Today was the first Poole Harbour WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) of the season which sees 30 volunteers head out into the harbour and count all waders and waterfowl present. This continues all the way through the winter until the end of February and sees a really accurate picture painted as to how healthy (or not so healthy) our over-wintering waders and wildfowl populations are. Being only mid-September many birds are yet to arrive but the first signs that winter is just around the corner became evident today as rising numbers of Wigeon, Pintail, Teal and Shoveler were all recorded as were rising numbers of over-wintering waders. Highlights from around the harbour included the Great White Egret in the mouth of Wytch Lake, the Scottish ringed Osprey caught a fish in the same area. A Grey Phalarope was found on a small pool in the NW corner of Arne Moors with 2 Wheatear and a Marsh Harrier there too. What was almost certainly a Pink-footed Goose came and landed on the Brownsea Lagoon for only 30 seconds before sadly lifting off again and disappeared west. A Brent Goose was also on the Southern shores but its hard to say whether this is an early returning bird or one of the two that over-summered in the area which haven’t been seen for around a month. At Lytchett Fields there was 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 1 Pintail, 239 Dunlin, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Yellow Wagtail. On the Brownsea Lagoon there were 3 Spotted Redshank and 3 Spoonbill. Out in the Wareham Channel 14 Spoonbill were feeding. Migration through Ballard was slow with only 16 Chiffchaff and 9 Blackcap ringed which compared to yesterday was a stark difference. A visible migration watch up on Glebelands, Ballard Down was slow but gave an insight of things to come as small groups of Goldfinch, Linnet, Siskin and Chaffinch passed over heading NE with stronger totals of Meadow Pipit and Hirundines, along with 1 Ringed Plover and the first small arrival of Song Thrush. At Greenlands Farm there were 2-3 Redstart, 2 Whitethroat and again, small totals of Linnet, Goldfinch and Chaffinch passing overhead. Brands Bay was heavily disturbed by walkers for most of the afternoon but 7 Spoonbill and an Osprey were highlights during the WeBS. 

To get a more detailed understanding of Poole Harbours over wintering birds, why not have a read through our 2008 Waders and Waterfowl of Poole Harbour study carried out by Nick Hopper. This gives a great insight into the feeding, roosting and distribution of all our over-wintering species during the 2008/09 winter period. 

Great White Egret – Wytch Lake 

Brent Goose – Southern shores, near Wytch Lake