Status

Resident

Site And Records Information

Found anywhere with decent thick reed bed habitat such as Swineham/Bestwall, Lytchett Bay, Arne/Middlebere also found on Brownsea, Hatch Pond and Upton Country Park. Small winter flocks of around 10-15 birds can occur in open reed bed areas around the harbour with past maximum counts of up to 300 being recorded. They are also autumn passage migrants and can be seen/heard mixing in with Goldfinch, Siskin and Linnet on October mornings passing coastal watch points like Ballard and South Haven.

Status

Summer Visitor & Passage Migrant

Site And Records Information

Breeds commonly in all suitable reed beds. Surveys in the eighties revealed 200 pairs at Keysworth in 1986, 60 pairs at Lytchett Bay in 1984 and 30 pairs at Arne in 1986. It is possible that damage to the reed beds caused by grazing Sika Deer may have a small impact on numbers but a survey at Lytchett Bay in 2011 found 84 singing males. This would suggest that the species is still doing well.
Autumn passage, like Sedge Warbler, is rife through Poole Harbour reed beds, though distinguishing the scale of this due to the presence of young local birds is very difficult.

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

Annual but very scarce migrant to Dorset, mainly in autumn, but it remains an extreme vagrant to the harbour

1 on 10th October 2001 Pilot Point, Studland (Mk Constantine)

1 on 24th April 2014 at Greenlands Farm, Studland (G.Armstrong et al) photo and sound recording

Status

Scarce Passage Migrant

Site And Records Information

The most reliable site is on Ballard Down just north of Glebelands on autumn migration in October. Birds also annually reported from the Greenlands Farm area at Studland. Arne, Hartland, Slepe Heath, Lytchett Bay and Ham Common all hold recent records, but unfortunately it’s not an easy bird to catch up with in the field. Spring passage is less evident with birds sporadically turning up at places with suitable habitat. The autumn of 2016 saw a huge number passing through the UK and Ring ouzel were even turning up at urban sites in Poole including the Fleets Corner PC World Drain!

Status

Rare Visitor

Site And Records Information

Ring-billed Gulls are more a feat of identification than detection. Birders checking Common Gulls for the identification criteria is probably more responsible for their distribution than the reality of their presence. They have become rarer in recent years but almost certainly many go un-found in amongst the many thousands of Common Gull that roost in the Wareham Channel each day during the winter

1 Ad on 25th Jan 1984 at Poole Park (P Harvey)
1 Ad on 3rd – 6th Apr at Holes Bay (ES Brodie et al)
1 Ad on 6th and 9th Apr 1994 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson et al, same bird as above)
1 2nd W on 16th Jan 1995 at Poole Park (S Robson)
1 2nd S on 19th – 20th Apr 1996 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson)
1 2nd W on 19th – 20th Sep 1997 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson, JA Lidster, T Elborn)
1 1st W on 29th Dec 1997 at Little Sea (MkConstantine, JA Lidster)
1 2nd W New Years Day 1998 at Branksome Chine (N Symes)
1 Ad on 21st Mar 1999 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson, T Elborn)
1 Ad on 21st Feb 2000 at Swineham (GJ Armstrong)
1 2nd W on 23rd Feb 2002 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson, SF Smith)
1 Ad on 5th – 15th Mar 2002 at Corfe Mullen Tip (JA Lidster et al)
1 Ad on 3rd Feb – 6th Mar 2003 at Corfe Mullen Tip (JA Lidster et al)
2, a 1st winter and an Adult on 16th Mar 2003, with 1st W still present next day, at Lytchett Bay (GJ Armstrong, S Robson, I Prophet)
1 2nd W on 30th Jul 2005 at Baiter, 2nd Jul record in Dorset (RJ Taylor)
1 Ad on 16th Nov 2006 at Swineham GP (D Liley)
1 Ad on 28th Feb 2007 in the Wareham Channel (JA Lidster)
1 Ad on 20th Mar 2008 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson)
1 Ad on 27th Mar 2008 at Swineham Point (D Chown)
1 Ad on 20th Feb 2009 at Swineham Point (GJ Armstrong)
1 Ad on 8th Mar 2009 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson et al)
1 1stW on 5th Feb – 28th Mar 2011 at Poole Park (L Fuller et al)
1 Ad on 17th Dec 2013 at Poole Harbour entrance (L. Chappell)
1st W on 17th Dec 2013 at Swineham GP (MJ Lawson)
Ad on 30th Nov 2014 at Swineham Point (MJ Lawson)
1 Ad on 26th & 27th Feb 2017 in Lytchett Bay (S Robson et al)
1 Ad on 28th Feb 2017 in Lytchett Bay (different to previous days bird) (N Hopper, S Robson)
1 Ad on 12th March 2017 in Wareham Channel (J Potter)
1 Adult in the Lytchett Bay pre-roost on 26th & 27th Dec 2020 (S Robson et al). This individual is suggested to be the same as that present in most of the last few winters in Hampshire, and was noted back there in early 2021

