A Short-eared Owl was hunting out in the afternoon sunshine along Arne Moors and the lower Frome Valley at times interacting with a couple of Marsh Harriers. Short-eared Owls aren’t quite an annual winter visitor to the harbour but when they do occur they’re well worth staking out. Hartland Moor, Middlebere, Arne Moors, Swineham and the Frome Valley are good places to look anytime from early afternoon to dusk. Another Bittern or possibly the same as yesterdays was seen further up the Frome Valley near Redcliff Sailing Club. 5 Bearded Tit were at Lytchett Heath along with 4 Chiffchaff.  7 Marsh Harrier were out around the Wareham Channel area. Middlebere late afternoon looked cracking with a great Avocet flock at the western end. There were 2 Pale-bellied brent Geese in with a large flock of Dark-bellied Brents at Ower and a Jack Snipe was seen leaving its roost in a very Woodcock(esque) style. As I write, I’ve just received an email from a visitor to our site called Jo who has kindly sent a photo asking if the bird present in the photo is a Black Guillemot? Well, quite simply…yes it is! The photo was taken off the car park in front of the Haven Hotel this afternoon. Great find, well done. 

After last nights storm the wind eased to a steady bellow and eventually eased to gentle breeze. Todays highlight was a Bittern on the Swineham/Arne Moors boarder that lifted off one of the footpaths and disappeared into the reeds. Although not reported too often, it wouldn’t surprise me if several Bittern over-winter in the harbour, its just that the reed beds are so vast and complex you just never see the. I haven’t checked Hatch Pond recently…has anyone else?  There was also a minimum of 11 Marsh Harrier in and around the Wareham Channel. Spoonbills were out in Lytchett Bay and Arne moors (of all places) but still, the best spot to see them by far is out on Shipstal Point, Arne RSPB reserve. Kingfishers seem quite prominent at the moment with several encountered along the Frome this evening and birds being seen regularly from Shipstal Hide. Water Pipit were at Lytchett Bay and Ridge Wharf Yacht Club. 

Today I led an RSPB public bird boat, which despite the forecast was a huge success. With a bright winter sun bearing down and a brisk westerly wind whipping in we headed out from Poole Quay at 10:30. We headed straight for Arne and Shipstal Beach where we were treated to 35+ Spoonbill on Shipstal Point and 2 Common Seal right next to the boat. The salt marsh was full on Teal, Wigeon, Curlew the odd Little Egret and Brent Goose. We then went round the back of all this islands and encountered the usual Cormorant and Shag as well as good numbers of Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe and Canada Geese. Kingfishers were seen on both the Brownsea and Furzey Island Quays but surprise of the morning had to go to a Swallow that flew around the Brownsea Quay and our boat for a short period. The Lagoon looked wonderful with Avocet, Black and Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Knot, Greenshank, Redshank, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon and Grey Heron all present and a Great Northern Diver just off the sea wall. Add 2 Common Scoter and a Black Redstart on the roof of my office when I returned and I have to say the trip was a big success. Poole Park is still looking good with feeding Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Little Egret right next to the wall and a large Greenfinch roost in Poole Park of around 150-200 birds.

With the extremely popular response to our BoPH/RSPB Dorset Discovery Winter tour we have decided to start advertising our up and coming Spring Tour too. You can find details of it HERE

Finally please take a minute to look at and sign this Marine Conservation Zone Plan which includes protecting both Studland Bay and areas of Poole Bay.

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/mcz

The Lesser Yellowlegs was looked for again yesterday, but unfortunately didn’t materialise. One place that was checked was Poole Park boating lake, which has currently been drained, offering a feeding habitat not just for a Yellowlegs but many other species of bird too. I was stunning to see that around 10 Little Egret, 10 Turnstone, several Black-tailed Godwit, numerous Oystercatcher and a good variety of Duck were just meters from the lake wall, not fussed one bit by the many runners, dog walkers and prams that were whizzing on by. The harbour was flat calm early morning, which made counting the open water species easier. From the harbour mouth there as 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Common Scoter, 50+ Red-breasted Merganser, 20+ Great Crested Grebe, 15 Sanderling on the rocks and a handful of Goldeneye. The Spoonbill are commuting between Brownsea and Shipstal on the high tides, and still out feeding in Holes Bay and Middlebere on the low tides. I have kindly been sent 2 photos of the Brownsea Lesser Yellowlegs by Brian Hill, one of the lucky DWT volunteers on the island that day carrying out a winter work party. Thanks Jol Mitchell for also sending in a photo of the Bean Geese from Monday 8^th December.

