With calmer seas birds were easier to pick up out on the water and at around midday a Little Auk was reported from the harbour entrance for around 15 minuets. This news only reached us third hand via an info service so if anyone has any more info on this or even better, some photos we’d really appreciate seeing them. There was plenty more on offer around the harbour today with up to 4 Great Northern Diver (2 in the harbour entrance and 2 off Jerry’s Point), a male Merlin was in the Frome Valley and 3 Marsh Harrier were over the Moors. In Shell Bay there were just 2 Black-necked Grebe. At Middlebere the single Black Brant was with c700 dark-bellied Brent Geese at lunch time. At South Haven a Jack Snipe flew over and 13 Sanderling were on the beach. The Starling murmuration over Shell Beach car park at dusk was rumoured to be the best yet!!! So get down there while the going is still good. At Lytchett Fields both Lesser Yellowlegs and Green-winged Teal were found. Off the southern shore of Brownsea 7 Black-necked Grebe were bobbing about and on the lagoon were c125 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Spotted Redshank and 6 Greenshank. In Middlebere c500 Avocet were roosting on the high tide and on Shipstal the Spoonbill were still glamming themselves up. A female Crossbill was on Canford Heath.  

Lesser Yellowlegs – Lytcehtt Pools Field – Peter Moore

Sandwich Tern – Baiter – Peter Moore