The first of our Poole Town Winter Birding Walks kick-started today – and what a day to start. The weather was beautiful, and there was plenty about to train our spotting scope onto. The Quay offered intimate views of Turnstone before we caught up with a loose flock of c75 Brent Goose along the shoreline at Whitecliff. A Bar-tailed Godwit was among the feeding Oystercatcher flocks on Baiter Park. Tufted Duck were in abundance on Poole Park Boating Lake, but there was no sign of the recent Scaup.

A beautiful calm sunny morning at Middlebere with c150 Avocet, c300 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Spotted Redshank, c80 Dunlin, 15 Grey Plover, 1 Pintail, 3 Great Crested Grebe, a female Marsh Harrier and numerous Kingfisher sightings. The walk along Middlebere track held a mixed flock of c250 Fieldfare and Redwing and as many as 24 Robin.

A scan from Jerry’s Point offered views of 2 Velvet Scoter, 14 Common Scoter, at least 8 Black-necked Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser and a single Light-bellied Brent Goose fly by. Spoonbill numbers have dipped recently, with 5 observed from Avocet Hide at Arne, along with a single Great White Egret and 6 Spotted Redshank.

From Middle Beach this evening there was a decent mix of birds with 12 Common Scoter (11 females and 1 male), 8 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Guillemot, 1 Razorbill, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Great Crested Grebe and 100+ Med Gulls.