This morning we went out and re-surveyed Gull Islands after it became obvious whilst surveying two weeks ago that the season hadn’t really got going yet. Well, on the whole the survey proved positive with a fairly decent recovery of the colony after last years issues. Our team counted just under 6000 Black-headed Gull nests (5736) and we feel that if the breeding season hadn’t of been late then this total would have actually been well over 6000 nests. The point is this, that after a spring of publicity and awareness raising it seems the colony has been able to make a fairly decent step forward top recovering and a big thanks has to go out to Dorset Police Marine Division and the local community who helped keep an eye on the islands during this critical time. You can read our press release HERE. Our survey only returned 33 Mediterranean Gull nests which is frustrating as our visit to gull islands earlier in May suggested that many more Med’s were looking to settle. One suggestion for the lower than expected number of Meds is that the exceptionally dry spring prevented Med Gulls from being able to feed properly, therefore not allowing them to get into full breeding condition in time. Both Med Gull and Black-headed Gull venture far in land to feed on invertebrates on farm fields prior and during the breeding season and with bone dry soil, finding worms and other invertebrates to feed on would have been very difficult. We’ll continue to survey the islands year on year to a) make sure the islands remain a safe haven for breeding gulls and b) to monitor long term trends of nesting Med Gulls and to analyse factors that may be affecting their breeding success.

Other sightings from around the harbour included a Red Kite through the harbour mouth at 9:15am with a Nightjar still churring 8:00am! On Lytchett Fields there were a pair of Teal, 70 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Grey Plover and 2 Dunlin. On Hartland 2 Common Redshank were sat on phone wires, pretending to be Swallows. On Brownsea the usual Nightjar is back in its favourite spot in front of the woodland hide. Hobby were at Arne, Holmebridge and Greenland’s Farm. Dartford Warbler seem to be having a really great season with many heathland sites ‘dripping’ with Darties. The first brood of fledged Dartford chicks will be out and about soon (if not already) so there should be plenty to see and enjoy. 

Common Redshank – Hartland Moor

This morning we were out early recceing the ‘Gull Islands’ to see how far along the colony was after it was discovered during our survey two weeks ago that the breeding season seemed to have been late. By early May most Black-headed Gull nests should have been full and the Med Gulls should have also been beginning to lay, however during our survey on May 7^th and 8^th it was clear that many gulls of both species hadn’t started laying yet. Luckily, it was also clear during that survey in early May that there were no signs of egg collecting as not a single footprint was found on any of the islands. Our recce this morning proved successful with not a single empty nest seen and the first chick found meaning that almost all the eggs would now be beyond ‘the picking stage’, rendering them useless to restaurants. Our team will be out first thing tomorrow morning to re-survey all three of the islands and we’re hoping the colony of Black-headed Gulls will be back up to around the 6000 nests mark. Who knows how many Mediterranean Gulls we’ll find but 9 Med nests were seen during the recce this morning. On Hartland (May 21^st) there were 3 Hobby hawking over the heath with 1 Cuckoo, 2 Wheatear and a Spotted Flycatcher also in the Hartland area with 4 Nightjar calling on Coombe Heath, Arne. Hobby were also again over the Arne Road/Slepe heath area. At Lytchett Fields there was a single Grey Plover and 88 Black-tailed Godwit. At Holton Pools 2 Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, 1 Greenshank and a flock of 15 House Martin were viewed from the new hide. With many birds in summer plumage and staying put for long periods of time in a certain area, late May and early June provide a great opportunity to watch, listen and study birds properly. Learning a birds behavior, sounds and daily routine can really enhance your ID skills and bettering and enhancing your field craft will without a doubt provide you with better birding experiences. Also, as we crawl into June, not wanting spring migration to come to an end we can already begin to think about the autumn with June often hosting the first returning Green Sandpipers heading south. 

The steady SE wind which kicked in by midday felt like it could bring in some eastern promise, perhaps a Honey Buzzard or Black Kite? Alas, it wasn’t to be, but there was a good showing of Raptors in the SW of the harbour with 2 Hobby over Arne Moors, 2 Marsh Harrier over the Wareham Channel, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Peregrine all circling over and around Slepe Heath. Cuckoo’s were calling at dawn again at Swineham, Greenlands’s Farm and Arne. Common Swift can be seen and heard bombing up and down the main high street in Wareham which is always one of our summer highlights, however not many have been seen over Old Town Poole yet. Along the track at Middlebere the song of Redshank can be heard early morning and before dark with other birds displaying at Lytchett Fields, Wareham Water Meadows and Keysworth. There are still 2 Avocet on Brownsea and Nightjars were heard calling on and singing on Coombe Heath, Arne with another roosting in its usual place on Brownsea Island. 

