Hengistbury - 24th January

The weather was sunny, mild and calm. Highlights were Purple Sandpiper, Avocet and Red-breasted Merganser.

There was a bit of activity among the smaller birds in the bushes in Barn Field with a female Reed Bunting being the most surprising thing, sitting near some Greenfinch. On Wick Hams we just saw a few Teal and Wigeon. We could make out the waders on the distant sand bar near Stanpit and could just see a few Avocet among them. In the harbour there were a few Little Grebe and Black-headed Gull with some Great Black-backed Gull wheeling overhead. Through the woodland we heard Blue Tit singing and saw a few of the Heron returned to their nest sites. In Holloways Dock there was just Black-headed Gulls, a Herring Gull and a few Wigeon. We walked towards the tip seeing Rock Pipit and a Meadow Pipit on the shore and a male Red-breasted Merganser that fly around the harbour and eventually landed in the water very close to us giving us wonderful views. We carried on until we got to the cafe. We didn’t manage to get past it without having a hot chocolate each! After this we went on to the very tip to look for Purple Sandpiper. None were there, just some Oystercatcher and a few Ringed Plover seen by a couple of us. As we walked back though we did find 5 Purple Sandpiper on one of the groynes that gave us good views for a short while.
We walked back over the top of the head seeing very little different, but getting great views of the harbour in the sunshine and distant, but clear views of the 4 Avocet again.
Simon Curson