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

A very rare duck with only 4 Poole Harbour records. However always checking open fresh water bodies such as Swineham, Little Sea, Hatch Pond and Poole Park Lake you never know when the next one might be found.

1 male 7th Oct 1989 on Little Sea, Studland (R.S. & V Papps et al) then presumed same visited Poole Park on 20th Nov – 13th Dec.

1 male 10th Nov – 14th Dec 1990 at Poole Park (J.V.Bale, G.P. Green et al) then Little Sea, Studland 16th -17th Dec, before returning to Poole Park 18th – 30th Dec. All presumed to be returning 1989 bird.

1 male 11th Nov – 31st Dec 1995 at Poole Park (E.S.Brodie et al). This bird also strayed to Little Sea, Studland on several dates. It became more settled here in the early part of 1996 when it was present from 13th Jan – 11th Feb. Interestingly the possibility of it being the same bird as 1989 -1990 bird was not ruled out. A male had spent the intervening winters at Timsbury GP in Hampshire.

1 female 7th – 21st Dec 2008 at Swineham GP (K.E.Lane et al) then presumed same at Little Sea, Studland 23rd Feb – 4th Mar, before returning to Swineham GP from 20th Mar – 3rd May 2009.

1 female at Swineham GP on 9th-25th Feb 2021 with 2 on 13th Feb 2021. (T Warrick et al)

1 female at Swineham GP on 30th April 2021 (T Warrick et al)

Status

Feral Resident

Site And Records Information

Introduced into a Studland garden in 1990, the owner then moved and the birds have supported themselves, with a little help at local bird feeders. Most years birds are seen entering and leaving nest holes bred in the paddocks opposite the Banks Arms at Studland village. Max 12 in 1996 – 8 in 1998. Breeding is restricted to the Studland area where numbers have risen and fallen over the last 20 years. Nowerdays only three or four can now be seen around the Bank’s Arms area but breeding was likely to have taken place in 2010.

Status

Passage Migrant & Winter Visitor

Site And Records Information

Used to be a scarce breeder, but now only occurs in small numbers on passage and in winter. Very rarely autumn passage can actually bring sizeable counts on the Brownsea Lagoon but they don’t stay for long. The shoreline at Shell Bay and Studland beach before the dogs arrive can be good for Ringed Plover, along with the Hamworthy and Baiter shorelines. Other than those sites the Brownsea Lagoon and Lytchett Fields during migration season are the only other hotspot .In winter a flock of 10-20 spend their days on the sea wall of Fishermans Dock, Poole Quay during the high tide before then heading to feed on Baiter Beach on the low tide.

Status

Resident

Site And Records Information

An abundant species throughout the harbour found in any woodland, garden, scrub, heathland habitat. Numbers rise in the winter with birds moving from the north of the UK, plus some continental birds arrive in October.

Status

Resident

Site And Records Information

Breeds on cliffs around Ballard Down where it can be seen throughout the year in small numbers. Recorded widely during winter on the saltings all around the harbour, sometimes in large numbers e.g. 60 at Swineham on 26th Nov 1989, 50 at Lytchett Bay on 18th Dec 2005. In spring when these birds start to attain summer plumage it’s apparent that many, if not all, are in fact Scandinavian Rock Pipits e.g. 8 in spring plumage were seen at Lytchett Bay on 22nd Feb 2016. Ringing at Lytchett Bay has now gone some way to confirming this belief with two birds being trapped, one with a Norwegian ring and the other with a Belgian ring (ringed on migration from Scandinavia to the UK).

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

1 on the 8th June 1967 on telephone wires near Slepe Farm, on the edge of Hartland Moor (B Pickess, B Teagle, Mrs Teagle). It remained in the area for half-an-hour then flew in the Rempstone direction. Bryan P (having been reprimanded by Mrs Teagle for his language) rushed off to spread the news.

