By the side of my moth trap this morning

Something you wouldn’t have seen even a few years ago ago. A few of the 28+ Cattle Egret in the fields around Holme this morning.

A lovely little Kestrel at Middlebere this morning. Having a rest having chased off a rival male

How beautiful.! This red squirrel on Brownsea was too busy extracting seeds from a cone to bother about who was watching him.

It’s hard to keep clean when you’re on the top of a bush and you have a spoon bill !

Yesterday this Spotted Flycatcher was one of my garden visitors along with a steady trickle of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. Today a change of wind direction and only the locals on view.

Great moth trap last night. 2 beautiful migrant moths- a Striped Hawkmoth and a Bedstraw Hawkmoth among the many moths

I must admit that although exciting that the eagles and ospreys were on Sunday’s Osprey Cruise ( BoPH), this was my favourite photo. This lovely juvenile Sandwich Tern watching the adults fishing will be leaving us soon

The most beautiful migrant moth in my trap last night. It is a Striped Hawkmoth and may have strayed from Southern Europe or even North Africa.

Little and Large(Great White Egrets )at Lodmoor at the weekend.Numbers of Great White Egrets seem to be increasing rapidly. I saw 4 and apparently there were 6 seen earlier

Osprey passing the Middlebere hide this afternoon. Almost certain it is 5H3 the 2023 bird from the Carey nest.

White- tailed Eagle taken from the excellent BoPH cruise yesterday. Weather gloomy but great views.

First Hawkmoth in moth trap today - a Pine Hawkmoth

A beautiful moth in my light trap this morning - a Light Emerald. Another to prove that not all moths are brown and boring- and eat your clothes!

Beaky the visiting Osprey who regularly visits Middlebere on her way north. Looking particularly beautiful in the sunlight today

So glad to see this lovely little bird in Dorset now and to see its expansion along the South Coast. Hopefully it will become a regular sight.

A ringed Curlew in 13 Acre Field yesterday. @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Ring-tail Hen Harrier at Middlebere yesterday

One of the two Red Kites over Lytchett Matravers church today. Distant views of the Hawfinch

Yesterday the cattle egret at the highland cattle field near Corfe Castle was looking rather splendid in the sun . Doesn’t seem long ago this bird would have been seen as a real rarity

With an improvement in the weather just had to go and see the Poole Park Mandarin Ducks today. Two flashy males looking splendid. Wonder how long they’ll stay.

Does this sum up today’s weather for you. About 12 of these Long-tailed Tits were the most adventurous birds in my garden. Taken this afternoon. Happy New Year to you all