Another great day across the harbour, even with the biting NE wind. Our Winter Safari was top draw once again with 5 Eider off Hamworthy Beach, 10 Great Northern Diver spread across the harbour, 1 Red-throated Diver off the Brownsea south shore. In the Wareham Channel White-tailed Eagle G466 flew across, flushing 17 Spoonbill. At the top end of the channel near Swineham 6 Marsh Harrier were constantly moving around and a Golden Plover flew over. On Swineham GP there were decent numbers of Shoveler, Gadwall and Tufted Duck. We also had great views of 2 Bearded Tit feeding on reed heads right off the side of the boat at Swineham. The Brownsea Lagoon was partly frozen but still held c50 Bar-tailed Godwit, c15 Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank and a handful of Avocet with another c250 Avocet roosting in the Wareham Channel. In central harbour there were 11 distant Goldeneye and 2 Black-necked Grebe. Elsewhere a Short-eared Owl was at Arne this afternoon, a Cattle Egret was on Wareham Common with another at Lytchett Fields. Lytchett Fields also saw Woodcock and Jack Snipe feeding out in the open and 56 Snipe were put up by a Marsh Harrier. At the Haven Hotel a Purple Sandpiper was on the ledge in front of the car park and there also seemed to be some sort of cold weather movement with c100 Lapwing flying super high, SW over Poole Quay. In the PC Drain there were 7 Common Chiffchaff, 2 Kingfisher and 2 Bullfinch.

Eider – Hamworthy Beach – Ian Ballam

Purple Sandpiper – Haven Hotel – Ian Ballam