Yesterdays serene sunset and calming winter scenes didn’t last too long as we were back to a building southerly wind during the course of the day. A short watch off of Jerry’s Point saw 4 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Great Northern Diver and 2 Goldeneye. On Wareham Common 44 Cattle Egret were feeding, 12 Fieldfare were at Middlebere and 3 Glossy Ibis were at Swineham.

Spoonbill flock feeding – Shipstal, RSPB Arne – Martin Wright

Black-necked Grebes – Jerry’s Point – John Thorp

As the sun set on our final bird boat of 2025, we’d like to thank everyone who’s joined us on any of our trips this year. We’ve been able to deliver a whole host of new trips this year thanks to everyones continued excitement and willingness to participate. With a short stop-gap for Christmas, we’ll be getting straight back into the action in the New Year and 2026 will have a heap of new and exciting trips to attend to get yuo closer to the harbours birdlife and landscape.

This afternoon, as the sun set and the wind eased we were treated to 10 Great Northern Diver close to the harbour entrance and off Jerry’s Point, along with 6 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Goldeneye and c15 Red-breasted Merganser. In the Wareham Channel 13 Spoonbill were feeding close to the Arne shoreline, plus 4 Marsh Harrier were floating around. A Water Pipit flew over Swineham Point, 2 Kingfisher were in the mouth of the River Frome. There were good numbers of dark-bellied Brent Geese along the southern shores. This morning a Slavonian Grebe was off Jerry’s Point, a Spotted Redshank was at Lytchett Fields and a Goshawk flew over Middlebere.

Brittany signing off the 2025 Boat Trip season this afternoon

Well, it was nice whilst it lasted. Back to some pretty torrid weather today, with visibility and sightings a tad on the low side. The best from a rather grey day included the Velvet Scoter off Jerry’s Point this morning along with 5 Black-necked Grebe and 5 Great Northern Diver. A Ruff was on Lytchett Fields this morning,  a single Glossy Ibis was on Wareham Common and Holes Bay is still holding lots of birds including 1000+ Black-tailed Godwit this afternoon, c200 Avocet, c1500 Wigeon and 204 Shoveler.

Ruff – Lytchett Fields – Mick Brooks

With the wind building today, it made birding conditions slightly trickier but there was still lots ‘to be had’. The Purple Sandpiper group grew to 3 today, which is the highest harbour total for a number of years! Todays were located on one of the rocky groynes by the ‘Shack by the Shore’ food outlet at Shore Road, Sandbanks. The harbour entrance and Jerry’s Point area wa sbusy again and saw 2 Slavonian Grebe, 6 Black-necked Grebe, 6 Goldeneye, 5 Great Northern Diver, 1 Velvet Scoter and 34 Red-breasted Merganser. Across the whole harbour c10 Great Northern Diver were counted, plus there were c20 Spoonbill around the shipstal area of RSPB Arne, 8 Marsh Harrier around Swineham and 8 Glossy Ibis were still in wet meadows at Swineham by the gravel pit. Merlin have been a bit scrace this winter, but 1 was hunting briefly over the gull islands in the Wareham Channel this morning. A White-tailed Eagle was also sat on the shoreline in the Wareham Channel and later this evening a Scaup was reported off Jerry’s Point.

Purple Sandpiper – Shore Road, Sandbanks – Garry Hayman

Glossy Ibis – Swineham – Garry Hayman

A busy day across the harbour today, and with this mornings rain clearing quickly it allowed for some good coverage across the harbour including from our Winter Safari this morning. Highlights from across the harbour included 9 Glossy Ibis on the Swineham Pools, 1 Velvet Scoter, 7 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver and 8 Black-necked Grebe off of Jerry’s Point. The 2 Purple Sandpiper were still on rocky groynes off the main Sandbanks Beach, c20 Spoonbill were feeding between Shipstal and Middlebere, Swineham had 4-5 different Marsh Harrier moving around. The Brownsea Lagoon was pretty full of water, but did hold c500 Avocet, 76 Bar-tailed Godwit, c1160 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Greenshank and 6 Grey Plover. Middlebere logged 1 Goshawk bombing through, also 1 Jack Snipe flushed, 1 Spotted Redshank was in the channel and 40+ Fieldfare were along the track.

Purple Sandpiper – Sandbanks – Ian Ballam

This morning, a neck-collared dark-bellied Brent Goose was found on Baiter Park, and although efforts were made to try and read the ring number, sadly it flew before it the number could be obtained. The neck collar seems to be a sat-tag, meaning the team running this project will get some fantastic data of these long distance winter visitors, and although we haven’t been able to find the specific project, we’re hoping we’ll be able to track down it down so we can see/learn some of the routes our wintering Brent Geese are taking. Checking online, there have been several ‘Brents’ tagged in Essex over the years, so it could be from there, or alternatively, this could be a bird thats been tagged on it’s Siberian breeding grounds and venturing here? We hopefully look forward to finding out more more!

Elsewhere 3 Great Northern Diver were off Jerry’s Point, 3 Black-necked Grebe were off Knoll Beach, 2 White-tailed Eagle were over Middlebere and Spotted Redshanks were at Lytchett Fields and Holes Bay.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose – Baiter Park – Mya Bambrick

It seems the harbour Purple Sandpiper total has doubled to 2 with a pair on one of the Sandbanks beach groynes this afternoon along with 7 Ringed Plover (including a colour-ringed individual). The male Mandarine Duck was on Poole Park lake again and a Black Redstart was on Corfe Castle this evening. Six Black-necked Grebe were in Brands Bay this afternoon and 3 Great Northern Diver were off Jerry’s Point.

Mandarine Duck – Poole Park – Phil Bentley