Studland - 10th February

The weather was beautifully sunny and warm. Highlights were Black-necked Grebes, Mediterranean Gull, Peregrine and Dartford Warblers.

Today was a day of habitats. We walked through or by sandy beach, woodland, open fields, heathland, freshwater lakes, estuary mudflats and urban areas. We left the car park at sandbanks and walked along the beach to where the ferry to Studland goes from. Once on the other side we walked along the beach scanning the sea for grebes. A Greenfinch flew over us displaying and a couple of Pied Wagtails scurried along the sand. Also we saw the first of many Carrion Crows of the day! The sea was pretty quiet. A couple of Cormorant on posts and then.. a Grebe. It was a Black-necked Grebe. As we slowly walked to the café we saw another 5 altogether as well as 3 Great-crested Grebe, a couple of Red-breasted Merganser flying past and a flock of 20 Brent Geese. The presence of jet skis may have been the reason for the paucity of birds, as there is usually much more out in Studland Bay.
After lunch at the café accompanied by Chaffinches, we walked a little further along the beach and then turned inland up a wooded lane. The banks of this lane had Snowdrops, Sweet Violets and a few Crocuses flowering and some Navelwort growing. Navelwort usually grows on walls and rocks, so it was interesting to see it growing on a sandy soil bank. After the wooded lane we stopped at a horse paddock to look for thrushes. There were several Blackbird, a few Song Thrush and a Redwing. Then out across the open heathland. We saw 2 Stonechat and a couple of Dartford Warbler, one of which gave us great views with the sun shining on him and a Peregrine flying over!
After the heathland the path skirts round more open grazed fields. Here we saw a few more Blackbird, a couple of Mistle Thrush and a small flock of Fieldfare. Wendy spotted a Buzzard in the field and we got pretty good views as it flew onto a post and sat there. Over the road and past more heathland, we got to the hide overlooking one of the freshwater lakes in the middle of Studland peninsular. There were lots of birds on here. Loads of Wigeon and Gadwall, a large flock of Pochard, some Tufted Ducks, a few Pintail, a Great-crested Grebe and a Mediterranean Gull with the Common Gulls and Black-headed Gulls. Then it was back over the road to the hide that overlooks Poole Harbour. The tide was out and so there was lots of exposed mud and lots of birds. Many Shelduck, Brent Goose, Teal, Wigeon, a large flock of Dunlin, several Curlew, Oystercatcher and Redshank and a couple of Grey Plover and 1 Greenshank. We walked back up the road to catch the ferry back to sandbanks, but the excitement was not over yet! Dusk was approaching and as we got to the ferry a large flock of about 1,000 Starling were wheeling around, sweeping and swooping in their pre-roost flight. It was an amazing sight and with the bright red sunset on the opposite side of the road it made a wonderful finale to the day.
Simon Curson