On a beautifully sunny Saturday morning I board the busy boat and find a seat for the 8am sharp departure. With Safety procedures covered, Paul starts his commentary as we swiftly motor out into the harbour to start our 3.5 hour tour. Paul gives us an outline to the organisation, some history to Poole harbour and some information about current bird life in the harbour and what we might expect to see. Freshly arrived spring migratory species and Osprey are at the top of our list!

As we make our way towards the mouth of Wareham river we get our first spot from Ian Ballam, another local, on board, expert. A majestic Sandwich Tern flies past the boat having arrived in the harbour recently on its migration. Paul gives us a few tips to identifying different tern species and goes on to give some invaluable information about the best local sites to see Osprey over the coming months.

The next spot are a group of late winter leavers, a group of Brent Geese flying in a ‘V’ formation over the boat. An unusual species for this time of year as most have already left the harbour heading to cooler climate of Siberia on their migration.

Some Mediterranean Gulls join us off the back off the boat as we head closer to a small set of islands where they now breed. With a quick bird ID tip from Paul we could then tell this species apart from the similar, more common relative, the Black Headed Gull, which we also see flying above us. Paul goes onto tell us about an interesting and disturbing event that happened a couple of years ago which involved the illegal collection of these birds eggs and how BoPH played a crucial role in putting a stop to this poaching.

As we head past Fragmites’ Reed beds, the largest in Poole Harbour, we can see a large number of juvenile Mute Swans hanging out together at their ‘youth club’. Paul goes on to inform us of the threat to the reed beds from the invasive Sika deer grazing and how this has impacted bird habitats across the UK in a number of ways.

With our eyes still pealed for the illusive Osprey, we are fast approach Wareham river and some Greylag Geeseand hear the distinct call of a Whimbrel, before we see it rush past us. Paul gets a small round applause following an informative display of various bird calls that we may hear within the reeds of the river banks as we enter the river. Slowly we come across a variety of calls from warblers and Paul points out the key differences between your Sedge and your Cetti’s Warblers. As we move along the warblers calls get more frequent, giving us a good opportunity to practice our call identification skills that Paul had advised us on. A reed warbler then added his call into the mix, which totally threw me, as a slightly less experienced birder on the boat!

As we passed a large open area of water within the reeds we spotted a group of Tufted Duck and10 Great Crested Grebes, diving for food. A raven then flew alongside the boat, a species that you may be surprised to know drastically dropped in number but has since made a steady recover.

Paul points out some paths in the surrounding area that are some of the lesser known about locations for spotting birds, with hints and tips to where and when to go to tick off some of the ‘must see’ species.

As we approach Ridge Warf we continue to hear the call of warblers around us and an additional species, a Willow Warbler is pointed out by Paul. In the surrounding fields we see a couple of Curlew surrounding by a group of resting Whimbrel.  As we approach Redcliffe Sailing Club we see some of the first of the seasons Swallows speedily swooping across the water. One has landed on the top of the mast of boat directly ahead of us, giving us a lovely view of it as it takes into flight as we pootle past and ponder about the toilsome journey the swallows have completed before their arrival.

As we approach Wareham Quay we pass some more urban species such as a Great tit, House Sparrow and a Starling before everyone goes soppy at the site of a  group of small Mallard ducklings!

Heading back up the river we see a pair a Jay’s following the boat before they land and Paul points out the majestic song of a Skylark and identifies a lone Reed Bunting, singing at the top his voice as he sits at the top of a bush. As we pass Ridge Warf again we see a small group of Gadwall  bobbing up and down as the drift along.

We pass some jet black Cormorants chilling out on a gate and a group of chatty Oystercatcher with their distinctive red bill and quirky call.

As we creep out of the river we find ourselves passing group of feeding Sandwich Terns, as one dives into the water at high speed it then re-emerges and takes flight as it gulps down a large, tasty Sand Eel right beside us, providing a fantastic photo opportunity for those with a quick trigger finger?

As we head around the to Arne, Paul gets a frustrating report of 2 Osprey over the Wareham Channel (where we just came from) only minutes ago, so we all up our game and keep a watchful eye on the skyline as we head back in that direction, on our war to Brownsea Island. We pass a group of Black-tailed Godwits in their vibrant rusty summer plumage as they hand out at the back of the marsh.

The sea is stunningly crystal clear as we approach Brownsea and Paul fills us in on some its interesting and colourful history. As we come in close to the lagoon we have an excellent view as we cruised slowly passed. A lone Spoonbill sat with its head down as in amongst a flock of Black-Tailed Godwits. A group of 10 or so Avocets gracefully linger along in the shallow water. Paul informs us that these few remaining individuals, who haven’t migrated with the other flocks, may stay throughout the summer months and breed. The first Common Terns have arrived to enjoy plentiful food after their long journey and a flock of Grey Plover are not what they seem as Paul’s eagle eye spots a couple of Dunlin and single Knot in amongst the crowd. Our last spot of Shelduck, Shoveler Duck and a Grey Heron bring our spectacular trip to an end as we turn and head back to the quay.

Paul rounds up the trip by highlights the importance of the support we receive from the public and how these bird boats not only enthuse people about the birds we are lucky enough the see in Poole Harbour but also go along way to supporting the projects that we run.

Although we weren’t lucky enough the to spot the illusive Osprey this time, we saw a wonderful variety of over 34 bird species out in the harbour today, showcasing what an Internationally important habitat we have here on our doorstep and highlighting how important it is that protect this stunning sites for not only birds but our next generation to enjoy.

