The weather over the last 3 days has certainly been a lot better, and the birds are now coming through thick and fast. Starting with….

Wednesday 10^th April where a thick fog hampered any birding for the first hours of daylight. However it soon cleared producing some decent reports. Starting at Lytchett Bay where there were 3 Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and a Woodlark was singing over on Holton Lee Heath. At Arne there were displaying Dartford Warbler on Coombe Heath, also a Great Northern Diver in the Middlebere Channel. The Red-throated Diver was off Swineham Point, also a Jack Snipe, Spotted Redshank and 2 Swallow. In a private garden in Broadstone the Common Rosefinch and 14 Brambling continue to visit a feeding station. On Brownsea there were 3 Spoonbill, 3 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank and 27 Sandwich Tern

Thursday 11^th was again fine for most of the day. Holes Bay hosted 960 Black-tailed Godwit, 62 Shelduck, 3 Med Gulls and 12 Little Egret. A really interesting sighting of a female Marsh Harrier nest building at a private site, however, unfortunately no male to be seen! There was a ringtail Hen Harrier on Arne Moors and a Ring Ouzel on Stoborough Heath. At Lytchett Bay 2 Swallow, 10 Sand Martin, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, and a Peregrine Falcon.

Friday 12^th was a mixture of sunshine and showers but fairly mild. The female Marsh Harrier continued to nest build as 2 ringtail Hen Harrier are now present around the moors area. At Lytchett Bay there was 1 Shoveler (rare for this site), 3 Swallow, 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Greenshank, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Kingfisher and 94 Black-tailed Godwit. There was also an obvious fall of Willow Warbler on the south coast today as around 50 lined the banks of the PC World drain with a few Chiffchaff still mixed in. Swallows were very much in evidence across the harbour today with twos and threes passing over many sites. Finally, at Sunnyside a ringtail Hen Harrier, 1 Wheatear, 2 Woodlark, 12 Swallow, 2 Willow Warbler and 3 Kestrel.

This is more like it…drizzle with a gentle south easterly breeze, great for migrants. Sightings over the last few days have really picked up and it looks like spring migration has FINALLY taken off?

Sunday the 7^th April was sunny but still a bit chilly, however some lovely birds about. Starting with Studland area where at Greenlands Farm there were 5 Snipe, 1 Woodcock, 9 Wheatear, 6 Fieldfare, 12 Redwing and 1 Chiffchaff. At Brands Bay only 103 Black-tailed Godwit, 52 Dunlin and 1 Chiffchaff. There were two very nice sightings from Swineham GP of an adult winter Little Gull and winter plumaged Red-throated Diver. A surveyor was out on Arne Moors and recorded 2 Spoonbill flying over the Frome Valley, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier and 1 Barn Owl. A sea watch from Branksome produced a stunning Black-throated Diver, 6 Common Scoter and 4 Common Terns. Along Shore Road at least 22 Sanderling and 30 Bar-tailed Godwit. The Yellow Wagtail remains on the little pond at Lytchett Bay, also there Green Sandpiper and White Wagtail. A Snipe was heard drumming over Hartland Moor and a Red-legged Partridge was spooked of a road there. There was also a mouth watering report of a summer plumage Red-necked Grebe of Canford Cliffs car park.

Monday 8^th April still saw some decent reports. At Lytchett Bay there was 1 Spoonbill, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 8 Chiffchaff, 18 Redwing, 20+ Song Thrush, 1 Peregrine Falcon and 7 Little Egrets. An Osprey was reported sat in a dead tree on Pergins Island, Holes Bay. A female Marsh Harrier, ringtail Hen Harrier and Barn Owl were around Swineham.

Tuesday 9^th April saw drizzle and low cloud…excellent for dropping migrants on to our coastline. A successful survey at Lytchett Bay saw 1 male Redstart, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Blackcap, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Gadwall, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Greenshank, 68 Black-tailed Godwit on the pools. Another mini fall of migrants occurred around Holes Bay where more Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were seen along with a Common Sandpiper, Blackcap and a good number of migrant Robins, Blackbirds and Song Thrush. A Red Kite drifted over Corfe mid afternoon.

