Exciting news today when a Green-winged Teal was discovered at Upton CP amongst many Eurasian (Common) Teal. This North American relative of our more familar Teal is a very rare winter visitor with the last Poole Harbour sighting being several years ago. Once discovered they usually stay within the teal flock for several weeks, so well worth heading to the hide at Upton CP to try and pick it out…always good fun! Also at Upton CP today 1 Med Gull, 1 Spotted Redshank and a Pintail. Other news, there were 8 Spoonbill in Holes Bay with 2 Spotted Redshank. At Swineham the Red-throated Diver remains on the Wareham Channel, also there 5 Spoonbill, a sub-adult male Marsh Harrier, 1 Yellow-legged Gull and on the Gravel Pits 10 Pochard, 10 Shoveler and 11 Tufted Duck.

Today, the Poole Harbour WeBS count took place giving the whole harbour good coverage at 9am. Numbers of commoner wildfowl seem to be down such as Teal and Wigeon, but a rise in diving ducks were evident. Highlights included…

1 Red-throated Diver, 3 Black-necked Grebe, 30+ Goldeneye, 24 Bar-tailed Godwit (one in full summer colours) and a Scaup all off Shipstal Point. In Arne Bay 1 Spoonbill, 46 Pintail and a Peregrine Falcon were present. Upton Park saw a good count of 12 Little Grebe under the railway bridge. A female Marsh Harrier flew over the Wareham-Stobourgh Causeway and a male Hen Harrier was present at Swineham with a ringtail Hen Harrier present at Wytch. Lytchett Bay held 4 Spoonbill, 2 Spotted Redshank and 3 Greenshank. An impressive 656 Shelduck were in Brands Bay, also a Red-necked Grebe off Knoll Beach and a Jack Snipe at Holmebridge. The Barn Owl was again hunting early morning around Swineham Farm. 37 Sanderling and 187 Bar-tailed Godwit were at Shore Road. The Wytch Channel held 1 Spoonbill, 566 Avocet and 35 Knot, and at Ower a Long-tailed Duck and 2 Scaup. Off Redhorn 1 Great Northern Diver and a Slavonian Grebe and the Knoll Beach Grebe roost contained 36 Black-necked Grebe. The Hoopoe was showing exceptionally well in Freshawater Drive and Dawkins Road, Hamworthy. 

Today was the ‘BoPH’ launch walk at Arne  with a full account viewable here…http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/poole-harbour-news. 

Highlights were 16 Spoonbill at Shipstal, a Scaup off Shipstal Viewpoint, 500+ Avocet in the Middlebere Channel, Dartford Warbler up on Coombe Heath plus all the usual Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe out on the water. On Swineham GP 50 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 20 Pochard, 16 Tufted Duck and just 1 Teal and at Swineham Point a Water Pipit and 2 Snipe. Also around Swineham just one Marsh Harrier and two Hen Harrier and a male Merlin. Over towards Studland, Middle Beach saw 7 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Red-breasted Merganser and 7 Great Crested Grebe. Holmbridge could only produce a Greenshank and 5 Snipe. The Brownsea Lagoon webcam picked up 6 Greenshank and 3 Spotted Redshank very close in. The Hoopoe was again in/near Dawkins Road Hamworthy.  

First of all a comment regarding the recent occurrence of many seabirds being washed up Dorset beaches. At the moment it seems to be beaches in the west of the county that are experiencing most birds, however it was also stated that they are spreading east with birds also being found at Swanage and Lulworth. If you are out on any of the Poole, Sandbanks or Studland beaches and you do find a bird then please do not touch the birds as they are covered in an unknown substance. Please call the RSPCA and inform them of your find or contact us here and we will seek help. Anyway on to todays sightings…An incredible 3 Siberian Chiffchaff were found at the back of the PC world drain along with at least 20 ‘Common’ Chiffchaff. The Studland area saw Great Northern Diver, Black-necked Grebe and a healthy Razorbill. Creekmoor Ponds hosted a regular Firecrest, with another in Parkstone on Cotes Avenue. Holmebridge and High Tor saw the Whooper Swan and 4 Ruff. There are still large numbers of Red-breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe and Goldeneye out on the water best viewable from Evening Hill or Shipstal Point. There is currently a huge Brent Goose flock of around 250 birds using the Baiter Park area to feed and roost along with 2-3 Med Gulls in amoungst the Black-headed Gulls.The Starling roost put on another good show last night at around 17:15 again. Check out the video taken last night on our videos page.