If this has inspired you to book onto one of our bird boats or bird walks please check out our website to get more information and book a trip. Alternatively pop into our HQ on the quay where our friendly staff will always be on hand to answer any questions and help you find a trip that will suit your needs.

A new iPhone app that provides the public with the tools and information needed to experience Poole Harbour’s incredible birdlife is now available to download from the Apple App Store.

DOWNLOAD THE APP – Birds of Poole Harbour by Birds of Poole Harbour: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/birds-of-poole-harbour/id1455332227?mt=8 .

The iPhone app, which was created by Dorset-based charity Birds of Poole Harbour, launches on April 1^st and has been created to provide information on locations to watch and monitor birds, as well as allowing the public to input their own sightings to the charity.

Poole Harbour boasts some of the richest & rarest habitats in Europe and is nationally and internationally important for a whole range of bird species. With much of the harbour’s landscape in the hands of conservation, the variety and numbers of bird species present make it a birders’ paradise right through the year. The Birds of Poole Harbour charity’s main charitable objectives are to boost the profile of bird conservation, preservation and observation in and around Poole Harbour and, by providing an app for the public to use, the charity hopes it builds on a citizen-science approach to local conservation.

Paul Morton, one of the charities co-founders stated,

“We’re really proud of this new app. Providing people with the tools to learn about the harbour and to also submit their valuable sightings is an important step for local conservation. We know there are many people out there who enjoy watching birds around the harbour, but if we can extend that enjoyment to provide a conservation benefit then great”

The app, which focuses on 33 publicly accessible sites around Poole Harbour, provides information on the facilities at each site, the parking and cycling options, and detailed info on how and where to find birds at each location. It also provides a selection of seasonal highlights for each place plus a detailed account of every bird species that’s ever been logged in the harbour.

With scannable plaques placed at key spots around the harbour, instructing the public to download the app and scan the plaque, users will then be able to get site- and bird-information about the very spot they’re standing at. Then, once on the users phone the information will remain there to use in the future. The app wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of all the local landowners who kindly agreed to host the plaques on their land so people can discover the app and begin submitting their sightings.

Paul Morton added,

“We’d like to thank Borough of Poole (BCP), Dorset County Council, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Livability Holton Lee, National Trust, and RSPB for allowing us to place the app plaques on various fence posts at their sites as this demonstrates great partnership working and will both in the long and short term be a positive for local conservation”

The app, which is initially only being produced for Apple devices due to costs and  production time, will launch on April 1^st 2019. For those without an Apple device, don’t worry – the same information will be on the new Birds of Poole Harbour website, which will be available later in the year. Depending on the success of the first launch, an Android version may be considered in the near future.

Once users begin entering their bird sighting data through the app, it will then be collated and forwarded onto Birdtrack, which combines all bird records from across the county and enables the BTO to analyse and assess national bird populations. 

DOWNLOAD THE APP – Birds of Poole Harbour by Birds of Poole Harbour: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/birds-of-poole-harbour/id1455332227?mt=8

Partnership project between Birds of Poole Harbour and Poole-based PR agency Saltwater Stone pledges to help boost the numbers of a declining Swifts in the town centre by sponsoring the installation of nest boxes.

Spectacular aerobatic displays of swooping flocks of swifts, circling as they feed on airborne insects, have long been a familiar sight on summer evenings in the UK. Sadly, these birds have become a rarity in Poole, so maritime PR specialist Saltwater Stone is assisting a project run by the charity Birds of Poole Harbour to bolster the numbers of these remarkable long-distance migrants.

The quantity of common swifts visiting the country each year has declined by more than 50% since 1995, according to the British Trust for Ornithology, and the rate of decrease continues to accelerate. While some reasons for this decline lie in Africa, where they spend the majority of their lives, a reduction in suitable nesting sites in this country is also to blame.

Common Swift – Poole Park – Paul Morton

Swifts have traditionally made use of holes in man-made structures, nesting under roof tiles, in eaves, lofts, barns and spires. But renovation of old buildings and the drive to make homes more energy-efficient has meant many houses have been made impermeable for these visitors.

To encourage swifts to continue to breed in the heart of town, Birds of Poole Harbour and Saltwater Stone are putting up eight to ten purpose-built nest boxes. In order to encourage birds to use these boxes, they will contain equipment to play swift calls to make them more attractive, a technique that has been proved to work well for this species.

Saltwater Stone, based at Strand Street near Poole Quay, will be providing 50% of the funding for the ‘Swift City’ project. The firm’s founder and Managing Director, Georgina Bartlett, said: “I have lived and worked in Poole for 20 years but never seen a swift here. We hope that by providing nest boxes, we will encourage a colony of these remarkable birds to re-establish and thrive in the heart of our town for many future generations to enjoy.”

Birds of Poole Harbour is still seeking additional assistance for the project and donations can be made by visiting the charity’s JustGiving page at: www.justgiving.com/campaign/swiftcitypoole

Birds of Poole Harbour founder Paul Morton added: “Swifts are incredibly charismatic and are true signs of summer. One of the major problems facing these birds is a lack of nesting sites – our modern buildings simply don’t have the nooks, crannies and cavities that swifts need to build their nests in.

“We hope that with this project we can safeguard their future here in Old Town Poole, where it’s likely they have been for many hundreds of years.”