As the breeding season progresses its good to get a grip on totals of breeding species in certain areas and a check along the Frome Valley by local birder Peter Moore produced an excellent 60 Reed Warbler between Wareham and Swineham, also 23 Cetti’s Warbler, 9 Sedge Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 5 Reed Bunting, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Cuckoo, as well as the usual Swift, Swallow and Sand Martin over the flood meadows. Although a fraction outside our Poole Harbour recording area we hosted a public walk at Morden Bog this AM which produced a c10 Dartford Warbler, 2 Woodlark, 2 Redstart, 3-4 Tree Pipit, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Yellowhammer, plenty of Stonechat and 4-5 Mistle Thrush. At Arne there were 2 Whimbrel, 5 Grey Plover, c20 Dunlin and c40 Black-tailed Godwit in the Middlebere Channel. Nightjars are now on many of the heathlands around the harbour and on the Brownsea Lagoon there were 120 Black-tailed Godwit, 95 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling with reasonable numbers of Sandwich Tern back breeding on their traditional island in front of the Mac Hide. 

This morning another or possibly the same as yesterdays Golden Oriole was seen at the 7^th holes of the Purbeck Golf Course, along the Corfe to Studland Road. It sang very briefly before flying off north towards Studland Heath. In the search for the Oriole later in the day a Hobby was seen over Greenland’s Farm, Tree Pipits were singing on Rempstone, Cuckoo’s were on Hartland, Studland, Rempstone and Whitethroat were singing at Greenland’s and Studland Heath. On the beach at Shell Bay 47 Sanderling, many in summer plumage were present with a single late Wheatear. Late afternoon there were 2 Hobby hawking over Arne Moors and the pale-headed Egyptian Goose was on Swineham GP. 

It was good to finally get into the spring action today although today’s top bird was only seen by one individual. A Golden Oriole was seen in woods in the SE corner of Hartland Moor at around midday but despite much searching it couldn’t be re-found. There were several Spotted Flycatcher found in that area though during the search. At Holton Lee 2 Whimbrel flew over Lytchett Bay and on Lytchett Fields there were 5 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel and usual waders. At Arne a Marsh Harrier was in Middlebere, a Hobby was over Coombe Heath and Peregrines were over Old Harry and Hartland. 

Great Spotted Woodpecker – Holton Lee – Connie Leicester

Goldfinch – Holton Lee – Connie Leicester

Summer doldrums beginning already with 5 Lapwing, 3 Whimbrel and 15 Black-tailed Godwit reported from Holton Pools and 30 Dunlin, 13 Ringed Plover and 40+ Black-tailed Godwit at Lytchett Fields. There are now lots of juvenile’s around of many different species with the first fledged Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Starlings, Long-tailed Tits and Blackcaps bringing the woodlands and hedgerows to life with the sounds of new life.

A few months ago we, ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ began a small project at Holton Lee which involved re-furbing an existing hide, adding some screening and improving the habitat out in front of the hide. The project is now almost complete with just a few minor finishing touches to carry out. The owners of the site, national charity ‘Livability‘ have kindly stated that birders are welcome to use the site and new hide facility and request that anyone visiting to please use the new car park situated outside the main buildings at the end of the access road. Please do not park on road verges anywhere along the access road at any time. To be honest, the main car park gives you quickest access to the hide anyway. Anyone finding themselves visiting regularly should also consider becoming a ‘Friend of Holton Lee’ which is a small annual fee which goes into the running of the site. You can enquire about joining and donating in the main reception building. 

Huge thanks to Livability for allowing us to carry out this project and we hope it proves to be a successful new site for birds and birders. Through the development process we have already had Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Grey Plover and Green Sandpiper on the new scrapes so hopefully in autumn it will attract a few goodies too. We will be christening it ‘Holton Pools’! Please let us know what you think in the sightings log that’s been placed in the hide. A map guiding to the hide can be found below.

Sightings from today were again few and far between, indicating that spring migration is now nearly up, however an Osprey along the southern shores near Arne was a bit of a surprise. With Marsh Harriers at Keysworth and Wytch Lake. With all the newly felled areas of conifer plantation around the harbour it seems to have had a positive increase on the Poole Harbour Tree Pipit population. There was a Cuckoo in Ashley Cross. 

This mornings strong southerly breeze and murky weather seemed perfect for a sea watch so several hours were put in watching Poole Bay from Shore Road. Highlights included 1 Pomarine Skua, 73 Manx Shearwater, 3 Fulmar, 50 Gannet, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Gadwall, 1 Common Scoter, c50 Commic Tern, 2 Med Gull and 4 Swallow. On Lytchett Fields there were 96 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Ringed Plover and 2 Whimbrel and a Cattle Egret flew out across the bay. Another Cattle Egret was reported flying out into Poole Harbour from the mouth of the Frome. Common Tern numbers on the Brownsea lagoon are building nicely but it seems some of the early nesting Sandwich Terns have already lost their eggs sadly. 

Very windy today and still pretty cold. Cuckoo’s were at Canford heath, Arne and Slepe Heath. Hobby were over Middlebere and Arne Moors. Waders were few and far between with just 3 Whimbrel in Brands Bay and a handful of Grey Plover in Middlebere. There was a Spotted Flycatcher at Arne.