I know, I know, today was what we’ve all been waiting for right? Well, yes and no. For a birder good weather means good weather for birds and although the glorious sunshine was a well received break from the sub zero temperatures it still didn’t herald the arrival of many (if any) spring migrants. The northerly wind, albeit light, still kept the birds at bay. Highlights from the last few days included….

Friday 5^th April saw still a scattering of Chiffchaff at the PC World Drain along with 5 Sand Martin. At Lytchett Bay a Yellow Wagtail a White Wagtail and 2 Green Sandpiper were around the Pools. A wing-tagged Red Kite flew over the Purbecks.

Saturday 6th was glorious, no doubt about that, but still not many reports. At Sunnyside there was just 1 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff and 2 Woodlark. At Lytchett Bay the Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtail remained on the pool with either a Rock or Water Pipit in flight, also a Kingfisher there. There was a great record of a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker drumming near Bestwall. Woodlark were singing up on Hartland Moor.

Don’t forget that the next ‘Birds of Poole Harbour walk will be taking place on Saturday 20^th of April. There are a handful of places left so don’t miss out. Word on the grapevine is that it’s due to warm up soon, so we may even have some sun and warmth! Check out the event here…

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/sunnyside-farm-and-soldiers-road-birds-poole-harbour

Poole Harbour Survey

We were kindly forwarded this link today by the ‘Two Owls Birding’ group (www.twoowlsbirding.co.uk) which is a survey looking at the recreational uses of Poole Harbour. It’s a specific bird watching survey so please take the time to look at it and complete it…

http://tinyurl.com/birdwatchingsurvey2013

Some sightings from the last few days…

A Stone Curlew was reported on Brownsea Island yesterday, which is a fantastic Poole harbour record. Also on Brownsea 2 Spoonbill, 3 Spotted Redshank, 54 Knot, 1 Woodcock and 8 Sandwich Tern. The Yellow Wagtail remained at Lytchett Bay for its fourth day, also there a Bittern, 19 Snipe, 28 Redwing and 29 Brent Geese.  In Holes Bay, not much change but still many 10’s of Chiffchaff, 6 Sand Martin, 2 Kingfisher 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Pintail and 4 Great Crested Grebe. A single Sandwich Tern was a Shore Road. The Scarlet Rosefinch and 14 Brambling are still feeding in a private garden in Broadstone. There was a Black Redstart at Studland Church. Also in the area there was just 1 Black-necked Grebe and 8 Common Scoter at Middle Beach and an incredible 330 Med Gulls at South Beach. A Red Kite drifted over Little Sea, Studland.

Well a new month and a not so new cold wind still blows from the east, but…not for much longer I hear on the news! Apparently the weather is on the turn by the weekend but please don’t hold me to that. Yet again, despite the cold wind some hardy spring migrants battled through to reach the harbour over the Easter bank holiday.

Saturday 30^th March was fairly quiet. There was just 1 Spoonbill at Holes Bay. 44 Knot and 83 Med Gulls at Shore Road. A ringing session at the PC World drain produced 9 new Chiffchaff and 5 re-traps.

Sunday 31^st March wasn’t much better with a Red Kite that drifted over Lytchett Matravers heading towards the harbour.

Monday 1^st April where the only joke was the cold wind but there were some decent birds about. At Lytchett Bay a cracking count of 4 Little Ringed Plover, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 1 Bittern, 1 stunning male Yellow Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail, 3 Wheatear and 4 Green Sandpiper.  At the PC World drain 12 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Sand Martin and a Grey Wagtail. Out in the bay 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Peregrine and a male Pintail.

Tuesday 2^nd April was a gloriously sunny day, which in turn produced a whole chorus of 7-8 Chiffchaff that started singing at the PC World drain, with at least 30 birds present in total.  Still plenty on the Brownsea Lagoon with 2 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 15 Knot, 50 Bar-tailed Godwit, 100 Black-tailed Godwit, at least 6 pairs of Med Gulls, and 1 Ringed Plover.

There should be lots of exciting birds starting to arrive in the next few weeks so be on the look out for possible Redstart, Whinchat, Pied Flycatcher and even listen out for a wandering Nightingale!