Winter sea watches can often go one of two ways…very productive or more often than not…a total waste of time. Today however a seawatch from Branksome Chine was well worth the effort as an easterly wind kept passing birds close to the shore. Divers were the main highlight with all 3 regular species seen including 1 Great Northern Diver settled on the water and another heading west. Then 6 Red-throated Diver flew in from the west, settled on the water for several minuets before continuing east whilst another 5 Red-throated Diver and a Black-throated Diver fed as a group before they then upped and headed east with then another 3 Red-throated Diver passing east further out. Also seen were 2 Common Scoter east, 1 Kittiwake east, 5 Gannet west, 1 dark-bellied Brent Goose west and 2 Med Gulls east. It was also fairly busy with Razorbill with c30 heading east and another 14 settled on the water with 8 Great Crested Grebe. There was a report of 3 Slavonian Grebe from Ower Bay and also 2 Black-necked Grebe with 9 Crossbill on Rempstone Heath. From Middle Beach, Studland 14 Common Scoter passed and a few Gannet were ‘milling around’ with only 6 Black-necked Grebe present. A single pale-bellied Brent Goose was in amongst c500 dark-bellied Brents near Middlebere. At Norden Sewage works near Corfe 10 Chiffchaff, 1 Siberian Chiffchaff and a Firecrest were on the filter beds. The Starling murmuation at Shell Beach was again enjoyed by good numbers of people and a Merlin was on the post in front of the Middlebere hide. Finally the Smew was in Holes Bay SE. Sadly there was no sign yesterdays Waxwing from Canford Heath. 

Waxwing – Canford Heath garden – David Ayrton (16/01/18)