The mudflats in Wareham Channel were positively bustling with waders on the low tide during this morning’s Winter Safari Cruise, with 300+ Dunlin, 150+ Avocet, 30+ Curlew, 40+ Redshank, 50+ Lapwing and a single Grey Plover. At least 4 Marsh Harrier were active around Swineham, including a courting pair who flew back and forth past the boat and whose incredible high-pitched contact calls carried clearly across the water to us! We were also treated to a beautiful flyby from 4 juvenile Spoonbill, which flew close down either side of the boat simultaneously before regrouping and heading over to Shipstal Bay at Arne to seek shelter. Other highlights from the trip were the 2 Pochard still present at Swineham, along with 8 Great Northern Diver spread across the harbour and 1 Black-necked Grebe just inside the harbour entrance which had begun to enter its breeding plumage. Elsewhere today there 33 Cattle Egret back on Wareham Common, 4 Water Pipit on Sherford Pools at Lytchett Fields, 2 Red Kite were seen over Lytchett Matravers and the 8 Waxing were still present at Dacombe Drive in Upton.

Juvenile Spoonbill (note the dark tips to flight feathers) – Winter Safari Cruise – Alison Copland

Black-necked Grebe (entering breeding plumage) – Winter Safari Cruise – Alison Copland

A really lovely Low-tide cruise this morning with plenty of birds out in the Wareham Channel out on the mud including c300 Avocet, c800 Dunlin, c50 Lapwing, c300 Black-tailed Godwit and 7 Spoonbill. There were 3 Marsh Harrier around Swineham and 5+ Great Northern Diver spread across the harbour. A single Black-necked Grebe was in South Deep and 2 Slavonian Grebe were in Brands Bay.

Dunlin flock and Shelduck – Wareham Channel from this AM’s Low-tide Cruise – Alison Copland

Eurasian Spoonill – Wareham Channel from this AM’s Low-tide Cruise – Alison Copland

Avocet – Wareham Channel from this AM’s Low-tide Cruise – Alison Copland

Great Northern Diver, Central Harbout from this AM’s Low-tide Cruise – Alison Copland

We apologise for no sightings post yesterday, but our team were straight out after work last night to run yesterday evenings Sunnyside Ringing Demo, which despite the rain, drizzle and near by light show ended up being a decent session with 4 Jack Snipe, 3 Woodcock and 3 Common Snipe ringed. Today the harbour was back to being a beautiful scenic treat and not the recent grey, overcast, foggy dank we’ve had recently. The clear weather allowed for the Black-throated Diver to be found out in central harbour along with 8+ Great Northern Diver still spread around various parts. At Swineham there were 4+ Marsh Harrier and a 2nd cal year Goshawk was at Lytchett Fields this morning, where there were also 2 Spotted Redshank. The 8 Waxwing were still commuting between Upton and Canford Heath, and there was what looked to be 36 Cattle Egret out on Wareham Common this afternoon with 1 also in a field at Studland on the way out to Old Harry. In the Wareham Channel there were 9 Spoonbill, the Brownsea Lagoon had a decent count of 3680+ Dunlin but even more amazingly 211 Knot. In Brands Bay there were still 2 Slavonian Grebe. Best news of the day though was that there was a ‘pair’ of Peregrine on the Asda flats this morning. It was definitely a male and female by all accounts and there was some limited interaction, but this bodes well for a new pair to establish in the near future. Maybe this spring? The next few weeks will be really telling as a lot of their courtship and disply is done in late Feb and March.

Jack Snipe – Sunnyside 

Massive high tides in the harbour today meaning lots of birds were pushed out of their usual feeding areas and roosts, making the Brownsea Lagoon very popular. Good numbers of Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin and Sanderling were all seen on the lagoon as well as more Black-tailed Godwit than there have been with most feeding up in the Avon Valley floodplain. At least 6 Waxwing were showing well at Upton, Dacombe Drive with plenty of people seeing them feeding low in the mistletoe. At Arne, RSPB 1 ringtail Hen Harrier was still present and 3 White-tailed Eagle were seen from Hydes Heath. A Bittern flew across Swineham GP again this evening and on Wareham Common there were 19 Cattle Egret. This morning 3 Red Kite drifted over Wareham Common and buzzard were displaying en mass…..and so were Woodlark at traditional sites, albeit in lesser numbers!