About swifts:

Swifts are remarkable in that no other bird spends as much of its life in the air, feeding, mating and even sleeping in flight. The majority of their time is spent in Africa but each year they navigate thousands of miles to northern breeding grounds to nest and raise chicks before returning home in August. Characterised by scythe shaped wings and a forked tail, common swifts are dark brown in colour with lighter patches at their chins. Often swooping low and fast around buildings, they have a distinctive high-pitched call. In level flight, the common swift holds the record for the fastest recorded flight speed of any bird. 

Paul Morton (Birds of Poole Harbour) & Georgina Bartlett (Saltwater Stone)

About Saltwater Stone:

Saltwater Stone is a PR, design and communications consultancy delivering compelling strategic solutions to leading maritime brands. Offering integrated, full-service marketing support on a national, European and global level, Saltwater Stone can be engaged as a press relations partner, media planning agency or creative hub.

Saltwater Stone has been a central force within the global maritime industry for over 27 years. From cutting-edge technology and ground-breaking products to new boats and industry exhibitions, its 12-strong team has experience covering the entire oceanspace and beyond. For more information see: www.saltwater-stone.com

About Birds of Poole Harbour:

Birds of Poole Harbour is a charity dedicated to educating people about the stunning variety of bird life in one of the country’s most picturesque locations. It aims to raise the profile of bird conservation, preservation and observation in and around this designated RAMSAR site which hosts nationally and internationally important species. For more information about Birds of Poole Harbour see: www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk

This year is an incredibly exciting and potentially pivotal time in our project to re-establish breeding Osprey on the South coast of the UK. After two years in Africa following their first migration, our inaugural ‘class’ of translocated Osprey chicks could be winging their way back to the UK this Spring to check out nesting sites. You can read all about the background of our project, which is run by us in partnership with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Wildlife Windows,  here.

First-time returning Osprey usually spend the season prospecting for nest sites and looking for potential future partners. Furthermore, migrant birds attracted to the harbour by our chicks and nest platforms may also show signs of attempting to nest. Needless to say, we’re all on tenterhooks waiting for them to arrive in the next few weeks so we can check for the 2017 chicks returning to the harbour and monitor behaviour of visitors!

“We are now at an incredibly exciting time in the project as 2019 is the first year that we may see some of our 2017 chicks making their first return from Africa!”

That’s not say that we have been passively awaiting their arrival – quite the opposite! In anticipation for this year’s Osprey arrivals, we’ve put up three new Osprey nests, two on private land and one in partnership with RSPB Arne at Middlebere. Big thanks to Phil Stubbington for his kind donation which allowed us to get these nests installed in time the this spring season.

The female below, CJ7, is from Rutland, and is our top pick as the bird most likely to attempt to breed in the harbour first. In 2017, she spent a couple of weeks hanging out with our translocated chicks, and in 2018, she spent the summer prospecting around the harbour. If one of our males joins her this Spring, it’s possible that it could be the beginnings of a future pair-bond. Here she is perched at, RSPB Arne in May 2018.

Female Osprey CJ7, photo credit Paul Morton.

Here’s a time-lapse of the BoPH team clearing scrub around the new nest pole site at Middlebere – hard but rewarding work!

 The new nest, installed by Wildlife Windows, in all it’s glory!

All throughout the Spring and Summer, we’ll be closely monitoring and recording all Osprey behavior at our nest sites and around the harbour. This will allow us to assess which sites and habitat characteristics the Osprey are favouring, which will then mean that we can make improvements where necessary and allow us to make sure that any breeding attempts are not disturbed.

One of our biggest challenges will be reading ring numbers from any colour-ringed birds that pay us a visit. These rings will have been put on birds’ legs when they were chicks, to allow Osprey conservation managers to keep track of where the birds are and what they are up to.

A variety of Osprey colour rings, image from the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.

When taking colour ring information, there are four key things to note:

1)    the colour of the ring

2)    the colour of the text on the ring

3)    the leg that the ring is on

4)    the code written on it (always read from the foot up)

Here’s an example from one of last year’s chicks. You can see that her ring colour is blue, the text colour is white, the colour ring is on her right leg and the code is 014.

Osprey 014 from the ‘class’ of 2018.

With that in mind, and thanks to donations from supporters Jan Toomer, Phil Stubbington and Mike Simmonds, we’ve invested in some brilliant technology – 4G trailcams! These are motion-triggered and will directly email us with images of anything that moves in our nests, making it much easier to read leg rings without disturbing the birds – pretty cool! We’ve already had some lovely (though non-Osprey) images from one camera, including this small flock of beautiful Starling. In terms of Osprey behaviour, we’ll have our team out this spring stationed at key locations around the harbour where we believe Osprey activity will be most interesting. Everything from feeding, hunting and perching behaviour will be logged and noted and of course, interaction between two birds will be especially interesting!

1st birds on the new trail cams – a flock of Starling!

If you spot an Osprey in the harbour over the Spring and Summer, we’d love to hear from you! You can Tweet us @harbourbirds, email us at info@birdsofpooleharbour or georgia@birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk, or you can phone us on 01202 641003.

As part of a new project on Kestrels, Birds of Poole Harbour are putting up 14 new Kestrel nesting boxes, kindly assembled by Men’s Shed charity and installed by Wildlife Windows, at sites around the Harbour. Locations have been identified and permissions gained from all relevant landowners, including the RSPB, Dorset Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Poole Council, Livability Holton Lee and private landowners. As availability of nest sites is thought to be limiting Kestrel breeding in the UK, these boxes should help to boost our local Kestrel population as well as giving us the opportunity to collect important data on Kestrel diet and breeding success.

Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) (hereafter referred to as kestrel) are included on the Amber list of the UK Birds of Conservation Concern due to an estimated 46% population decline; their global numbers are also exhibiting a negative trend. Heavy pesticide use in the 1950’s – 1960’s, including organochlorines, resulted in past population declines, but it is unclear what is driving current negative population trends, including if and how they are influenced by dietary factors or nesting sites.

Male Kestrel – Wareham Water Meadows – Paul Morton

Data describing UK kestrel diet were largely collected several decades ago, and because land use has changed, as well as perhaps prey availability and climate, it’s important that recent kestrel diet data are collected if we are to have the best information on which to base conservation management for the species.

We are putting together a project to do just this in Dorset. We’ll be using a combination of traditional raptor diet analysis (identifying prey remnants in regurgitated pellets) and a relatively new technique that has not yet been used for the species, stable isotope analysis.

Unlike owls, falcons don’t tend to swallow their prey whole, and they have much stronger digestive systems. This means that pellet analysis is much more difficult and a significant prey data are often missed. Stable isotope analysis can tell us what an animal has been eating just by analysing a small piece of its tissue. Stable isotopes are “heavy” versions of elements, which are passed up the food chain. In the case of wildlife studies, we usually look at an animal’s signature of heavy nitrogen and carbon to find out what it has been eating and where. In this case, under licence from the British Trust for Ornithology, we can use small clippings of kestrel feathers to see what they have been eating and in which proportions e.g. how much of their diet is made up of mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates. This could be really interesting for us as it seems that some of our kestrels may be feeding largely on lizards in the breeding season – this is unusual for the UK! The stable isotope analysis will be conducted in partnership with the University of Exeter.

Keep an eye out for project updates throughout the summer!

A total of six grebe species have been recorded within Poole Harbour, although only five of them are either regular or semi regular. Below we describe the status and plumages characteristics of each species.

Resident grebe species

The Great-crested Grebe is one of the most well-known grebes within Poole Harbour and the United Kingdom. Their elegant displays can be seen during March when pairs return to their breeding sites. Within the harbour the best place to see birds in breeding plumage are Hatch Pond, Little Sea (Studland) and Swineham GP where young are seen throughout the summer. Once the young are old enough to fledge, breeding sites are generally abandoned, and birds move to the harbour itself. In the Autumn, flocks begin to build with the arrival of migrants generally peaking late Autumn/ Winter. During this period, the grebes moult out of their summer attire and become the largest black and white grebe to be seen in the harbour. Communal feeding flocks can total 200+ in the central and southern part of the harbour with roosts of 100+ generally noted around Furzey island and Round Island. However, Great-crested Grebes can be seen in smaller numbers around Baiter Park, Poole Quay and Studland.

Great Crested Grebe © Agami Photo Agency | Dreamstime.com

Little Grebes, also known as Dabchicks, are another resident grebe found in the harbour. They are the smallest grebe and are browner than any of the rarer wintering grebes making them easy to identify. They breed on the Brownsea lagoon, Hatch Pond and at Little Sea (Studland) but can be found in areas such as Holes Bay, Lytchett Bay and Poole Park in the winter. Like Great-crested Grebes, their numbers in the winter are influenced by migrants who begin to arrive in November through to March.

Little Grebe © Shijianying | Dreamstime.com

Over-wintering grebes

The most common out of the three over-wintering grebe species is the Black-necked Grebe. Poole Harbour hosts nationally important numbers in the winter with Studland Bay, Shell Bay and Brands Bay forming some of the most important wintering sites in the UK. Other regular records come from the South Deep area off the southern shore of Brownsea and also out in central harbour between Arne and Brownsea. This species is slightly larger than a Little Grebe but characteristically black and white in the winter. As seen in the photo, a characteristic dark grey neck, steeper forehead, longer, thinner neck and slightly upturned bill differentiates this species from the Slavonian Grebe. Before returning to continental Europe to breed summer plumaged birds develop a black neck, brown flanks and yellow ears tufts making them unmistakeable.

Black-necked Grebe © Mikelane45 | Dreamstime.com

Poole Harbour formally hosted nationally important numbers of Slavonian Grebe, also known as the Horned Grebe, up to the late 90’s, but this species has suffered a significant reduction in wintering numbers. Studland Bay is a favoured site although records from Swineham GP’s, South Deep, Baiter and other areas of the harbour are occasional. The species is similar in the winter to a Black-necked Grebe, but differences can be seen in the photos by the sloping head which has an obvious cut off line between the black forehead and the pale white cheeks as well as a thicker bill. However, in the spring and summer, when records are lowest, this grebe is easily distinguishable by the orange ‘horns’, reddish neck and black head and back.

Slavonian Grebe © Mikelane45 | Dreamstime.com

The rarest of the wintering grebes is the Red-necked Grebe. They are almost annual in Shell Bay and Studland with fewer records inside the harbour, generally off the southern shores of Brownsea but also out in central harbour too and more recently in the north Channel. Red-necked Grebes are smaller than Great-crested Grebes but larger than Slavonian Grebes. If an individual was associated with ducks, they are about the size of a Wigeon. In the winter, Red-necked Grebes are dull brown on the wings and mantle than Great-crested Grebes. A characteristic identification feature is the dagger-like yellow bill. No other grebes have yellow on the bill and this can be seen even at a distance.  However, in late spring and summer, this grebe is unmistakeable with a bright red neck, contrasting grey cheeks and a black forehead.