Status

Resident

Site And Records Information

Easily seen in rural areas of the harbour with Rookery’s occurring at Lytchett Bay, Swineham, Corfe and Whitecliff. Large winter roosts of up to 2000 aren’t uncommon.

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

An annual but very scarce migrant to Dorset, mainly in autumn, but it remains an extreme vagrant to the Harbour with only 4 records. Checking post breeding flock of Common Starling from August to October is your best cahnce of tracking down a Rose-coloured Starling in Poole Harbour.

A juvenile moulting into adult plumage from Oct 1983 to early March 1984 in a Poole Garden was published in DBR 1984 as “submitted to British Birds” but the record never appeared in their reports?
A juvenile on the 17th Oct 1995 near the Priory in Wareham (N.Gartshore, RJ Taylor)
A juvenile on 10th Sept 2008 at Lytchett Bay (S Robson) photo
A juvenile on 3rd – 4th Oct 2010 at Greenlands Farm, Studland (SW Smith et al) photo
1 adult Morden Bog on 1st Jun 2018 (AJ Brown).
1 Adult in Wareham on 10th Jun 2020 (Sheila Morrissey).
1 juv briefly on 16th Sept 2021 at Middlebere (Brian and Hannah Martin)

Status

Scarce Summer Visitor & Passage Migrant

Site And Records Information

Pairs summered on Brownsea Lagoon in the late 60’s and between 1978-91 and again in 1995, 1996 and 1999. Display was noted on several occasions but only in 1985 did a pair actually breed. Sadly the nest was deserted. After increasing records during 2007 and 2008, a pair bred in 2009, making this the first successful pair to raise young in the county since 1988.

Records since 2000. At Brownsea Lagoon unless otherwise stated.
2000 – singles on 4 dates in June and July.
2001 – seen on 10 dates, max 3 on 17th June.
2002 – seen on 6 dates, max 2 on 29th May.
2003 – seen on 16 dates, max 2. One had been ringed at Rockabill, Ireland.
2004 – Between 1 -5 adults 9th May to 9th Aug, one ringed at Rockabill, Ireland in 1999. Nest scraping and display noted. 1 at Branksome Chine on 23rd
Aug.
2005 – seen on 15 dates, max 2 on 18th Jul. 1 at South Haven, Studland on 14th Jun.
2006 – seen on 2 dates, max 2 on 24th Jun. 1 at Poole Quay on 25th Jun.
2007 – seen regularly between 12th May and 15th Jul, max 2. 1 in Poole Bay on 16th Jul.
2008 – seen regularly between 13th Jun and 23rd Aug, max 4 in late Jul. 1 at Branksome Chine on 4th May. 1 in Studland Bay on 29th Apr.
2009 – a pair raised 1 chick.
2010 – seen on 13 dates, max 2.
2011 – seen regularly 22nd May to 9th Jul, max 3 on 23rd May.
2012 – seen on 2 dates, max 3 on 20th May.
2013 – seen regularly between 19th May and 20th Jul, max 3 on 16th June. Display noted.
2014 – no records.
2015 – seen on 3 dates, max 3 on 10th May.
2016
Brownsea Island Singles on 22nd Jun and 4th Aug.
2017
Brownsea Island 1-2 on 2nd-9th Jul, with 3 on 12th & 19th Jul.
2018
Brownsea Island 2 on 14th-18th Jul.
2020
Brownsea Lagoon 1 on 23rd May, 2 on 24th May

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

Scarce winter migrant to the UK averaging c7 birds per year. It is very rare in Dorset and Poole Harbour only has 6 records all between October and April

1 shot in 1862 at Rempstone
1 on 28th March 1908 at Middlebere Heath
An immature was found in a weakened state at Sandford, after care it was released at Arne on 9th December 1978 and seen again on the 11th and 13th also seen at Studland NNR on 17th
1 on 12th and 14th February 1979 at Corfe Castle
1 on 25th April 1982 at Arne
1 on 16th Oct 2005 at Lytchett Bay (T Elborn, R Gifford, S Robson)

Status

Former Visitor, No Recent Records Following UK Culling Program

Site And Records Information

Ruddy Duck first occurred in the area in early 1979 at Poole Park. Since then there were between 30-40 records up until around 2008. Good places to look used to be Poole Park during a cold snap, but the best place to see Ruddy Duck by far was Swineham gravel pits. They were also occasionally seen at Little Sea, Studland but no recent sightings have been had due to the rise in culling activity of this species and its likely they’ll soon be extinct in the UK over the next decade if not already.

