Another bird filled day starting with the Studland area. The Great White Egret was on Littlsea mid morning and 22 Black-necked Grebe were off Middle Beach with 13 Common Scoter and a handful of Great Crested Grebe. Brands Bay looked incredible on the falling tide with the sun lighting it up.  The bay its self was full to the brim of Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, and Avocet, not to mention the odd Shoveler, Gadwall and Goldeneye. Down by the houseboats in Bramble Bush Bay were 17 Sanderling and 15 Ringed Plover with 2 Purple Sandpiper on the sea wall of North Haven. Holes Bay saw 21 Spoonbill with another 2 including a colour-ringed bird at Lytchett Bay. Also at Holes Bay a group of 5 Spotted Redshank were near the outflow along with 2 Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher. At Swineham a Bittern was noted near the gravel pits and off Swineham Point 2 Jack Snipe, 12 Rock Pipit and numerous Bearded Tit groups. There are currently 3 Hen Harrier patrolling the marshes between Middlebere and the Wareham Channel and a minimum of 10 Marsh Harrier. I was also sent some information today regarding a colour ringed Black-tailed Godwit that was seen out in Lytchett Bay this weekend. The data that has come back from the BTO states that the bird was first ringed in Iceland on the 13th June 2003, making the bird 11 years old!