With conditions finally improving this afternoon, there was almost maximum coverage today, and wow, what a list of birds there is from around the harbour. In the gloom this morning a Golden Plover was calling over Ballard, where a Yellowhammer also went over. Out in Studland Bay 10 Common Scoter, 8 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Black-throated Diver and 3 Great Northern Diver were loafing about and way out in Poole Bay there were 5 more Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver and 8 Razorbill. The Jerry’s Point ‘crew’ remained with the 1st winter Eider and 1st winter Long-tailed Duck off Jerry’s Point with 1 Slavoniain Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe and 3 Great Northern Diver. At Sandbanks there were 2 Purple Sandpiper on the groynes off Sandbanks Beach, a Great White Egret flew in low over the Wareham bypass bridge and 15 Cattle Egret were at Holmebridge. The/a Green-winged Teal was re-found in Brands Bay this evening and today 1 Merlin was on Hartland and a ringtail Hen Harrier was in Middlebere. The Black-throated Diver was off the Whitecliff footpath again and in Middlebere 2 White-tailed Eagles flew over, a Goshawk bombed through and 6 Spoonbill were in the channel. Out in central harbour a small group of 5 Goldeneye were hiding in the fog, there were 4 Common Chiffchaff and 2 Firecrest at Norden sewage works.

Bar-tailed Godwit – Shore Road, Sandbanks – Garry Hayman