The harbour maximum is 16 on 17^th January 1982 at Arne. It was also recorded at Ridge, Ham Common, Poole Quay, Rockley and Hatch Pond.

Status

Scarce Passage Migrant & Winter Visitor

Site And Records Information

Occurs in small numbers mostly in Autumn (Aug- Oct) at Lytchett Fields, Bestwall, Wareham Meadows, Swineham and Middlebere. In cold winters they can turn up in anywhere even ice skating on Poole Park lake!

Flocks of 40-100 were common on the Wareham water meadows in the late 1960’s with a maximum of 186 on 24th February 1976, however despite much of the area being conserved, numbers in fact declined quite rapidly and since 1980 it has become rather an irregular visitor.

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

Rare but almost annual visitor to Dorset. It’s a rare vagrant to the harbour usually associated with very strong southerly gales in autumn. Most records consist of juvenile birds in autumn, but out of the 10 Poole Harbour records there is 1 mid-summer record from Brownsea.

Two 19th century records. The first at Wareham in 1867, and the other in October 1891. A 70 year wait ensued before the next.

1 on 18th June 1961 at Brownsea (H Brotherton, A Bull) had been seen at Peverill Point for the 5 previous days.

A Juv on 16th Sep 1969 on Brownsea was “well described”.

2 on 5th Sep 1987 off Fitzworth
1 on 18th Oct 1987 on Little Sea
1 on 17th Oct 1997 at Branksome Chine (M&M Constantine)

A Juv on 7th Oct 2008 at Branksome Chine (G Armstrong, I Prophet)

A Juv on 10th Sep 2011 at Middlebere (N Hopper, SW Smith)

Status

Summer Visitor & Passage Migrant

Site And Records Information

Mainly encountered as a passage bird with large gatherings over Swineham GP in late Summer. They arrive in early-mid March, but unfortunately breeding sites have been getting more and more scarce with no confirmed breeding within the harbour in 2012. Poole Park boating lake and Swineham GP tend to see the first arriving birds back in the spring.

Status

Passage Migrant & Winter Visitor

Site And Records Information

Never really occurs in large numbers. Winter flocks of around 10-20 usually feed along the beach at Shell Bay all the way up to Pilot’s Point, sometimes roosting in Bramble Bush Bay if the beach is too busy. They also feed just off the sea wall at Brownsea. On spring passage May is the best time with past harbour maximums of 150 at Studland in 1976, whilst in the autumn August is the best month. In recent years a flock of 40 -50 have taken to feeding in amongst the Bar-tailed Godwit in Whitley Lake, Sandbanks during December and January. Also look on the inner shoreline of Bramble Bush Bay during the winter in Studland Beach is busy.

Status

Resident

Site And Records Information

A great harbour success story with now over 100 pairs breeding on the Brownsea lagoon giving great views from the hides. Spring migrants arrive back from mid-March and nesting begins in late April. Seen sporadically around the harbour during the nesting period with birds keeping nearer the harbour mouth as they go out and feed. In recent years birds have been over-wintering with a count of eleven in the Wareham Channel December 2011. In winter 2018 they were found to be roosting in Poole Park on the reedy islands.

Status

Former Breeding Species, No Recent Records

Site And Records Information

Amazingly Savi’s Warbler was a regular breeder in Poole Harbour for a few years during the early eighties. Sadly those birds disappeared and no Savi’s Warbler have been seen or heard of since. The first account of breeding was of 3 singing males along the Holton shoreline in 1981 (D.Godfrey et al), then the following year 2 pairs were observed nesting in the same location but breeding success was unknown.

Status

Scarce Winter Visitor

Status

Winter Visitor

Status

Scarce Passage Migrant & Scarce Winter Visitor

Site And Records Information

Another sad tale of a once regular winter visitor. Scaup used to winter throughout the harbour with greater numbers on Little Sea, Studland, Arne and in the Wareham Channel. Most years Poole Harbour had 75 % of the counties wintering birds. The earliest being on 4^th October 1973 and the latest on 10^th June 1969. Birds of Dorset states a high count was c356 birds (a county record) were present in Feb 1963 and including 300+ along the Holton shore.