Our first Winter Pop-up watch was very successful with the warm sunshine bringing lots of people out this morning in Holes Bay. Plenty of birds to be seen with highlights of c100 Pintail, c150 Avocet, c100 Redshank, c30 Common Snipe and 1 Mediterranean Gull. You can find the full list here. We’ll be stationed at Jerry’s Point, Studland tomorrow morning from 9am-12pm looking for more open water species like divers and grebes as well as plenty of waders and waterfowl. Drop in at anytime during the session, but the weather certainly looks better earlier on!

Common Redshank – Holes Bay North East – Alison Copland

Holes Bay Pop-up Watch – Barbara Bisset

A very changeable day meaning some shelter was needed when birding the harbour. This didn’t stop our Studland ID course from being a success with highlights of c30 Sanderling in Shell Bay, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point and c30 Grey Plover, 10 Mediterranean Gull, c400 Dunlin, c30 Knot 6 Bar-tailed Godwit and c200 Pintail from Redhorn Quay. Just at the end a flyover from female White-tailed Eagle G801 was a nice surprise coming in from the coast and then heading slowly over Brownsea as well as 1 Peregrine shortly after.

Elsewhere in the Harbour there were 13 Spoonbill and 2 Sandwich Tern at Shipstal Point, Arne and 1 ringtail and 1 adult male Hen Harrier around Middlebere. In Lytchett Fields 1 Water Pipit was still on Pools Field as well as 3 Spotted Redshank and 1 Goshawk from Rock Lea Viewpoint. The 8 Waxwing were still present today, seen at both Dacombe Drive, Upton and Asda, Canford Heath. 1 Bittern was also seen at dusk over Swineham Gravel Pit. The Black-throated Diver flew out of the harbour this evening and roosted in Poole Bay and there was a single Black-necked Grebe off Middle Beach, Studland.

A count of 4200 Black-tailed Godwit was made in the Avon Valley today, probably enjoying all the floodwater, providing lots of feeding areas locally and explaining why they have been so thin on the ground in the harbour recently.

Jerry’s Point, Studland on today’s Winter Birds ID Course

A rather pleasant day today which got some raptors moving about. There was a stunning young female Goshawk circling over Holmebride this morning where there were also 2 Marsh Harrier. There were numerous Common Buzzard soaring and displaying and the White-tailed Eagle pair were both hunting in the Wareham Channel this morning. The Upton/Canford Waxwings were still giving good views at both sites (Upton this AM and Canford this afternoon). Yesterdays very early Swallow was apparently still hawking off the Studland Beaches and out in Studland Bay. There are plenty of Med Gull now coming into summer plumage which are venturing into the harbour more frequently. There was also a noteworthy logging of a yaffling Green Woodpecker in Upton CP, a bird thats sadly become scarcer and scarcer around the harbour.

Female Goshawk – Holmebridge

The rain hampered birding opportunities for most of the day, but at Lytchett Fields there were 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank and 2 Firecrest this morning.

Spotted Redshank – Lytchett Fields – Mick Brooks

With calm weather settling over the area it allowed for folk to get out and explore before the next bought of rain appears! Lots going today with a Black-throated Diver and a raft of 3 Great Northern Diver near the chain ferry at Sandbanks. At Lytchett Fields there were 2 Water Pipit, a Spotted Redshank and 2 Marsh Harrier. In Middlebere a White-tailed Eagle flew over along with 1 Merlin and there were 3 Spoonbill in the channel. The 8 Waxwing were in Upton again at Dacolme Drive. Off Jerry’s Point there was a single Slavonian Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe and 2 Great Northern Diver. A ringtail Hen Harrier was at Swineham and a Merlin was over Wareham Common again.

Spoonbill – Middlebere – Chris Snook

Common Snipe – Middlebere – Chris Snook

Dartford Warbler – Middlebere – Chris Snook