During the winter, Studland Bay plays host to the largest overwintering Black-necked Grebe flock in the country with between 30-40 present each year. The eelgrass beds off Middle Beach, which in late autumn attract the first returning Brent Geese, also play home to both Spiny and Short-snouted Seahorses as well as pipefish, the latter being the favoured food of Black-necked Grebe.

The now much scarcer Slavonian Grebe is also present but in ever decreasing numbers each winter with Common Scoter, Great Northern Diver, Red-breasted Merganser and even Red-necked Grebe all possible. During the winter big gatherings of Mediterranean Gull form and in spring breeding-plumaged adults gather on the beach for several weeks before moving off to their nesting grounds. From the National Trust Middle Beach car park it is possible to scan across Studland Bay although a telescope is required to identify the more distant birds.

During the autumn visible-migration of finches, thrushes and pipits can be experienced and in spring and summer Sandwich Tern and Common Tern arrive back to feed. When a south-easterly wind blows strong it’s possible for Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Manx Shearwater and any of the 4 skua species to get blown into Studland Bay.

Birding Info

Middle Beach offers a unique opportunity where by you can stand and scan a very productive area during the winter, which is only several meters from where you can park. The high viewpoints that look out across Studland Bay allow you to scan both north and south and with the prominent wind direction being south-westerly the large shallow bay is often flat calm allowing easy findings of species such as Black-necked Grebe, Great Northern Diver and Common Scoter. Velvet Scoter, Eider, Red-throated Diver, Slavonian and Red-necked Grebe are all possible in winter too. In winter a late afternoon visit is good as grebe roosts form before dusk out off Middle Beach. In spring and autumn during periods of strong east/south easterly winds species such as Great or Arctic Skua, Gannet and Manx Shearwater can get blown into Studland Bay.

Facilities

There are café’s and public toilets at both Middle Beach and also Knoll Beach, which is only a 10 minuet walk from the Middle Beach car park. For birding there are several fantastic viewpoints based on the edge of the actual Middle Beach car park that look out across the whole of Studland Bay. A telescope is beneficial.

Parking

Parking for Middle Beach is best at the National Trust Middle Beach pay and display car park, BH19 3AX. National Trust members park for free.

Spring

Potential Great Northern Diver and Black-necked Grebe in summer plumage, Fulmar, Gannet, Arctic Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Swallow, House Martin, Wheatear

Summer

Very, very, very, very, busy in the summer with Sandwich Tern and Common Tern passing the bathing holiday makers frequently.

Autumn

A sea watch in a strong south easterly could produce Manx Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater, Gannet, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Common Tern, Arctic Tern and Sandwich Tern. Late October sees the first Black-necked Grebes arrive into the bay.

Winter

Common Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Northern Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe (20+), Slavonian Grebe, occasional Red-necked Grebe, Velvet Scoter, Red-throated Diver and Eider. Mediterranean Gull, Firecrest and Ring-necked Parakeet

Middlebere is one of the premier birding sites in Poole Harbour, offering a great variety of birds, mainly in the autumn and winter. The Middlebere Channel borders the southeastern side of the Arne Peninsular and is viewable from Coombe Heath, Arne, or from the National Trust “Avocet” hide on the eastern edge of the channel.

In winter up to 500 Avocet and 1,000 Black-tailed Godwit roost at the top of the channel on the high tides with Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and Merlin all regular at this time too. Access to the National Trust hide is via the long track that begins by the parking area on Hartland Moor. On mild autumn mornings, passage migrants such as Redstart, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat can be found feeding in the scrub along the track with Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail frequent in the fields.

In spring, mixed wader flocks consisting of Whimbrel, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and knot drop into Middlebere quite frequently. During the winter, the top end of Middlebere can be a birder’s dream as the tide rises, pushing large numbers of wader and wildfowl on to the last remaining parts of mud in the harbour. In the autumn, Middlebere is also one of the best places to see Osprey as they hunt and feed on favoured perching posts around the channel.

Birding Info

Middlebere is best visited on a rising or high tide from July through to late February. This site is renowned for holding good numbers of waders during the winter and is a good place to try and see hunting Peregrine, Marsh and Hen Harrier during the colder months. In spring and autumn passage waders drop into the top end of Middlebere out in front of the hide and its also a great place to watch migrant Osprey in the autumn.

Facilities

Cycling and walking down to Middlebere is by far the best way to see the area with a long flat track leading you straight to the Middlebere Hide. Please stick to cycle paths and refrain from cycling across the heathland as this this is hugely damaging to both the habitat and heathland breeding species. There are no public toilets or facilities at Middlebere with the nearest being RSPB Arne around 2 miles away. The Middlebere hide is very popular and offers great views of waders and wildfowl in the winter and the track leading down to the hide is good for common passage migrants in August and September. Please don’t walk through the courtyard of the Middlebere Cottages at the end of the track as these are privately owned by the National Trust. Please use the path that leads round behind the cottages.

Parking

There is limited parking at the Middlebere Farm layby at BH20 5BN. There is strictly no driving down the Middlebere Farm track. Please refrain from parking on road verges along the Arne to Corfe Road bordering Hartland Moor.

Spring

Spoonbill, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Barn Owl, Cuckoo, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Dartford Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler

Summer

Spoonbill, Osprey, Hobby, Barn Owl, Cuckoo, Nightjar, Stonechat and Dartford Warbler

Autumn

Hen Harrier, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Knot, Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Osprey, Yellow-legged Gull, Yellow Wagtail, Redstart, Wheatear, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler

Winter

Brent Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Spoonbill, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Barn Owl and Stonechat