Calmer conditions after those we’ve become accustomed to these past few weeks made for an excellent Winter Safari Cruise this morning, with at least 8 different Great Northern Diver scattered across the harbour from Hamworthy to Brands Bay (a new peak count for this winter) along with 1 Red-throated Diver.  The scrapes at Swineham were indiscernible below a considerable layer of water which covered the majority of the fields and played host to plenty of Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, a few Curlew, Snipe, Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler, along with 1 Common Redshank and 2 Spotted Redshank. There were at least 4 Marsh Harrier in the Wareham Channel, and we were lucky to catch one of the White-tailed Eagles as it flew between Arne to Rempstone. On Brownsea Lagoon there were 35 Spoonbill, 100’s each of Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin, dozens of Redshank, Grey Plover and Ringed Plover along with 20+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 15+ Greenshank, and plenty of Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and Shelduck.

Elsewhere, visitors to the Rock Lea viewpoint in Lytchett Bay were treated to 94 Avocet, 1 Green Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Teal, Red-breasted Merganser and close views of 1 Great Northern Diver. Also in the area were 3 Marsh Harrier, Grey Wagtail, and 1 colour-ringed Water Pipit (1K). Holes Bay held 1100 Wigeon, 257 Avocet, 87 Shoveler, 31 Pintail and 1 Common Sandpiper.

At the other end of the harbour off Jerry’s Point were 6 Black-necked Grebe, 7 Goldeneye, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Diver, 16 Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, 27 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Common Scoter. Off Middle Beach at Studland were a further 5 Black-necked Grebe and a single Eider. Three more Eider were also photographed off Furzey Island and a watch of the harbour from Baiter Park offered 2 Great Northern Diver and 1 Razorbill still present, along with a single Kittiwake which flew across to settle on the water along the Brownsea Shoreline.

Great Northern Diver – Winter Safari Cruise – Alex King

Eider – South Deep – Don Williams