Red-necked Grebe © Paul Reeves | Dreamstime.com

Rare vagrant grebes

The rarest grebe recorded within Poole Harbour is the Pied-billed Grebe with a single record of this American vagrant between 10^th February-24^th May 1980 at Little sea, Studland. Generally long staying vagrants, this bird has a similar structure to a Little Grebe but larger, plumper and greyer than any of the grebes. The characteristic black tip on a thick, heavy looking bill as well as a black chin is apparent on adults throughout the year but not the juveniles. There is generally a single record of this species in the United Kingdom each year. The best bet for the next record is Swineham GP’s, Little Sea or Poole Park.

Our harbour plays an important role for many wintering species, including the well-known wader and wildfowl species. We are inundated with over c25,000 waterbirds during the autumn and winter months, flocking to our mudflats and lagoons for frost-free feeding. But did you know that we have another visitor, traditionally considered a denizen of the riverside, that spends the winter here? Most only make a short journey to the harbour, flitting like a spark of electricity down the Rivers Frome and Piddle, but some have made the journey all the way to Poland. Blink and you might miss the Kingfisher in flight.

The Kingfisher’s migration to the Harbour is one we don’t know in great detail; where do they come from exactly? This is a question we have been asking while watching a recently-arrived Kingfisher from our quayside office, perching on a ladder run that dips into the sea, orange breast puffed in indignation at the encroaching cold. Most of the migrants that set up shop on our shores are juveniles leaving their natal home, easily identified with their ‘dirty feet’ when they arrive.

A Kingfisher at Holton Lee, photo by Sacha Crowley

They start to arrive at Holton Lee and Holes Bay in August and September, with greater numbers appearing from October to settle in the Quay area and Poole Park. Studies of Kingfisher migration in Iberia show that the earliest arrivals are more likely to stay for longer, having become established. Latecomers stayed for a shorter period, presumably having been ousted from all the good spots; the early bird catches they fish, as they say!  The Iberian migration was also dominated by juveniles, with just 6% being adults, and there was an equal ratio of males and females. We hope to conduct similar research into our harbour Kingfishers and gain a better understanding of their migration patterns.

As you go about your winter birdwatching we’d love to know of your kingfisher sightings – your reports will help us build up a bigger picture of the kingfishers in the harbour over the winter.

Where can I see a Kingfisher in the harbour?

– The small bridge over the sluice gate and eastern reedbed in Poole Park lagoon

– The rocky groynes, mooring ropes or ladders at Poole Quay

– Wooden posts at Holton Pools wetland scrapes at Holton Lee

– Shoreline along the Holes Bay NE cycle path

Ageing and sexing Kingfisher

In the early part of the autumn (August and September) adults will have bright orange feet; juveniles feet will appear dark or ‘dirty’ on top. The well recognised orange breast on an adult will be bright and vibrant, where as a freshly arrived juvenile into the harbour will be tinged green on its front. The main differences between sexes are the colour of the bill. By October males will have all dark, black dagger like bills, where as the females have an obvious orange lower mandible.

With the last few summer migrants leaving the harbour in September and October, November and December are the start of winter birding!

Throughout the winter, Poole Harbour can see an additional two swan species in the harbour. It’s  worth checking our resident Mute swan flocks at places such as Swineham, the Frome Valley, Lytchett Fields and Holes Bay for both Bewick Swans and Whooper Swans who are uncommon in the harbour. These swans are migratory with Bewick Swans arriving from the Russian tundra and Whooper Swans arriving from Iceland during October or January depending on the winter.

Wintering geese such as Dark-bellied Brent Geese arrive from late October in the west and east of the harbour before moving to areas such as Baiter Park, Middlebere, Brands Bay and Studland Bay. Dark-bellied Brent Geese arrive from Russia with Pale-bellied Brent Geese, a rarer subspecies in the south of the UK, arriving from Canada and generally turning up at Studland Bay. Another rarer wintering goose is the Greater White-fronted Goose. These geese generally feed on flooded grassland with previous records of Whitefronts generally heading to Arne, Middlebere or Bestwall or flying through the harbour entrance. There are two subspecies which could turn up, European White-fronted Geese breeding in Scandinavia and Russia and the Greenland White-fronted Goose arriving from Greenland and Arctic Canada.

Without most people knowing, ducks migrate too. Throughout the winter we could see up to 18 species of duck in the harbour with noticeable increases in resident ducks such as Mallard and Tufted Duck in Poole Park particularly. Teal and Wigeon begin to arrive from the end of August/September when most are moulting whereas the larger flocks of Shoveler, Gadwall and Shelducks arrive in October and November. Pintail and Pochard vary in numbers depending how cold continental Europe is with the main duck sites being Holes Bay, Upton Country Park, Middlebere, Brownsea Island, Lytchett Fields and Swineham. Wintering sea ducks such as Goldeneye and Red-breasted Mergansers turn up in October and November and easiest seen on Poole Park or in the harbour from one of our bird boats. There are also sporadic appearances of Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Eider and Greater Scaup in the central harbour or in Studland Bay between November and February. A lovely male Long-tailed Duck was seen from one of our Winter bird boat trips on November 25^th 2018 on the south side of Brownsea with a small flock of five Eiders seen near Studland the day after, proving a good couple of days for ducks. Even though we have not had any yet this winter, Goosander and Smew records are uncommon with Swineham being the best location for both of these species.

