Holton Heath this morning 2 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 young Firecrest beeing fed were the highlights. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Managed to see the Red Footed Falcon perched up this morning circa 06.30 Took flight after around 25 mins then became elusive. A high flypast just before I left at 09.15. Great company. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @dfozzie.bsky.social @markwright12002.bsky.social

Red footed Falcon still on Holt Heath. Showing well. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social W3W ///elect.vibrates.item

A second pair of returning Spot Flys at Holton Heath this morning was very welcome. Along with plenty of newly fledged, Stonechat 2 broods of 3, Goldcrest 3 fledglings being fed, Great and Coal Tits both with 3. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Swift numbers up to 6 now above my BH12 garden. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

First Spotted Flycatchers of the year with 2 at Holton Heath. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

First Swifts of the year above Bh12 garden. 3 screaming around. Earliest ever by 6 days. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

My first singing and displaying Tree Pipit of the year at Holton Heath. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Red Spotted Bluethroat showed well this morning at Swineham. Feeding on the Eastern path just past the point. Would disappear for 20mins or so then reappear. Fantastic life tick. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Red Kite drifting South over Parkstone @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Grey and Drizzly morning at Holton Heath. 3 singing Firecrest , 2 Blackcap and a singing Woodlark the highlights. Plenty of birdsong incl this Dunnock. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Osprey over Branksome Rec heading Seaview direction. Chased by Herring Gulls. Garden Tick. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Random bird of the day, a Grey Heron landed in my Parkstone garden after being hounded to ground by the local Herring Gulls. Stayed for 2 mins then launched.

Nice morning on Holton Heath, highlight 5 Crossbill that hung around the site. Negative is the absolute apocalyptic scenes around the site. Huge swathes of trees and shrubs ripped up to aid Bog restoration. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Great morning in New Forest with @dfozzie.bsky.social and Rich S. Caught up with the over wintering Shrike, always nice to see. @hosbirding.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning for possibly my last early visit of the season with @dfozzie.bsky.social 83 Shag, 3 GND, 1 GCG, 2 Pintail, 1 Avocet a site tick all in. 3 Med gull year tick for me. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Nice trip to the New Forest this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social, missed the Shrike by about 15 mins but a year tick trio of Hawfinch, Crosbill and G.Woodpecker made up for it. The latter only seen 2 in the last 3 years in Dorset. @hosbirding.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social 83 Shag, 7 GND, 8 RBM, 2 GCG all in. The 7 Divers a season high for me. Although a few off Graham A high of 13. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven first light this morning 87 Shag, 2 GND, 2 GCG in. 1 GND off Pilots point on the water. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social and Rob, 100 Shag, 6 GND (one on the water by ferry slipway) Circa 500 Brent in and around the beach, 40 Grey Plover. The P Wag roost seems to have moved on with only 2. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

So pleased the Kildeer at Ripley Reservoir stayed till today. Been away all weekend. Life tick. Cracking bird.

11 White Fronts just flew over Brook Lane and Wimborne Town FC heading for Canford Bottom. Low enough to clearly ID. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social 2 Black Throated Diver in, 3 GND, 13 RBM, 1 GCG. Around 350 Brent along the Studland Shoreline. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Purple Sandpiper. 1 of 2 N.Haven this morning. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning hoping fir something exotic to be blown in unfortunately not today. 76 Shag, 1 BTD, 1 GCG and 3 RBM. 2 Purple Sandpiper on the small groyne first out from the Hotel. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Only 10 days into the new year and the magpie pair are already garden at work rebuilding last year's nest in the garden. Raised 2 young last year. Made more difficult today as being bombed by an angry Chiffchaff.

N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social 109 Shag, 6 GND, 7 RBM and a Slav Grebe into the harbour. 2 Rock Pipit best of rest. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Briefest of Brief views of the YBW, Hatch Pond. Before it disappeared into the thickets around the pond. Circa 11.40ish. Not seen since. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Common Gull. 1 of 3 in a field with 16 Lapwing. Allen Valley. Been anything but common here for me. Only the second time in 98 visits. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Couldn't agree more.

Another quiet and Baltic N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social 88 Shag and 1 Black Throated Diver in, were the only things of note. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning quiet with 67 Shag, 1 Black Throated Diver and 1 Great Northern Diver all in. Circa 250 Brent over Pilots point. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Great Northern Diver. Redhorn Point. @dorsetbirdtours.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Unfortunately no Smew for me this morning. Great year start though with Slav, 4 Black Neck Grebe, GND, 8 Goldeneye, WT Eagle, Marsh H. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Final N.Haven visit of 2025 with @dfozzie.bsky.social was freezing and quiet. 88 Shag, 1 RBM, 1 GND in. There were 8 small duck around Pilots point and off the beach. Too distant ti ID but worth noting. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social. Another quiet morning with 103 Shag, 4 RBM, 1 GND into the harbour. Kingfisher buzzing around the construction area. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Xmas present of 4 Blackcap, 3 male, 1 female, in the Parkstone garden. Feeding on the decomposing apples on my tree. Not had one yet this season. @dorsetbirds.bsky.social

Wishing all the Dorset Birding community a very Merry Festive period and a happy New Year. Thanks for all the help and knowledge passed on this year. Have a good one.

Another quiet N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social. 94 Shag, 1 BTD, 2 GND, 6 RBM. 2 Kittiwake around the harbour mouth were the pick. @dorsetbirds.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Quieter at N.Haven this morning. 95 Shag into the harbour, Single BTD and GND. Large mixed flock of G.Plover, Ringo and Sanderling flushed from Shell Bay. 2 Purple Sand on the first groyne along from Hotel. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven harbour mouth this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social 109 Shag, 15 RBM, 5 GND, 1 BTD and 8 Pintail all in. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

Clear, crisp N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social and Graham A. 104 Shag, 20 RBM, 3 GND, 1 BTD and 4 GCG were pick. 3 Wigeon were season ticks. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven harbour mouth this morning Diverfest, 6 GND, 2 BTD all in. 73 Shag in, 4 RBM. Managed a good 50 mins before visibility became very poor. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning with @dfozzie.bsky.social and Graham A, 95 Shag, 12 RBM, 1 GND, 1 BTD, 1 GCG. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning highlights pre deluge, 2 Velvet Scoter flew out then back in a couple of minutes later, 5 RBM, 1 GND, 1 GCG and 83 Shag. Rain stopped play as visibility became very poor. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

2 Velvet Scoter did a loop of harbour mouth, leaving then returning circa 07.25 @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning 2 RTD, 1 GND and a Diver sp. We're the highlights. 105 Shag, 7 RBM. Small fast low flying duck in early as well, around 07.15 ish, the light was not great, so no ID but worth noting. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

2 RTD into harbour and a 3rd followed just behind. Couldn't ID the 3rd one as more distant. Small Diver though not GND. Circa 07.40. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social

N.Haven this morning first Goldeneye of the season in with 9 RBM. 83 Shag and 3 GCG into the harbour, before the weather and visibility turned. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @studlandbirds.bsky.social