On Sunday it was the Poole Harbour WeBS count. The forecast mentioned that the horrid low-pressure system that hit us in the morning would pass by early afternoon. Our Poole Harbour WeBS team kept their fingers crossed hoping the wind and rain would pass through by the time the survey started. It didn’t! The weather also had an affect on the tide meaning that what should have been a pretty standard low-tide was actually a very high tide, therefore producing little or no waders at sites that should have contained hundreds, if not thousands. Luckily about an hour after the survey started the sky cleared in an instant allowing a certain amount of surveying to take place. Highlights included 24 Spoonbill, 1 female Scaup and 3 Great Northern Diver off Shipstal, Arne. The redhead Smew was again at Swineham GP along with 166 Shoveler, 153 Teal, 70 Gadwall, 128 Coot, 36 Pochard and 27 Greylag Geese. It’s almost certain that there are currently 5 Hen Harrier in the harbour at the moment with 3 male and 2 female. Amazingly, I’ve just received news too that 9 Marsh Harrier left their roost site this morning, which must be a recent record. There are numerous large Lapwing flocks around the Frome Valley with a flock of almost 700 counted along Arne Moors. Out in the harbour the usual Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye and Great Crested Grebe could be seen in good numbers and the 2 Black Swan were still out on the Stoborough flood.

19 of the 24 Spoonbill at Arne