The two Bean Geese were again at Swineham first thing yesterday, and then moved on over to Arne Moors which made them only visible from Slepe Heath. I forgot to mention yesterday they are the Tundra race of Bean Goose and not the much rarer Taiga race. There are currently 10 different Marsh Harrier going into roost in the west of the harbour, which seems to be a December Poole Harbour record. Spoonbills seem to be feeding in a number of places on a low tide with 14 in Holes Bay NE and 7 in Lytchett Bay, with a Water Pipit and the latter site. Also at Holes Bay a Common Sandpiper, 46 Avocet and 8 Pintail. 

Yesterday morning I went for a walk up on to Slepe Heath in the hope that I would I would be able to find the 7 Egyptian Geese that had been seen flying into the harbour. Slepe Heath gives a great view across to the wet fields of Swineham and Arne Moors where many geese and waders have been feeding and roosting on the flooded fields. I couldn’t see any geese and was about to leave when I found a small flock of Canada Geese tucked away on the same pools that the Black-winged Stilts were found earlier this year. Straight away I noticed two smaller geese in amongst them, which is always a good sign of something different. I watched them for a good ten minutes looking for features of both Pink-footed Goose and Bean Goose, the former being a scarce visitor to the harbour, the latter being an exceptionally rare visitor to the harbour. I was watching from about a mile away but was pretty sure they were Pink-footed Goose and more likely to be too. However, on closer inspection by some local birders who visited Swineham upon hearing my news I then received a phone call to say they were in fact Bean Geese, the first Poole Harbour record since 2004. Also out at Swineham/Wareham Channel area 3 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine, 200 Lapwing, 120 Curlew and 1 Kingfisher. There were 3 Purple Sandpiper at the harbour mouth, in front of the Haven Hotel.  At Lytchett Bay there was 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Water Pipit and 1 Spoonbill. At Studland 23 Black-necked Grebe were still off Middle beach.

Apologise for the lack of updates, I’ve been up in Norfolk for a few day with no internet access, so will do a bit of a round up for you now. Today saw a really productive school bird boat with 5 Common Scoter, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver, 32 Spoonbill, a marked increase in Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe totals, 500+ Avocet on Brownsea and 2 Sandwich Tern near the harbour mouth. A likely Siberian Chiffchaff was at Boarder Road, Lytchett Bay and 2 Red Kite were over the stubble field there.  In Brands Bay there were Red-breasted Merganser – 31,
Wigeon 272,
Brent Goose 66,
Redshank 80+,
Curlew 110+,
Teal 24, Pintail 61, Turnstone 11,
Lapwing 30+,
Grey Plover 2. A new male Hen Harrier arrived in the harbour today making this the 7^th different Hen Harrier to have appeared in the harbour this autumn/winter period so far. There are currently three in the harbour and still 8 Marsh Harrier. 

There were a lot of areas covered around the harbour today with nice birds being found. Highlight of the day has to go to the adult Ring-billed Gull that was found off Swineham Point in amongst a group of Common Gulls. Also at Swineham 1 redhead Goosander over the GP, 2 Golden Plover over, 1 Firecrest on the path down to ‘Curlews’ and an increase of Shoveler, Gadwall and Tufted Duck on the GP. Scarce gulls are often quite difficult to catch up with in the harbour due to the sheer size of the area and the many nooks and crannies they can choose to feed, roost, wash etc. Another Grebe count was conducted from Middle Beach where the total of Black-necked Grebes went up by one to 27, also 61 Red-breasted Merganser and 7 Great Crested Grebe. A Red-necked Grebe was found drifting into Shell Bay whilst a dawn watch was being conducted at the harbour mouth where 57 Shag, 35 Red-breasted Merganser and 3 Common Scoter all entered the harbour at dawn and 24 Grey Plover were flushed off the Shell Beach. At Lytchett Bay 2 Firecrest, 1 Marsh Harrier and a Water Pipit were present.  At Hatch Pond there is still no sign of any Bittern but 25+ pairs of Teal and 30+ Snipe were counted.