A blanket of low cloud and a cold northerly wind was all in needed to see a decent push of Swift arrive in off the sea with small parties pulsing through on a broad front. There seemed to be a corridor of birds that were following a line over South Haven, Studland which headed NE over Brownsea and continued on. In a short watch c151 were logged with roughly another 100 further south over Ballard. Also over South Haven were 3 Spotted Flycatcher which seems insignificant compared to to c200 that came in off the sea at Portland this morning. Later in the day there were 3 Spotted Flycatcher at Wareham Walls, and 4 along the Middlebere track. At Lytchett Bay there were 6 Sanderling in the bay and there were 2 White-tailed Eagle in the Wareham Channel area. A Red Kite was over Upton, 2 Hobby were at Slepe Heath.
Poole Harbour sightings blog
A record of all interesting and notable sightings from around the harbour throughout the year.
Latest Sightings
Harbour Update – posted 22/05/23
Harbour Update – posted 21/05/23
Stunning weather for our Spring Safari Cruise this morning immediately produced 2 White-tailed Eagles on the saltmarsh at Holton opposite Rockley Point and a hunting Osprey soaring along the shoreline behind them. Further up the Wareham Channel we were treated to a Hobby right over the boat whilst watching the 200+ Black-tailed Godwit on the Stilt Pools at Swineham. Other highlights from that area were 4 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Barnacle Goose, and on Brownsea Lagoon 2 Brent Geese, 2 Avocet, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, plus plenty of Sandwich and Common Tern.
It was a good day for raptors all round with White-tailed Eagles also seen at Arne and Lytchett Bay, as many as 7 Hobby seen over Slepe Heath (plus Cuckoo heard), and Red Kites reported on the move once again in several locations.
White-tailed Eagle – Middlebere – Kate Plater
Harbour Update – posted 20/05/23
It was a Red Kite morning (briefly) with several groups seemingly passing really high with a flock of 17 then 3 high above the Osprey nest site, with 3 also over Fleetsbridge, 3 over Lytchett Matravers, 1 over Poole Town and 4 over RSPB Arne. A male Mandarin was on the Swineham scrapes this AM with 280 Black-tailed Godwit also there. From the Osprey/raptor viewing platform today a decent haul of birds were logged over the Piddle Valley with 1 Goshawk, 1 Peregrine, the 17 Red Kite, 1 Hobby, 2 Woodlark, 3 Crossbill, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 15+ Buzzard.
Mandarin Duck – Swineham – Adam Day
Harbour Update – posted 19/05/23
It seems the first wave of juveniles are emerging and fledging for a range of species. Blackbird fledged young a few weeks ago, but in recent days Starling, Dunnock, Blackcap and Stonechat have all seen juveniles gathering or being fed by the adults. Many species will of course still be incubating and in fact some late comers will still only just be arriving, like the 4 Swift that came in off the sea at Studland Beach this AM. Waders are still passing through as they won’t be reaching breeding grounds for another couple of weeks and today a stunning summer plumaged Grey Plover was on the Brownsea Lagoon along with 6 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin and 3 Turnstone. The 2 over-summering dark-bellied Brent Geese were still on the Brownsea Lagoon and an estimated 120+ Common Tern are now on eggs. A Cuckoo was at Lytchett Bay, this morning 3-4 different White-tailed Eagles were in around the Wareham Channel/Arne area. A Red Kite passed over the Osprey nest, where both CJ7 and 022 spent the day chilling out, not doing a great deal and sitting out the rain! The Forster’s Tern was on the Brownsea Lagoon again this morning. Our Morden Bog Bird song ID walk this AM was busy with a Marsh Tit and Firecrest in the car park and then 3 Woodlark, 3 Tree Pipit, 5 Dartford Warbler, 3 Yellowhammer, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 recently fledged Stonechat, 4 Reed Bunting, 4 Mistle Thrush, plenty of passing Linnet and Siskin overhead and 1 Willow Warbler.
Juvenile Stonechat – Swineham (yesterday) – Peter Moore
Harbour Update – posted 18/05/23
It was all a bit quiet today other than the Forster’s Tern being seen on the Brownsea Lagoon again. There were also 3-4 different White-tailed Eagles around with 2 in the Wareham Channel, 1 over Fleetsbridge, 1 over the Brownsea Lagoon and another over the Piddle Valley. At Lytchett Fields this evening there were 6 Ringed Plover and 2 Little Ringed Plover. In Brands Bay 10 Grey Plover was a decent count and on Shell Beach 5 summer plumaged Sanderling were feeding. At Swineham the Blue-headed Wagtail was on the Stilt Pool scrapes again.
