Every winter we see a handful of dates when the open areas of the harbour look like glass and not a breath of wind stirs amongst the marker buoys. Today was one of those days and we were lucky enough to be hosting a school bird boat too. This made seeing open-water species so much easier with the highlights being 1 Scaup off Arne, 7 Common Scoter, 3 Goldeneye, 50+ Red-breasted Merganser, 50+ Great Crested Grebe, 1 Sandwich Tern, a feeding flock of 120 Cormorant, 20 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon and 20 Sanderling that flew past the boat. Talking of boats, we’ll soon be launching two public ‘Harbour Cruise’ trips that will place early next year, so keep an eye out. Off Middle Beach, Studland 3 Goosander were feeding. A round up of raptor news from Poole Harbour south now sees up to 7 different Marsh Harrier and 4 Hen Harrier with 2 Merlin still active on Hartland Moor. In Whitley Lake, Sandbanks and all along Baiter Beach on low tides, Turnstone can be found feeding with 12 Ringed Plover at the latter site too. At Arne the Great White Egret was seen again and in the lower Frome Valley the seasons first Woodcock was ringed. At Lytchett Fields the yesterdays Ruff was again present along with the Lesser Yellowlegs. A late Swallow passed over Ridge late afternoon.

Common Scoter – South Deep (near harbour entrance) 

Red-breasted Merganser – South Deep (near harbour entrance) 

Spoonbill – Brownsea Lagoon