone Bay 3 Goldeneye were present.

Black Redstart – Poole Quay – Mark Wright