Blue-headed Wagtail – Swineham (photo from May 15th) – Peter Moore
Harbour Update – posted 17/05/23
Sorry for the late post, but we’ve only just returned from this evenings Puffin cruise, which was an absolute delight. There was a minimum of 5 Puffin at Dancing Ledge, c1000 Guillemot spread along from Durlston up to Dancing Ledge, only around 10 Razorbill seen and just 2 Kittiwake! Other snippets were a Peregrine at Ballard, a Wheatear on the Brownsea sea wall, 3 Gannet, including a couple of close(ish) diving for fish, 4 Fulmar (Durlston), 2 Eider in Shell Bay and plenty of Common and Sandwich Tern. During the day a new Osprey arrival was seen high over the nest site with CJ7 going to investigate but the newbie soon disappeared off. There were 3 White-tailed Eagle in and around the Wareham Channel/ RSPB Arne area and an Osprey was in Lytchett Bay briefly this morning. The Forster’s Tern was on Brownsea again this afternoon. A Common Redstart was at Rock Lea view, Lytchett Bay, a Cuckoo was along Soldiers Road and yesterday a decent passage of 105 Swift passed north over South Haven, Studland with 14 Sanderling on Shell Beach this evening. Finally, this afternoon, the incredibly strange record of what seemed to be an adult Black Kite was found sat in a tree in Poole Park! Black Kite are the much scarcer relative of our more common Red Kite, and to be honest, at first glance that’s what we thought it was. However, looking closer it shows features of adult Black Kite which would be a highly unusual record for Poole Town centre, not not impossible? Below is the Facebook post, posted by Garry Moors the finder……
Harbour Update – posted 16/05/23
Reports from Brownsea Lagoon this morning have estimated there to be 211 Sandwich Tern nests, with the Forster’s Tern putting in an appearance this afternoon. From Coombe Heath, 1 White-tailed Eagle was seen this morning over the Middlebere Channel, along with 1 Red Kite. On our Morden Bog Dawn ID course this AM the cold northerly wind kept things chilly but a decent haul of 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Woodlark, 1 Tree Pipit, 3 Yellowhammer, c5 Linnet, 3 Dartford Warbler and a nice mix of commoner species. We received an update about translocated Osprey 372 who visited the harbour last week, having put in an appearance today at Llyn Brenig back in Wales! Fascinating to see how far and quickly the two year old birds move while they’re exploring potential breeding grounds. Thanks for the team at Llyn Brenig for the update and the image.
372 at Llyn Brenig identified via their webcam
Harbour Update – posted 15/05/23
Todays northerly wind was cold, but it is forecast to ease off tomorrow with light winds from the north for the rest of the week. There were a few small notable arrivals today including a stunning Blue-headed Wagtail on the Stilt Pool at Swineham, along with 1 drake Garganey and 2 Little Ringed Plover there too. At Lytchett Bay a sub-adult Little Gull was seen off Rock Lea viewpoint. On Shall Beach, Studland 15 summer plumaged Sanderling dropped onto the beach. On Stoborough Heath a Hobby flew over, 2 White-tailed Eagle were over the Wareham Channel and a Honey Buzzard was just outside the Poole Harbour area seen heading north over Wild Woodbury. There was a slight winter theme too with a Barnacle Goose off Swineham Point and 2 dark-bellied Brent Geese on the Brownsea Lagoon.
Hobby – Stoborough Heath – Mark Wright
Little Gull – Lytchett Bay – Ian Ballam
Harbour Update – posted 14/05/23
What started off as a beautiful day today ended up rather frustrating as we headed out for our first Puffin Cruise of the season this evening, setting off in near perfect conditions, only to be met by a blanket of thick fog at Swanage meaning we couldn’t continue our journey west towards the colony for safety reasons. In transit we did manage 2 Eider off Pilots Point, a 2nd summer and a female. There was also an adult Peregrine on the cliffs at Ballard, 4 Gannet in Poole Bay and a slow cruise past the Brownsea Lagoon saw c20 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Avocet, 2 dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Dunlin, c200 Sandwich Tern and c150 Common Tern. This morning 2 White-tailed Eagle were interacting over RSPB Arne, and looking at the data it seemed to have been females G466 and G801 having a territorial dispute! There were also sightings of Red Kite over Arne today and a Cuckoo there too. A Spoonbill was off Shipstal Point, 1 Hobby was over Hydes Heath and Nightjars were heard contact calling over Hartland this evening.
Harbour Update – posted 13/05/23
Launching the Osprey Tours with Careys Secret Garden today was truly special, and, in addition to the two nesting Osprey, we were treated to views of Red Kite through the day, with an epic finale with 2 White-tailed Eagles soaring over the site late this afternoon. 2 Eider were in the harbour again today, confirmed to be one adult male and an immature male. At Holes Bay, 43 Black-tailed Godwit and 6 Oystercatcher were reported.
White-tailed Eagle – Careys Secret Garden – John Thorpe
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