It was another fine day today with the harbour providing excellent viewing opportunities. We had some of our team set up around the Studland Peninsular as part of our ‘Pop Up’ series and on Saturday they’ll be out again, this time at Holes Bay during the afternoon, just in time for the low tide. More details can be found at the end of this post.

From Jerry’s Point today there were 5 Great Northern Diver, 4 Scaup, 13 Goldeneye, 2 Common Scoter, 14+ Red-breasted Merganser and 3 Black-necked Grebe. At Shore road, Sandbanks there were 41 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Sanderling, 19 Turnstone, 11 Dunlin and 25 Brent Geese right next to the cycle path, giving excellent views. At Lytchett Fields 2 Cattle Egret and 29 Little Egret flew over at dusk heading into roost. Bearded Tit were showing well at Lytchett Bay View, from the public viewpoint. Last night we managed to get out lamping again for the first time since the temperature dropped and there has been a definite arrival of Woodcock with c35 seen in fields at the top end of Hartland and six caught and ringed.

Building on the success of this morning, our team will be visiting Holes Bay this Saturday to help you bird this superb urban hotspot. Recent sightings from the site include great counts of Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin, as well as vast numbers of wildfowl, the odd Knot, Little Grebe and a Great Northern Diver in the South of the Bay.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to share our optics at public events to limit risk of spreading Covid-19. Therefore, if you have your own binoculars and scopes, please bring them along, they will be really useful!

Holes Bay is fully accessible with a cyclepath running along much of the shoreline. The closest pay and display car park is located at Upton Country Park.

Holes Bay Pop-Up Event This Saturday 12.30pm to 3.30pm

Where to find us: Creekmoor Drain

what.three.words – https://w3w.co/tame.bids.clear

Google maps pindrop – https://goo.gl/maps/SaUTNssCP1Kd335f6 

Woodcock ringed at Hartland last night – Adult due to pale tips to primary wing coverts

Woodcock ringed at Hartland last night – 1st winter due to dark tips to primary wing coverts