Up to 11 Spoonbill were feeding out in the Wareham Channel today and a maximum of 4 Marsh Harrier could be seen along West Poole Harbour throughout the day. Other notable sightings include a Great White Egret frequented Ower Bay and a quartering ringtail Hen Harrier was seen near Hartland. The long-staying Holes Bay Scaup remain in the harbour, accompanied by a female Goldeneye, while a further 2 Goldeneye and 3 Red-breasted Merganser were present at Poole Park Boating Lake. The lake also offered superb views of Water Rail, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. Baiter park produced 37 Brent Goose, 48 Oystercatcher, 12 Turnstone, 1 Little Egret, 1 Great Crested Grebe, Pied Wagtail and several hundred Starling feeding in the field.

Great White Egret -Ower Bay – Shaun Robson

With such huge flooding in numerous river valley’s across the UK, it seemed a large proportion of the south coast Black-tailed Godwits have taken to residing on the Brownsea Lagoon with another Poole Harbour record broken today as c3900 were counted by the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Later in the evening an amazing 3500-4000 gulls, mostly Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls came into roost just before dark, and another few thousand Black-headed Gull’s in Holes Bay south. With so many gulls visiting the harbour now and being late Feb, this is the best time to be watching out for scarcer species such as Iceland, Glaucous and Ring-billed Gull. Plus, it was Feb 2008 when a Franklin’s Gull was found in the Wareham Channel gull roost, so you just never know! In Holes Bay south 3 Scaup remained and on the main Poole Park boating lake the Water Rail was still showing well with the lower water levels.

Black-tailed Godwits – Brownsea Lagoon – Hamish Murray

Today was a bit calmer now Storm Dennis has passed through the harbour. Few sightings to report despite the improved weather. A count on Brownsea Lagoon recorded 4 Mediterranean Gulls and 1 Spotted Redshank, amongst high numbers of Black-Tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Avocet. 2 Spoonbill were again reported roosting on Otter Island in Lytchett Bay this morning.

2 Mediterranean Gulls, Brownsea Lagoon – Martin Adams

Very limited coverage of the harbour today, unsurprisingly. An inclement visit to Baiter Park this morning offered 6 Black-tailed Godwit in with c300 Dark-bellied Brent Goose. With weather like this is hard to imagine the first migrant Ospreys arriving in just over a months time…

Look out for smart summer plumage birds (like this Cormorant below, photographed yesterday) as we slowly creep towards spring.

Cormorant – Poole Park – Phyl England

Storm Dennis battered the harbour today. Those who battled the winds enjoyed 2 feeding Spoonbill on the rising tide at Lytchett Bay this morning and a Firecrest sheltering in the nearby bramble at Turlin Moor Local Nature Reserve. The water levels were so high at Sunnyside scrape that a Cormorant was diving! Elsewhere, Baiter Park featured, c50 Oystercatcher, c30 Starling and c200 Dark-bellied Brent Goose and a Great Crested Grebe offshore. The Poole Park Water Rail made another appearance today.

Sunnyside “lake” – Jol Mitchell

A low tide visit to Jerry’s Point produced 5 Great Northern Diver, 8 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Slavonian Grebe, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 250+ Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 21 Red-breasted Merganser, 6 Goldeneye and 800 Black-tailed Godwit from Brownsea. Other highlights from the area include numerous Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Sanderling, 2 Dartford Warbler and a Peregrine flyby. A Merlin stormed through Lytchett Bay View early morning. Another Merlin was perched on a post at Shipstal point, Arne along with 16 Spoonbill, 10 Pintail, abundant Wigeon and Shelduck and c.40 Brent Geese over. The drained Poole Park continued to draw in birds, today featuring the unusual sight of a Water Rail washing in a coconut!

Water Rail – Poole Park – Phyl England

Our Poole town birding walk experienced all weathers this morning. A drained Poole Park was carpeted with Black-headed Gulls amongst several Common Gull, Little Egret and numerous Redshank feeding near the islands. The boating lake also saw an increase in Red-breasted Merganser to 2 drakes and a female. Singles of Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit, Water Rail and Rock Pipit were also recorded. Baiter Park offered superb views of Dark-bellied Brent Goose battling the winds alongside feeding Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwit.

Quartering Marsh Harriers were recorded at Middlebere and Holton Lee. Middlebere also featured singles of Peregrine, Spotted Redshank, Hen Harrier (hunting over Slepe Moor) and a Firecrest by the sewage plant. An inundated Holton Pools held 1 Water Pipit, 1 Greenshank, 112 Redshank, 3 Shelduck, 1 Green Sandpiper, 21 Lapwing and a Snipe.

Poole Park (Drained)

Holton Pools Inundated (high tide) – Gary Hayman

With spring just around the corner, we’ve started to see Red Kite, with 1 seen over Holes Bay heading towards Lytchett Bay today, and later one 2 seen in Lytchett Bay. They are only a passage migrant here in the harbour, peaking in numbers in late April/early May. The 4 Scaup (1 male, 3 females) are still present in Holes Bay. From the bird boat, the highlight was 2 Great Northern Diver in the North Channel of the Harbour. Jerry’s Point was fruitful again today, with 2 Long-tailed Duck, 2 Great Northern Diver, 1 Slavonian Grebe and 2 Black-necked Grebe and another sighting of the Black-throated Diver this afternoon.

The council have been contacted about a fallen tree on Slough Lane – there is currently no access to Lytchett Fields via this route.

With another set of low-pressure systems coming through this weekend it looks like Wednesday is going to be our only settled day of the week, with a cold, cold northerly wind cutting across the harbour today. Still, there were some good totals, especially on Holton Pools where 95 Lapwing, 8 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank and 1 Marsh Harrier were logged. A Black-throated Diver was reported off Jerry’s point along with 2 Slavonian Grebe. The Siberian Chiffchaff was again on Wareham Common showing well. Middlebere held 180 Wigeon, 176 Teal, 218 Brent Geese, 373 Avocet, 86 Lapwing, 77 Redshank and showing of Dartford Warbler, Marsh Harrier and Raven up on Coombe Heath. The male Red-breasted Merganser is still giving point blank views in Poole Park and 3 Goldeneye were there too. There were 2 Mediterranean Gulls reported at Lytchett Fields, as well as 1 Spoonbill, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 20 Red-Breasted Mergansers in the Bay. At Baiter c.300 Starlings, c.200 Oystercatcher and 6 Brent Geese were counted.

Red-breasted Merganser – Poole Park – Ian Ballam

February is pressing on nicely, and considering it’s possible (weather depending) to have the first Wheatears arrive in the first week of March…spring doesn’t really feel that far away now! Today certainly didn’t feel very spring like, and with snow being threatened for later in the week, it may get a tad colder before it gets warmer! There was certainly still a winter vibe today with the 4 Scaup still in Holes Bay SE. Off Jerry’s point 3 Slavonian Grebe were still present along with 3 Great Northern Diver. There seems to be a bit of movement in regards to Fieldfare which have been really scarce this winter, but small flocks/totals appeared at Holton Lee, Hartland Stud and Greenland’s Farm today, suggesting a possible northward movement already. Lytchett Fields saw good numbers of Lapwing with c150 present. In Upton CP 1 Firecrest was on the Hamworthy boundary near Symes Road.

Common Buzzard – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam