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Poole Harbour sightings blog

A record of all interesting and notable sightings from around the harbour throughout the year.

Latest Sightings

Harbour Update – posted 22/02/23

Posted on: February 22nd, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

An amazing Winter Safari Cruise this AM, highlighting that not only are a few birds already leaving, but some are arriving too. Out in the Wareham Channel, yesterdays 8 newly arrived Common Scoter were bobbing about off the Arne shoreline, and in central harbour 6 Eider, including a newly arrived adult male were loafing with c20 Red-breasted Merganser. The White-tailed Eagle ‘pair’ G466 and G463 were in an unusual place, sitting in trees on the Goathorn Peninsular, next to Brands Bay. The Brownsea Lagoon was busy with 1 Spoonbill, c500 Dunlin, c100 Grey Plover, c100 Bar-tailed Godwit, c300 Black-tailed Godwit, c100 Avocet, 1 Greenshank and small numbers of Gadwall, Shoveler and Wigeon. Around the mouth of the Frome/Swineham 4 different Marsh Harrier were active. Best of all today came later in the afternoon with 2 Common Crane flying over Lytchett Fields and towards the Bakers Arms roundabout. Also at Lytchett Fields was Water Pipit ‘1K’ again and 2 Spotted Redshank were in Holes Bay north.

White-tailed Eagle G466 – Goathorn

Eider – Central Harbour

Common Scoter – Wareham Channel

Harbour Update – posted 21/02/23

Posted on: February 21st, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

The Mediterranean Gull return passage is building even more with bigger numbers appearing in various areas including 78+ in Lytchett Bay this AM. There was also a Great White Egret at Lytchett Fields which is the first for the harbour this year surprisingly. Also at Lytchett Fields was 1 Water Pipit, 1 Spotted Redshank and 2 Marsh Harrier. Holes Bay had 1000+ Black-tailed Godwit, Middlebere saw 1 ringtail Hen Harrier, and 2 White-tailed Eagle were seen along the southern shore near Ower Bay. Off Arne a small flock of 8 Common Scoter were off Patchins Point and Brownsea had a great count of 157 Grey Plover.

Water Pipit ‘1k’ – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Harbour Update – posted 20/02/23

Posted on: February 20th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

Amazing scenes today when the years first House Martin appeared, not quite in Poole Harbour, but just across the way off Perveril Point, Swanage. This is really early, but not uncommon, especially with yesterdays glorious weather and southerly airflow. If a House Martin can be deposited early, there’s no reason why Sand Martin and Wheatear can’t be too far behind. This evening 3 Cattle Egret flew over Lytchett Bay again, heading towards the Holes Bay roost. Off Jerry’s Point a single Black-necked Grebe was bobbing about and 5 were in Studland Bay. A ringtail Hen Harrier was at Swineham again and 3 Marsh Harrier were around Keysworth.

House Martin – Peveril Point, Swanage – Brian Edge

Harbour Update – posted 19/02/23

Posted on: February 19th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

It could easily have been mid-March today, with Brimstone and Specked Wood Butterfly seen on the wing, Bumblebee’s visiting early flowering daffodils and a warmth on your skin that simply made you smile. In fact it was incredibly hard to believe that it was only mid-February today. Bird-wise, an early morning female Goshawk dashed through Lytchett Fields and a ringtail Hen Harrier was at Swineham with 4 Marsh Harrier. A White-tailed Eagle was high over the Wareham Channel and the Poole Peregrine pair looked cosy, often dropping down onto the nest balcony. at the PCW drain there were 4 Common Chiffchaff and a Firecrest. Off Swineham Point 1 Spoonbill and 1 Spotted Redshank were logged and along the southern shores 500+ dark-bellied Brent Geese. In Studland Bay 5 Black-necked Grebe were just off shore and along Shore Road, Sandbanks a number of adult Med Gulls are already beginning to look like they’re in full summer plumage.

Harbour Update – posted 18/02/22

Posted on: February 18th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

Although a number of over-wintering birds have already left, there were still really good numbers spread across the harbour from our low-tide cruise this afternoon. dark-bellied Brent Geese were well spread across the south of the harbour with c1000 still present. In Brands Bay there 300+ Pintail, c400 Black-tailed Godwit and good numbers of Teal and Wigeon. Near the harbour mouth 3 Black-necked Grebe were just off the Houseboats and 3 Spoonbill were in Newton Bay. In Whitley Lake, Sandbanks Med Gull numbers were increasing and c80 Bar-tailed Godwit were feeding away from the Kite Surfers. At the top end of the Wareham Channel a minimum of 7 Marsh Harrier came into roost, c300 Lapwing, 25 Avocet, c400 Dunlin and thousands of gulls were on the on the mud. In Lytchett Bay a Spotted Redshank was off Rock Lea view , 1 off Swineham Point and another Spotted Redshank was in Middlebere. On Lytchett Fields Water Pipit ‘1K’ was present and at the harbour entrance at dawn 135 Pintail and 70 Red-breasted Merganser entered the harbour. A semi-decent count of 22 Sanderling were on the Sandbanks groynes near the Haven Hotel.

Harbour Update – posted 17/02/23

Posted on: February 17th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

The building breeze made watching open areas of the harbour tricky today, but it was good to see a Great Northern Diver in Shell Bay seeing as numbers had dropped off in recent weeks. There were also 3 Black-necked Grebe in Shell Bay with another 5+ in Studland Bay along with 1 female Common Scoter. Brands Bay was full of Pintail again, and 2 Peregrine were actively hunting the c300 Black-tailed Godwit, c100 Dunlin and 20 Grey Plover that were also in the bay. There were 2 White-tailed Eagle seen around the Arne peninsular, 2 Marsh Harrier were at Swineham and a ringtail Hen Harrier was at Middlebere. There was also an odd report of a female Ring Ouzel in Poole Town near Tower Park. They can/do very rarely over-winter, so it’s not impossible, but it’s a tad too early for it to be an early spring migrant.

Reed Bunting and Greenfinch – Lytchett ‘Rock Lea’ view Feeders

Harbour Update – posted 16/02/23

Posted on: February 16th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

It was a bit more ‘February’ today with murk and gloom over much of the harbour, brightened up slightly by a stunning adult male Marsh Harrier that currently frequenting the Middlebere, Swineham area. We rarely see full adult male plumage but this lad is the real deal, and would be a welcome resident to the harbour should he decide to stay into March and April. The 2 White-tailed Eagle that have been spending a lot of time togther, G466 and G463 were both out in the Wareham Channel mid-morning but soon drifted off into the murk, not to be seen again. At Shipstal Beach, RSPB Arne, 6 Spoonbill were roosting.

Blackbird brightening up a dull day

Harbour Update – posted 15/02/22

Posted on: February 15th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

Sorry for the late post, we’ve literally only just got back in from hosting our final Sunnyside ringing demo of the season. It was a great final session with 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, 1 Woodcock and 2 Lapwing ringed. In total 4 Jack Snipe were seen along with c15 Woodcock and c10 Lapwing. It was another belter of a day too in terms of warm weather which saw White-tailed Eagles G463 and G466 active high above the Wareham Channel, with a Marsh Harrier displaying there too. It was good to hear of some semi-decent ‘Barwit’ and Sanderling totals from Whitley Lake yesterday which included 104 Bar-tailed Godwit and 35 Sanderling on the inner-Sandbanks shoreline. A pale-bellied Brent Goose was in Brands Bay. In Holes Bay SW 2 Spotted Redshank were hunkered up and off Middle Beach, Studland 5 Black-necked Grebe were just off shore. In Brands Bay this morning a clonking 444 Pintail were counted, which is a great February total. The mass-Black-tailed Godwit group now seems to be dispersing around the harbour with all c3500 having been tucked away in Holes Bay in recent months. Now flocks of c500-c600 are being counted back at sites like Lytchett Bay, Brands Bay and the Brownsea Lagoon. A Red Kite was over Upton.

Woodcock – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Brittany Maxted

Lapwing – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Brittany Maxted

Harbour Update – posted 14/02/22

Posted on: February 14th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

This weather can stay please! By mid-afternoon, the temperature had reached 14 degrees in some areas and it truly felt like a spring day. There was lots going on today and this morning our Winter Safari Cruise was treated to a decent range of species. Male White-tailed Eagle G463 briefly had a minor dispute with a Raven out over the sores of the Wareham Channel before heading off up the Frome Valley. There were 2-3 Marsh Harrier touring the Swineham/Keysworth area and 3 Spotted Redshank in the mouth of the Frome along with c200 Lapwing and c300 Avocet. Central Harbour had c80 Red-breasted Merganser but there were only 4 Goldeneye in the Wareham Channel. Shipstal Point at Arne only had 6 Spoonbill. This evening 3 Cattle Egret flew past Rock Lea viewpoint at Lytchett Bay and 2 Spotted Redshank were on Lytchett Fields with at least 1 Water Pipit. There was a good count of 306 Pintail in Brands Bay along with 9 Knot (which have been scarce this winter).

White-tailed Eagle and Raven – Winter Safari Cruise this AM – Fiona Liddiard

River Frome – Winter Safari Cruise this AM – Fiona Liddiard

Harbour Update – posted 13/02/22

Posted on: February 13th, 2023 by Birds of Poole Harbour

If there was ever a reminder to check those gull flocks properly then todays juvenile Ross’s Gull at Dorchester would be it! As we head into the latter part of February and into early spring, scarcer gulls should be on the radar with Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Gull, Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull all possible, hiding in amongst the more commoner species. A Ross’s Gull is a different level though, a dream Poole Harbour bird, a species thats currently missing from the official Poole Harbour list. Maybe todays Dorchester bird will do the kind thing and come and drop down onto Baiter over the next few weeks!

Forgetting dreamland for a moment, there were definitely more signs of spring today with the first early passages of Meadow Pipit trickling over Ballard. Not huge numbers, but certainly the beginnings of Meadow Pipit passage, plus there were up to 5 Water Pipit on Lytchett Fields, suggesting new birds are arriving in and staging in the harbour en route south. A White-tailed Eagle was in the Wareham Channel before drifting off high north with 2 Marsh Harrier also in the Wareham Channel. Yesterday, a stunning juvenile Goshawk buzzed through Middlebere and off Middle Beach 4 Black-necked Grebe were just off shore. The Wareham Channel had 6 Goldeneye, 5 Spoonbill were at Shipstal and 2 Common Chiffchaff were singing briefly in the PCW drain.

 

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