Sightings - Sunday 2nd January 2011

Good numbers of geese and wildfowl dotted around the county. Also an impressive movement of auks with 50,000 (mainly Razorbills) estimated passing Portland today.

Great Northern Diver - 1 Ringstead Bay, 2 Portland Harbour
Red-necked Grebe - 1 Portland
Slavonian Grebe - 4 Ringstead Bay; 2 West Bexington; 8 Abbotsbury; 16 Portland Harbour
Black-necked Grebe - 11 Portland Harbour
White-fronted Goose - 19 Bestwall
Egyptian Goose - 7 Winkton (Avon Valley)
Barnacle Goose - 1 Winkton (Avon Valley); 42 Lytchett Bay; 80 Abbotsbury
Velvet Scoter - 1 West Bexington; 2 Abbotsbury
Smew - 2 Longham Lakes
Bittern - 1 Hatch Pond; 1 Lodmoor; 1 Christchurch Harbour
Hen Harrier - 1 Avon Causeway; 1 Abbotsbury; 1 Lytchett Bay; 1 Middlebere
Marsh Harrier - 1 Chesil Beach, 2 Arne
Long-billed Dowitcher - 1 Lodmoor
Ruff - 13 Winkton (Avon Valley)
Green Sandpiper - 2 Winkton (Avon Valley)
Golden Plover - 2 Winkton (Avon Valley)
Water Pipit - 1 Lodmoor
Firecrest - 2 Slepe Copse (Hartland); 2 Arne
Great Grey Shrike - 1 Arne
Starling - 53,000 estimated at the roost in Poole
Crossbill - 1 fly-over Christchurch Harbour

White-fronted Geese at Bestwall © Neil Gartshore