It’s beginning to feel a lot like winter….finally, with a cold, light NE wind this morning which resulted in some good vis-mig totals and species being logged up on Ballard Down, with a Snow Bunting going over at sunrise, then a good haul of ‘commoner’ birds including 486 Chaffinch, 363 Goldfinch, 16 Brambling, 19 Crossbill, c70 Linnet, 3 Bullfinch, 9 Redpoll, 9 Siskin, 1 Yellowhammer, 44 Stock Dove, 2 Mistle Thrush and 5 Little Egret, all low heading NE over the top of Ballard Down. At South Haven it was slightly quieter with 30 Redwing, 5 Fieldfare, 199 Chaffinch, 196 Goldfinch, 10 Linnet and 2 Bullfinch also all heading NE. Last night some of our team were out again surveying for nocturnal waders in the south of the harbour and managed to ring 2 new Jack Snipe, 1 new Common Snipe, as well as catching a re-trap Woodcock which was originally ringed by our team at exactly the same location on the 5th November 2020! This afternoon our low-tide cruise were treated to superb views of 30 Spoonbill and c800 Avocet feeding just 30m off the side of the boat, plus both White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel, a redhead Goosander was hiding in a Red-breasted Merganser flock and flew past and out of the Wareham Channel heading towards Shipstal, 2 Sandwich Tern were fishing off the quay, and there were good numbers of regular over-wintering species such dark-bellied Brent Geese (c400), Redshank, (c100) around Ower and Newton Bay. There was however big distinct lack of wildfowl anywhere?! At Little Sea, Studland a lone Cattle Egret was roosting with Grey Herons and in Holes Bay NW there were 1113 Black-tailed Godwit, while 2 Red Kite passed over Middlebere late afternoon.