THE largest flock of spoonbills ever seen in Britain has been recorded in Brownsea Island lagoon.

Poole Harbour has only played host to small numbers of spoonbills during the winter, however a flock of 47 has been sighted.

Paul Morton from the Birds of Poole Harbour charity said: “To have 47 spoonbills in the harbour is a fantastic sight, and goes to show how successful their breeding colonies are doing elsewhere.

“After looking at their colouring and from previous years’ data, we suspect they have come from Holland or Belgium.

“For around 50 years Poole Harbour has only ever had two or three spoonbills during the winter, but this last decade has seen numbers grow year on year as youngsters follow their parents back to their wintering quarters.

“What makes this gathering even more special is that people at home, work and school can enjoy the spectacle live on the Brownsea lagoon webcam 24 hours a day.

“The only question is: ‘How long will it be before they start breeding here?’”

Chris Thain, Brownsea Island reserve manager for Dorset Wildlife Trust said: “Every year we are amazed at the sheer number of migrating birds that visit the Brownsea Lagoon.

“We are absolutely delighted to see so many spoonbills this year, which is a real treat. It’s a unique sight, which is best seen from the DWT hides for a really up-close view.”

Numbers of waders in September include 650 black tailed godwits, 1,100 oyster catchers and 390 avocets on the lagoon, as they build up to their thousands.

Claire Dixon, visitor services and enterprises manager for National Trust said: “This is a great time of year to explore and spot wildlife.”

As part of the Great Heath Living Landscape Project, DWT held an ‘Autumn birds of Brownsea’ event on Saturday for visitors to see migrating birds and catch a sight of the spoonbill flocks.

To view action the action on the lagoon go to webcam at dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk