Another quiet day in terms of birds reported, but there’s plenty out there to see!  It seems the Christmas rush has taken over priorities at present with not many birds being reported, but that’s not to say there isn’t much about. Winter in the harbour is an exceptionally busy time of year and on the low tides, big numbers of waders can be seen out feeding from places like Arne, Brands Bay, Middlebere, Holes Bay and Lytchett Bay. We’ve recently published the WeBS data (Wetland Bird Survey) from Poole Harbour which shows peak counts of each wetland bird species from 2009-2014, highlighting the importance of the harbour for a number of key wetland species. The heathlands and harbour fringes can seem quiet without the buzzing of bees and songs of grasshoppers but Dartford Warbler, Woodlark and Stonechat are all super active this time of year and birds of prey such as Merlin, Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier and Hen Harrier are all real possibilities. Visiting a local feeding station can be great fun too at places like Holton Lee, the Arne car park, Corfe Castle visitors center where you can great views of species such as Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin. So why not just get out over Christmas and explore. You’ll almost certainly experience or learn something you never knew before!

Not much to report from today other than 18 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon, 2 Marsh Harrier in Middlebere and 200 Brent Geese out on Baiter Park with 2 Turnstone and 20+ Ringed Plover also in the vicinity. 

For a second day in a row a school bird boat disembarked from Poole Quay taking students out Kingston Maurward College. In terms of birds seen it wasn’t too dissimilar for Tuesdays trip but the Red-throated Diver was again off Shipstal Beach, Arne with 3 Great Northern Diver dotted around (1 off Brownsea, 1 near the harbour mouth and 1 centrail harbour). There were 34 Spoonbill on the Brownsea Lagoon and a great full supporting cast of Avocet, Black and Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Spotted Redshank. A Peregrine passed over Long Island and the harbour saw good numbers of Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser. The Smew had moved from Holes Bay south to north. Up on Hartland Moor a male Merlin was buzzing around and a was hunting on Slepe Heath at dusk. Up to 5 Marsh Harrier are now roosting again and only a single ringtail Hen Harrier was noted. 

Today we ventured out on a school bird boat and we were rewarded with a Red-throated Diver feeding just off Shipstal Beach, Arne plus 3 Great Northern Diver out in central harbour. There were a minimum of 25 Spoonbill on Shipstal Point, Arne and out in central harbour, Goldeneye, Red-breasted merganser and Great Crested Grebe numbers continue to grow. A Merlin was being harassed out in Brands Bay by a crow and 3 Marsh Harrier came out of the west Poole Harbour roost. The redhead Smew was again present in Holes Bay south with 3 Goldeneye. A male Merlin zoomed past Middlebere and at Lytchett Pools there was still a minimum of 2 Water Pipit with 1 Green Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier passed over. 

Smew – Holes Bay North – Ian Ballm

Finally some sun and light winds meant some birds could be found today, a real novelty! Starting with some good news that there are still at least 2 Short-eared Owls alive and well with one hunting out over Arne Moors at dusk with another around the Middlebere Farm entrance track. A good count of 7 Marsh Harrier went into the west harbour roost and there are still 2 ringtail Hen Harrier booting around the Middlebere/Arne area. From Studland the Red-necked Grebe was still off Middle Beach with 10+ Black-necked Grebe and in Studland Bay the 7 Common Scoter were still present with 3 Great Northern Diver.  The family of 5 pale-bellied Brent Geese has now been reduced to 4 with one unfortunately found dead off Middle Beach early morning and out past Old Harry 20+ Kittiwake, 3 Razorbill and several Auk sp past south. A Smew was found in Holes Bay south (just near the railway bridge) which was the same place as last years bird (possibly even the same bird)?.  On the Littlesea Nature Trail there were 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Firecrest. Brands Bay held 2 Great Northern Diver, 4 Black-necked Grebe, 164 Wigeon, 83 Pintail, 76 Grey Plover, 161 Lapwing, 16 Turnstone and 1. Sandwich Tern

Still no let up in the weather but singles of Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe Great Northern Diver and Chiffchaff were counted at South Haven, Studland with 22 Sanderling on the beach. And from on the water from Middle Beach there were 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-necked Grebe, 6+ Black-necked Grebe, 5 pale-belled Brent Geese, 7 Common Scoter with another 2 Common Scoter, 19 Kittiwake and 9 Razorbill passing south past Old Harry. A Marsh Tit was feeding at the Corfe NT car park feeding station. Up to 35 Spoonbills were again off Shipstal (they seem to have deserted Brownsea all together now) and were seen feeding in the Wareham Channel and in Middlebere. 

Very few reports today other than the Red-necked Grebe, 6 Black-necked Grebe, 5 pale-belled Brent Geese and 7 Common Scoter viewable from Middle Beach, Studland

It was slim pickings from around the harbour today, but a slight break in the weather early morning allowed for some quick pleasant birding before the wind and rain set in…again! From the Middle Beach car park there were 7 Common Scoter, 5 pale-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Great Northern Diver, 5 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Red-necked Grebe and 1 Sandwich Tern. In Brands Bay just 3 Black-necked Grebe were counted and the first Slavonian Grebe of the winter appeared in Shell Bay with 4 Great Northern Diver and another Black-necked Grebe. A Firecrest and Redpoll were at Boarder Road, Lytchett Bay and there were 4 Green Sandpiper at RSPB Lytchett Fields with a good number of Lapwing, Dunlin and Snipe. 

In driving rain and strong winds a small team from Stour Ring Group went out to ring Woodcock around the Hartland/Slepe area and despite the conditions it was a successful session with 5 new birds ringed and a re-trap that had been ringed in February this year. In total 15-20 Woodcock were seen with 10+ Common Snipe. In Middlebere there were 4 Spotted Redshank. At Shell Bay 1 Chiffchaff and 10 Lesser Redpoll were in the trees around the boardwalk and 25 Sanderling were on the beach. Whilst out in the bay a Little Auk passed south from Middle Beach with 6 Razorbill and 7 Kittiwake in tow and on the water 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-necked Grebe, 7 Common Scoter, 5 pale-bellied Brent Geese and 2 Razorbill were noted with 17 Black-necked Grebe in the evening Middle Beach roost. 

A few bits and pieces from across the harbour today included 1 Great Northern Diver off Baiter Park with 17 Ringed Plover and 11 Turnstone there too. At Lytchett Bay there were 2 Red-breasted Merganser out in the Bay with 14 Brent Geese, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Peregrine over and 12 Fieldfare and 2 Water Pipit on the Pools Field. From South Haven there were 5 Great Northern Diver, 5 pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Sandwich Tern and 2 Razorbill. In Brands Bay 3 Black-necked Grebe, 57 Grey Plover, 12 Knot and 1 Greenshank were counted whilst from Middle Beach the Red-necked Grebe remained with 7 Common Scoter and 10+ Black-necked Grebe. There now seems to be only 3 or 4 Marsh Harrier roosting in the west harbour roost now and a single ringtail Hen Harrier remains, with no sign of the grey male. Finally a male Merlin was seen dashing across Hartland at dawn.