Throughout October and November, Black-necked Grebes arrive from the continent and are seen off Studland Bay and the central harbour with late November/December seeing Great Northern Divers arrive back from Scandinavia. Divers are found in the deepest sections of Poole Harbour although they can turn up in Poole Park and Poole Quay. Continental Cormorants join the native Cormorants for the winter and are regularly seen in flocks of up to 400. It’s worth checking roosting Cormorants on exposed rocks as they can be mistaken for the smaller Shags which are resident throughout the UK, but some migrate to Poole in the winter.

A Poole harbour specialist is the Eurasian Spoonbill which arrive throughout August and build up into September and October. Throughout the winter they share their time between Brownsea Island and Arne but could turn up in Lytchett Bay or Holes Bay. Eurasian Bitterns turn up throughout November and seek the reedbeds around Swineham or (historically) Hatch Pond where they are best seen on frosty mornings.

Birds of prey migrate to Poole Harbour from Northern Britain or Scandinavia in late October/Early November. Hen Harriers, Merlin and Short-eared Owls prefer our heathlands when they arrive although sightings elsewhere of birds feeding and hunting are not rare. Merlin have been recently seen on Brownsea Island chasing waders and a Short-eared Owl was on Hartland Moor quartering the moorland through November.

Another specialised group of birds which arrive in Poole harbour is waders. Throughout the winter we can see up to 20 species which arrive from countries as far away as Iceland, Finland and Russia. Our wintering flock of Pied Avocets which turn up on Brownsea Lagoon and move between there and Middlebere breed mainly in the Netherlands but also SW France too and arrive here in September. Common Ringed Plover and Dunlin breed in the UK but most of the migrants are from Scandinavia or Iceland. Although we get large numbers of both species passing through in August and September, Ringed Plover generally winter near Baiter Park with Dunlin seen in most wetland areas and even flooded fields. Scandinavian breeding waders such as Grey Plover, Spotted Redshank and Greenshank winter on Brownsea Island passing through in the Autumn but overwintering anytime after October. Northern Lapwing and Common Redshank breed in small numbers within the harbour and across the UK on wetlands but larger, continental birds from Iceland and Scandinavia choose Brownsea Island, Holton Lee pools, Middlebere, Lytchett fields, Upton Country Park and Holes Bay to feed on the expanse of mud.

Waders from the Arctic such as Red Knot and Sanderling winter in small numbers in the harbour. Sanderling can be found at Shell Beach, Studland and Red Knot frequently are seen on Brownsea Island. About 70 Ruddy Turnstones turn up in Poole Harbour for the winter with the best sites being Baiter Park and Hamworthy Park where close views can be obtained. There is only one site where Purple Sandpipers occur, they are uncommon in the harbour but like the groynes and rocky outcrops around the Sandbanks chain ferry. Similarly, several Green Sandpiper have chosen Holton Lee Pools and Lytchett Fields to winter this year, the only sites in the harbour although many pass through from July-September. Bar and Black-tailed Godwits winter within the harbour. Bar-tailed Godwits are mainly restricted to Whitley Lake at Low tide and Brownsea Island at high tide with Black-tailed Godwits feeding in Holes Bay, Brownsea Lagoon and Lytchett Bay.

Curlew can be found across the harbour throughout the year with large gatherings at Shipstal point. The furthest most our ringed Curlew migrate from is as far as Finland and Germany boosting the winter population up to 2000 strong. Woodcock, Snipe and Jack snipe will all appear in Poole Harbour in small numbers, all migrating from northern Europe and Russia. Often seen flushed from under the observer’s feet, Snipe and Jack Snipe can be found in wet heathlands and water meadows bordering the harbour, and much of the woodland around the harbour holds Woodcock in the winter.

Rare Gull species can occur in the harbour during winter, Iceland gull and Glaucous gull are two notable species that have occurred in the past. The Iceland Gull has been recorded eight times in the last 15 years and sub-species Larus glaucoides kumlien which breed in Québec and Baffin Island, have been seen once. Glaucous Gull have only 21 records in the past 33 years and are mostly seen within the Studland and Brownsea area.

Common Guillemots breed on the cliffs of Durlston and spend most of their lives out to sea. In the winter they can be seen out from our coastlines wintering in the North Sea or Atlantic but are frequently seen in Poole Harbour and can offer some good views seen outside the mouth of the harbour and sometimes coming as far in as Poole Quay. Razorbill are also frequent in the harbour during the winter, and every few years the much scarcer Black Guillemot will make an appearance off the southern shore of Brownsea.

There’s an array of special migrant passerines to see during the winter in and around Poole Harbour. The lark-like pipits are on the move in the winter, Water Pipits are scarce seasonal visitors best seen at Wareham water meadows, Holton Pools, Lytchett Fields and the Wytch Causeway. Any wet marshy fields are best to look out for pipits on. Most Rock Pipit of the Anthus petrosus petrosus race are resident and a short distant migrant, but we do receive an influx of the Scandinavian race Anthus petrosus littoralis. Most Rock Pipits seen in Poole Harbour during the winter are likely Scandinavian, as seen in spring during moult and evidenced by ringing recoveries at Lytchett Bay.

