Poole Park - 14th December

The weather was cloudy and mild, but quite windy. Highlights were Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and just missing a Yellow-browed Warbler.

5 people met me in the car park near Poole Park. We walked across the grass to the waterfront disturbing a couple of Pied Wagtails on the way. The tide was part out and Brent Geese, Redshank, a few Oystercatcher and one or two Turnstone were feeding quite close by. A Great Black-backed Gull was amongst the Herring and Black-headed. As we were watching this two Little Egrets had a disagreement and one ended up dive bombing the other before they both flew off.
We walked along the waterfront edge. A large flock of Oystercatcher and Starling were on the amenity grass and a few Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits were feeding there too(so it does have a use for wildlife)! Looking out on the water we saw a couple of Great-crested Grebe, but little else.
We went under the railway and to the shallow lakes in Poole Park. A flock of gulls had a couple of Great Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed and some Oystercatcher. On the far side by the car park 2 Black Swans had joined the Mute Swans. Black Swans are native to Australia and so were obviously escapes. And out on the water 4 female Goldeneye kept everyone entertained with their identification, while a few Cormorants stood up on posts emerging from the water.
Across the road and the mini-railway line to the other smaller pond. This had lots of Mallards, a large flock of Tufted Duck, some Moorhens, Coots, Canada Geese and one or two Grey-lag Geese. A few Goldfinch twittered from a nearby tree.
We walked all the way round the larger lake looking at the Swans and gulls until we were at the side where the Goldeneye had been nearest. They were nowhere to be seen now!! However we did find a couple of Common Gull in amongst the Black-headed here.
Across the road was a small group of trees where a Yellow-browed Warbler had been feeding just 10 minutes before we arrived. A female Sparrowhawk then came along and perched in a tree. All the small birds dived for cover and kept quiet. We waited patiently for the Yellow-browed to show itself. While we were listening we heard House Sparrow, Dunnock and Robin over the din of construction work, police sirens and helicopters! However the Yellow-browed evaded us and we carried on.
Back to the waterfront and more gulls with great views of some Common Gulls. The tide was higher, but on the little edge of beach that was left a few Ringed Plover and Turnstone were feeding. Out on the water there were a few far off Red-breasted Merganser. After a while they all took off and a couple flew much closer giving good views. On the way back to the cars all the Brent Geese were roosting on the amenity grass with the Oystercatchers and Starlings and we got very close views of Turnstone and Little Egret feeding along the waters edge.
Simon Curson