Perfectly still days can be a rare occurrence in late November, but today was as perfect as they come. A crisp early winter sun hanging low over the harbour, with not a breath of wind, making viewing open water bodies nice and simple, and allowing accurate counts to be made. Each evening, off Shipstal Point, Arne a roost forms out on the water beyond Long Island. When you have a big low tide before sunset and perfectly still conditions like we did tonight, standing up on the viewpoint looking out provides a great birding spectacle. This evening out in the roost 32 Goldeneye came in along with 59 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 67 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Great Northern Diver and 1 Common Scoter. As the tide was low big numbers of birds were feeding along Shipstal Beach, down towards Wytch Lake and also out in Arne Bay with c400 Avocet, c200 Brent Geese and 38 Spoonbill were on the Long Island shoreline. A roost count out in Studland bay was also made with 25 Black-necked Grebe counted at sunset. The main lake at Poole Park was also surveyed today which saw 3 Goldeneye, 11 Tufted Duck and an amazing 21 Little Grebe. At Lytchett Bay, yesterdays Hawfinch was seen again briefly in and around French’s Farm, a ringing session at Lytchett Heath produced the sites 50^th and 51^stBearded Tits to be ringed this autumn along with a Siberian (tristis) Chiffchaff. In Holes Bay NW from the Stone Bench saw 368 roosting Black-tailed Godwit, 98 Avocet, 190 Dunlin and 12 Little Grebe under the railway bridge and in Holes Bay NE were 562 Wigeon and a single Kingfisher. Firecrests were at Middlebere, Arne car park and Upton CP. Two Hen Harrier were in Poole Harbour west, out around the Swineham area with Merlin also at Middlebere, Hartland and Slepe Heath. A Great White Egret flew towards Middlebere over Scotland Farm.

 Siberian Chiffchaff Call – Lytchett Heath – 19/11/17

Bearded Tit – Lytchett Heath – Shaun Robson