Suspected to be determined by food supply in their Scandinavian summer distribution, Waxwing’s migration brings in varying abundances of birds each year. Every four to five years the UK seems to get large migrations feeding on rowan and hawthorn berries. Hopefully we will see some good numbers this winter, in the past Broadstone, Canford Heath and Parkstone have been favoured sites.

There are six thrush species that make frequent movements across the UK to settle for winter. Although our resident breeding population of Mistle thrush show little seasonal movement. Blackbird populations are boosted with migrants from mainland Europe. Song thrush can move in massive migrations across Europe which can be seen in the UK. Redwing and Song thrush often move in the same flock and can be heard at night from November onwards, with Redwing making a soft ‘zeeeeeep’ call and Song thrush making a ‘tic’ in between. Redwing, Fieldfare and Ring Ouzel are on migration from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia. Best spots in Poole Harbour to see flocks of thrushes are large fields or fruit bearing bushes. Although not a thrush, Brambling are of similar movements – breeding in Scandinavia and western Europe and flying to the UK to overwinter. Brambling use the area as passage on migration and have stayed to overwinter in the past, they are best seen in amongst other Chaffinch flocks such as at Arne, Middlebere and Greenlands Farm.

Great Grey Shrike can be found in any heathland around the harbour, but occurrences in the harbour each year are few. An individual has been in the area since 2^nd November and has been sighted up until recently on Morden Bog. Sites where sightings have also been recorded in the past are Studland, Arne, Hartland Moor, Canford Heath, Upton Heath and Holton Lee/ Holton Heath NNR. This shrike breeds in Scandinavia and a small population overwinter UK.

Lesser Redpoll are another wonderful passerine winter visitor to see, social birds seen in decent flocks of 50 – 100, best seen at Studland, Arne, Upton Heath and Hartland during the winter. These birds are known to range and wander as flocks not particularly sticking to strict wintering grounds. Common and Arctic Redpolls are unlikely to see but not impossible with 2018 being a notable year so far for both species. The Black Redstart is a scarce winter visitor, often seen in urban settings on top of rooves and chimneys of buildings in place of the natural boulders and cliffs they would use in upland breeding territory. Ballard Down is best to see them in migration time but they also favour the Knoll/Middle Beach area, Arne Farm, Middlebere, Poole Quay, Old Town Poole and Sterte/Holes Bay.

In terms of rarities, the flock of Cattle Egrets which turned up in the Autumn are the rarest birds within Poole Harbour at the time of writing. If the weather remains mild and there is plenty of food for them to eat, there is a chance that these birds will remain into the Spring and possibly contribute to the establishment of a nearby breeding colony. With winter just beginning, why not explore the harbour and see some winter birds!

For more up to date news and bird information check our website for bird boat trips as well as the sightings page. If you are out birding or see something of interest do not forget to Tweet (@harbourbirds), message us on social media or pop into the HQ on Poole Quay.

With a record number of White-fronted geese all the way from Greenland sighted at Abbotsbury over the past few days, we thought we’d compile a list of the geese that frequent Poole Harbour over the winter. All species listed are Amber listed, except the Red listed White-fronted geese, and protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). The geese of the ‘Branta’ (meaning black) genus are characterised by dark plumage. Those from the ‘Anser’ genus take on a more generally grey appearance.

Brent Geese

Brent geese (Branta bernicla) are small geese of a similar size to Shelduck and are Poole’s most regular and abundant winter goose. We are visited by the dark-bellied race of Brent Geese. Dark-bellied Brent Geese fly from the Russian Arctic tundra after raising chicks in just two months of good weather. They feed on vegetation, particularly seagrasses.

Studland is a regular haunt for these geese in the winter where they can be seen as dark shapes bobbing on the waves. Another good place to find them is Middlebere, where a group 1000 strong can be seen by late winter. January is the best time to catch huge peak numbers. For close encounters, visit Baiter Park in January and February where a flock of c150 feed on the playing fields on the high tides and on the beach shoreline on the low tides.

Confusingly ‘bernicla’ means ‘barnacle’ in medieval Latin as Brent and Barnacle Geese were previously considered one species. Bizarrely, they were also considered to be the same animal as the barnacle. This myth, which began after it was claimed the birds emerged from barnacle shells, persisted from the 12^th to 18^th century.

Brent Goose – Baiter Park, Dec 2015 – Ian Ballam

Barnacle Geese

Barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) are medium sized sociable geese, with a dark neck and upperparts contrasted with a white belly and face. They feed on grasses and their seeds and roots and overwinter in the harbour after breeding high up on the Arctic cliffs of Svalbard. Their gosling’s terrifying leaps of faith were captured by the BBC Earth team for the series Life Story. Try looking at Swineham Gravel Pits, Holmebridge, Brands Bay and Bestwall for a chance to see Barnacle Geese, although their occurrence in Poole Harbour is only very sporadic with flocks appearing once every couple of years. Keep an eye out for any unusual looking geese accompanying them as hybrids have been seen hanging out with Barnacle geese at Swineham!

Barnacle geese can be remembered as the black and white geese as ‘Branta’ means black and ‘leucopsis’ means white.

Barnacle Geese – Swineham GP, Oct 2017 – Paul Morton

Pink-footed Geese

Pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) are medium sized geese. They are characterised by grey upperparts, a brown breast, belly and neck and pink legs and feet. A pink lateral band can be seen on their dark bills. They feed on grains, grass and winter cereals and are overwintering from Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland.

