Nice to hear Poole Harbour finally get its share of Redstarts with one at the Middlebere Cottages this morning and another up on Ballard. In the Middlebere Channel a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank was feeding with another out in Lytchett Bay. It seemed Blackcap had arrived back on territory in several places such as Holton Lee, Arne and Soldiers Road. The ringtail Hen Harrier is still holding on, refusing to budge and disappear back to a breeding site somewhere else…maybe she’s heard what happens to Hen Harriers when they arrive back to their breeding grounds on Grouse Moors! At Lytchett Fields a stunning summer plumaged Water Pipit was still present, also there a Wheatear was in the Arable Field along Slough Lane and 14 Willow Warbler were present.

Wheatear – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Willow Warbler – Lytchett Fileds – Ian Ballam

There was no sign of the Arne Osprey today suggesting its probably moved off now after spending three days in the harbour.  Its now been seven years since attempts to try and entice them to breed in the harbour began, by erecting 10+ decoy nests at specific sites. Since then there have been a handful of occasions of birds lingering for a week or more during the spring, always eventually moving off. Will this year be the year?

Elsewhere, bird reports were fairly thin on the ground with 4 Willow Warbler, 5 Swallow and a Whimbrel around the Coombe Heath area. At Lytchett Fields, 5 Whimbrel were a good early spring record, also present 123 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank, 20 Redshank, 1 Wigeon, 16 Little Egret and 88 Teal. At Holton Lee, it was much of the same with Tree Pipit and Woodlark singing. Med Gull numbers on the Brownsea Lagoon seem to be increasing, perhaps with more attempting to breed this year after 3 pairs successfully raised young last year.

With all this talk of spring migration, we understand not everyone gets to be outside as much as others, so we thought we’d provide a bit of spring song for you to enjoy.

Willow Warbler – Arne RSPB Reserve – 08/04/16

Common Chiffchaff – Arne RSPB Reserve – 08/04/16

There were encouraging signs that the Osprey was again in Middlebere mid-morning, and was seen again heading over towards the Wareham Channel around 11:30am, presumably to go fishing? At Lytchett Fields a Marsh Harrier was hunting over both sets of fields and the colour-ringed Greenshank was again present with 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, also 3 Swallow and 8 Blackcap present. At Holton Lee Willow Warbler and Blackcap were also evident near the Little Mead area and 2 Tree Pipit were on the heath. 

Today one of yesterdays Ospreys lingered around the Arne Peninsular for its second day, chilling out mostly in the dead trees at Middlebere but occasionally heading out to the Wareham Channel to catch a fish before returning. Ospreys can often stay in the harbour for a couple of days during the spring, especially if foul weather prevents them from moving on, but we’ll certainly be keeping an eye out to see how long this individual sticks around for. Also in Middlebere were 2 Spoonbill, 2 Grey Plover, 384 Black-tailed Godwit and a good number of displaying Redshank. The ringtail Hen Harrier is still being spotted occasionally, mostly around the Hartland/Wareham Channel area. At Lytchett Fileds a Little Ringed Plover was seen briefly.

Little Ringed Plover – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Isn’t it funny that when discussing the lack of Osprey, three come along at once…well, three sightings at least. Around mid morning one was seen circling above Lytchett Bay only then to disappear off west, heading towards Wareham Forest. Then, in the early afternoon another (the same?) was seen sat in the normal dead trees over at Middlebere. Whilst this bird was being watched one of the Arne wardens was watching one feed on a fish off the bottom of Grip Heath. Now that we have birds arriving in the harbour, it would be great to receive all sightings where and when possible to monitor how long they’re hanging around for. Brittany Maxted who carried last years autumn Osprey study (which will be published soon) has independently set up a new online Osprey recording form. Please report all your Poole Harbour Osprey sightings over the coming year HERE.

Elsewhere there were a scattering of Migrants with a Wheatear up on Hartland Stud and 2 Willow Warbler along Soldiers Road. At the PCW Drain 5 Willow Warbler were in song along with 10+ Chiffchaff and 5 Blackcap were present. At Holton Lee 2 Tree Pipit, 10+ Chiffchaff, 2 Green Sandpiper and 2 Greenshank were noted. On Brownsea, Sandwich Tern totals had increased to 33 with 3 Brent Geese still present on the lagoon with 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank with both Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing in the wood. At Lytchett Bay a male Brambling was seen with a colour-ringed Greenshank, 39 Sand Martin, a male White Wagtail, 2 Blackcap and 200+ Black-tailed Godwit. At Holes Bay 2 Knot were in amongst 519 Black-tailed Godwit. Whilst collecting in our sound equipment from our listening station before the rain set in a modest passage of Swallow, Sand and House Martin passed over. Highlights from Monday nights recording session included our first Water Rail and Greenshank of the spring, also 1 Moorhen, 1 Redshank, 3 lateish Redwing calls, 7 Song Thrush calls and numerous Oystercatcher and Curlew calls. 