Other notable historic counts consist of 70 at Lytchett Bay in Feb 1970 and 20 in Poole Park Jan 1974. There was one at Creekmoor Ponds 26^th Oct 1998, six at Arne from 17- 28 April 1998 and seven on 1^st May 1998 suggesting evidence of spring passage. Mid-summer records are very scarce, but there were three males along the Holton Shore on 10^th July 1969 and two males at Arne NR 16^th July-4^th Aug 1978.

Little Sea, Studland used to be the best place to see Scaup, but now they’re only found in single figures with Swineham GP, Holes Bay south and out on the water in areas like off Shipstal and off Goathorn being good places to look. Could potentially turn up anywhere in extreme cold weather such as Poole Park, Holes Bay and Hatch Pond hosting birds in the past. The 5-year winter average for the last five years is now only ONE per winter!!!!!

Status

Resident

Site And Records Information

Historic records of ringing at Keysworth and Lytchett Bay have revealed the true extent of Sedge Warbler passage through the harbour in autumn, with a possible 1000 – 3000 passing through each year. In 7 autumns from 1991-1997 a total of 15,413 birds were trapped with a high count of 4,327 in the autumn of 1994. Best day total was a staggering 500 birds on 6th Aug 1995. See totals below….
1991 – 3444
1992 – 1903
1993 – 2659
1994 – 4327
1995 –1808
1996 – 679
1997 – 593
Ringing activity is much lower now but over 500 were still ringed at Lytchett Bay in 2011. Breeding has declined with no recent records from Little Sea/Studland, Brownsea, RiverFrome/Piddle.

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

A very rare bird in Dorset and only 1 Poole Harbour record. Like many rare sandpipers the Brownsea Lagoon was an obvious place for this harbour 1st to occur.

A lovely story with the bird first being discovered at midday on the Brownsea Lagoon webcam. Then, a joint team effort between Birds of Poole Harbour staff, The Sound Approach, Brownsea volunteer Ewan Brodie and bird artist Killian Mullarney which led to to it’s identification later in the afternoon.

1 on the Brownsea Lagoon 2nd -3rd September 2013

Status

Vagrant

Site And Records Information

A scarce but annual visitor to Dorset. But a rare visitor to the Harbour that remains very hard to “pin down”. There has not been a twitchable bird in the last 30 years. Suggestions in the late 60’s that Serin might colonise southern Britain were fuelled by several breeding records. These included probable breeding in Parkstone 1969 (BTO Atlas 1968-1972). Whilst records in Dorset continued to increase, including in 1985, when near Wareham a pair were present during the breeding season and mating was observed on at least one occasion (Birds of Dorset), records in recent years have declined and the colonisation now looks unlikely.

The 1969 record above was the first for the Harbour. All known records since then are listed below.
1 over on 5th April 1977 at Brownsea Villa
Pair in 1985 at Wareham (see above)
Singing male 19th Feb 1988 at Wareham
1 in early May 1992 at Sandford (A Marsh)
1 in June 2000 at Norden (DBR 2000)
1 on 4th April 2004 on Brownsea Island
A male on 1st June 2004 on Brownsea Island
A singing male on 2nd June 2004 at Studland (perhaps the same as above?)
1 on 1st Nov 2004 over South Haven
A singing male (unseen) on 7th June 2009 at Hamworthy Park
A singing male (unseen) on 18th April 2010 at Brownsea Island
A singing male on 4th April 2015 at Corfe Castle

Status

Resident

Site And Records Information

Favoured feeding areas inside the harbour include the deep-water channel between Brownsea Island and Sandbanks and adjoining water, the northern part of Brands Bay, the deep water channel off Poole Quay and Hamworthy and the Brownsea northern shore. The harbour mouth is another favoured feeding spot with birds quite often sitting on the marker buoys just outside the harbour mouth. Breeding occurs on the cliffs of Old Harry but only small numbers. ‘Birds of Dorset’ states there were 6 occupied nests in 1982 , 3 in 1984 and 3 in 1986 on Ballard Down. They can still breed between June and Oct.  A maximum of 130 were logged flying in the harbour mouth on 21^st November 1986, with recent regular ‘fly ins’ and ‘fly outs’ during the winter of between 50-80 birds. There’s a known roost at Ballard down and presumably the birds that are seen entering the harbour on winter mornings come from there.

One at Hatch Pond on 21st Jan 1995 was an exceptional inland record!