Pink-footed geese are Britain’s most numerous wintering goose but are much rarer on the south coast than in Scotland and the north and east of England. Best times to see this scarce visitor is between November and January in the Frome Valley and Holmebridge floodplains. Let us know if you spot one – the average record for Pink-footed Geese sightings is 1 or 2 bird every 1 to 2 years.

Pink-footed Goose (left) – Holmebridge, Oct 2017 – Kevin Lane

Bean Geese

Bean Geese (Anser serrirostris) are large to medium sized geese. They can be easily confused with Pink-footed Geese, and historically have been considered the same species. However, where the Pink-footed Goose beak is pink the Bean goose is orange with bright orange legs and feet and an orange lateral band on the bill. Though distinct in good lighting, the soft rosy glow of winter dawn and dusk could show pink legs as orange or vice-versa.

Cold snaps in Russia will trigger small groups (<10) of Bean Geese to escape to the comparatively warmer UK and so they are a much rarer sight on our shores. Just two Bean Geese were found in 2014 which is the last known record. Your best chances of catching a sighting of these scarce visitors are Frome valley, Swineham Gravel Pits and Bestwall.

Bean Geese – Swineham GP, Dec 2014 – Joe Mitchell

White-fronted Geese

White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) are grey medium sized geese characterised by orange legs and bills and a large white patch surrounding the bill on the front of the head. The race of White-fronted Goose most likely to grace our shores are those from Greenland, just like those visiting Abbotsbury earlier in the week. The Siberian race can be distinguished with pink bills, as opposed to orange. They feed on grasses, grains and winter wheat.

Small flocks used to occur in the harbour most winters but usually only for a brief period. Though they used to be semi-annual visitors they have become relatively scarce. There have been no sightings in the harbour in the last five years!

White-fronted Geese – Bestwall, Jan 2011 – Neil Gartshore

Greylag Geese

Greylag Geese (Anser anser) is the largest of our native geese and characterised with a grey-brown body, buff breast, orange bill and pink legs. They feed on grasses, cereals and grains. This bulky goose is the ancestor of our domesticated geese. Its Latin name translates to the rather uninspired ‘Goose goose’.

Those familiar with Poole Park will be well acquainted with the sizeable and semi-tame feral population there. They are often mixed with Canada geese. In winter however, Greylag numbers are augmented with migrants from Northern Europe. They make their way over to sites along Frome valley.

Greylag Goose – Poole Park, Oct 2017 – Neale Smith

Canada Geese

Canada Geese (Anser canadensis) are the only non-native species in our harbour line-up. This rather conspicuous large goose is characterised with a brown body, buff breast, a long black neck and legs and a prominent white chinstrap.

Numbers peak in August with the emergence of youngsters following breeding. Large groups can be found in Poole Park mixed with the resident Greylag geese. In winter, Canada geese will roost in the harbour and visit local farmlands to feed on grasses and cereals.

Canada Goose – Lytchett Fields, Dec 2017 – Ian Ballam

A new record number of 75 Eurasian Spoonbill have been counted in Poole Harbour during a survey carried out by a local environmental charity, making it the largest gathering of this species ever recorded in the UK. Spoonbills, which are closely related to herons and are large, white charismatic looking birds, were once rare visitors to Dorset but in recent years numbers have been rising due to population increases on the near continent.

The discovery was made on Oct 10^th when Poole based charity ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ were conducting a survey for the species as part of a long term 18 month herons of Poole Harbour study. The Spoonbill ‘mega flock’ was spit over two areas with 40 on Shipstal Point at RSPB Arne nature reserve and the other 35 on the Dorset Wildlife Trust Brownsea Island Lagoon. It’s thought that some of these birds will carry on moving south-west into Devon and Cornwall over the coming weeks with the main bulk of the flock hopefully remaining in Poole Harbour during the winter.

Numbers of over-wintering Spoonbill have been increasing in Poole Harbour year on year for almost a decade as breeding populations in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and now the UK have increased. Each August, Spoonbill begin to arrive in Poole Harbour having left their breeding grounds and gather at favoured sites within the harbour. At present Spoonbill only over-winter in Poole Harbour but local conservationists hope that over time they will stay and become a breeding species by setting up a small colony within the harbour.

Paul Morton from the Birds of Poole Harbour charity explained;

“Discovering this new record number of 75 Spoonbill within Poole Harbour is great news. Not only does it show how important the area is as an over-wintering site for this species, it also increases the chances of some deciding to stay and breed in future years. They’re a real asset to the harbour and are great fun to watch”

Eurasian Spoonbill is an extremely rare breeding bird in the UK with only a handful of nests each year, most regularly at a site in North Norfolk. However, this summer a pair pioneered a new site at RSPB Fairburn Ings in Yorkshire, proving that the population is looking to expand.

Paul Morton added..

“We’re lucky here in Poole Harbour to have some of the best nature reserves in the country and visitors will be able to visit places like RSPB Arne this winter to try and see the Spoonbill. I remember growing up in Poole Harbour through the late eighties and you’d be lucky to see one Spoonbill, let alone 75”

Spoonbill behaviour in Poole Harbour is predictable with the whole flock roosting on Shipstal Point, Arne or the Brownsea Lagoon on a high tide, and then heading out to feed in shallow channels in the Wareham or Middlebere Channel on a low tide. During the colder months, they can even be found feeding close to the cycle path in the urban setting of the Holes Bay nature park, normally in the north-eastern area of the bay. This annual increase of over-wintering Spoonbill in Poole Harbour is likely to continue, as the record has been broken every year since 2013.