Water Rail – calls of a night time migrant – Listening Station, Old Town Poole – 05/04/16

Not a Water Rail night call we experience that often. Below is a more typical call you’d expect from a Water Rail whilst migrating at night. 

Water Rail – Flight calls of a night time migrant – Lytchett Matravers

Osprey – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Green Sandpiper – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam

Tree Pipit – Holton Lee – Paul Morton

With only one Osprey sighting so far this spring, its been left to the other raptor species to keep up the show with the ringtail Hen Harrier once again being seen out around the Wareham Channel with a single Merlin. The three Marsh Harrier are still busy as the bonded pair actively showing interest in one another, whilst the second female is struggling to gain the males attention. At Lytchett Bay/Fields a Sandwich Tern was in the Bay, a single Willow Warbler and several Chiffchaff were in the field fringes and on the fields were 2 Greenshank, 108 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Sand Martin over and a single Wigeon. Out on Poole Park Lake were 2 Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Great Crested Grebe. At the PC World Drain 5 Blackcap were present including a few singing males, also 4 Willow Warbler and 5+ Chiffchaff. At Holton Lee a Tree Pipit was singing with a Woodlark, also 10+ Chiffchaff, 7 Linnet and 2 each of Green Sandpiper and Greenshank on Holton Pools. At Baiter 9 Turnstone were feeding on the shoreline.

Dorset saw a good range of species arrive today but could the harbour produce the goods too. The years first Hobby was seen circling high above Arne Moors around midday and there were also 3 Marsh Harrier present around the Wareham Channel area and the ringtail Hen Harrier was seen again on Hartland. At South Haven, Studland a single Great Northern Diver was near the harbour mouth along with 4 Sandwich Tern. At Swineham migrants included 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Swallow and several Sand Martin, whilst resident birds were represented by 16 singing Cetti’s Warbler, 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebe and 1 Marsh Harrier over the point. At Holton Lee 10+ Chiffchaff were singing in surrounding woodland and on the heath Dartford Warbler were again active. 

Chiffchaff – Holton Lee – Richard Stephenson

Meadow Pipit – Arne RSPB Reserve – Keith Rawling

Great Crested Grebe – Swineham – Keith Rawling

Today was fine spring day with the surprise appearance of a Short-eared Owl over Arne moors at dawn, the first in quite some time. At Lytchett Fields there was a single Wheatear 5+ Willow Warbler, 20+ Chiffchaff, 1 Red-breasted Merganser in the Bay, 2 Greenshank and a Water Pipit on the Pools Field. In Middlebere 4 Spoonbill were feeding and a minimum of 5 Swallow dashed through past the hide. Off Baiter a single Great Northern Diver was seen off the Brownsea shoreline and at least 10 Red-breasted Merganser were out in central harbour. In the Arne car park 2 Firecrest were still present and along the Arne Road a Merlin was seen. At Holton Lee a single Wheatear was present, also 2 Woodlark and good numbers of Dartford Warbler. 

Dartford Warbler – Holton Lee – Sarah Jane Spinney

Today was another quiet day in terms of sightings reported with just 1 Water Pipit at Lytchett Pools and 2 Greenshank and 2 Green Sandpiper on Lytchett Fields at a Willow Warbler in surrounding hedges. At Poole Park Lake 15 Sand Martin were still feeding over the lake and a Swallow dashed over too. Night recording on wednesday and thursday night was very quiet with just a total of 7 Redwing, 1 Blackbird and 1 Curlew over the two nights!

Amazingly the Black Guillemot was seen off the SE corner of Brownsea again having gone missing/not ben seen for over a month. Another re-appearing bird was a ringtail Hen Harrier that’s been see on and off at dusk over the last week. Still not many summer migrants but a female Brambling and 3 Redwing north at South Haven were signs that winter migrants were still passing through. A female Merlin was up on Hartland.