It’s incredible how mild it felt today compared to recent weeks, with a balmy 13 degrees registered. The storm was pretty well bedded in by this afternoon making WeBS counting conditions difficult. Let’s start with Waxwings though as only 3 appeared at the Upton site today in Dacombe Drive. There was potentially another sighting down by Upton CP, but there’s a good chance there are even more out there to be found. There were only 2 Black-necked Grebe seen off Middle Beach and the 2 Hen Harriers and a Goshawk were seen in Middlebere again.

There was welcome relief this morning for birders that couldn’t make the early evening dash yesterday for the Upton Waxwings that they kindly arrived back in the same tree at 8:30am today, staying up until lunchtime at least. Its also worth noting that there were also 2 reported in Ridge, near Arne on Wednesday too, so there could feasibly several small parties around? In Middlebere a Goshawk was hunting and there were 2 different Hen Harrier. A Black Redstart was found near Lytchett Bay,

Waxwing – Upton, Poole

Waxwings have finally made an appearance in Poole Harbour for more than 1 minute! This afternoon 8 were found this by @mervinius on twitter in Dacome Drive, Upton feeding on mistletoe. They left at about 4:30pm but will hopefully be back tomorrow and this could be the start of an arrival into Dorset, so keep checking those berry bushes!

With such a stunning, still day in the harbour some great coverage and accurate counts were possible. Although, much of the harbour was frozen first thing including Holes Bay, Brownsea Lagoon and even parts of the Wareham Channel, showing just how cold it is. 28 Goldeneye and 166 Red-breasted Merganser were counted throughout the harbour but these are fairly poor totals compared to previous years, indicating short-stopping of these species. The 1 female Greater Scaup was still in the Wareham Channel with 2 male Tufted Duck. Off Baiter there was 1 male Common Scoter and 1 Black-throated Diver. Still impressive numbers of Great Northern Diver around the harbour as well with 17 widely distributed. Middlebere is still providing plenty of raptors with 1 Goshawk this morning as well as male and ringtail Hen Harrier. 1 Water Pipit was seen on the approach field at Lytchett Fields as well as 1 Green Sandpiper. The harbour seems to be full of wildfowl currently with Swineham GP seeing c100 Shoveler and 6 Pochard with big numbers of Teal and Wigeon distributed across the entire harbour.

With some stormy weather forecast for the coming weekend and into next week it’ll be worth checking to see what else turns up. 

One of eight Waxwing – Dacome Drive, Upton – Paul Morton

A freezing day again today, meaning that much of the harbour was frozen this morning, including the Brownsea Lagoon. That didn’t stop our Winter Safari though this morning, which brought us great views of 10+ Bearded Tit in the mouth of the River Frome as well as 3 Marsh Harrier and 1 Peregrine. We also had 5 Spoonbill and a female-type Scaup in the Wareham Channel, likely the same bird from Sunday. The White-tailed Eagle pair were on show as well, distantly soaring in the sunshine up over Rempstone and Studland. At least 12 Great Northern Diver were still widely distributed around the harbour. As Brownsea was frozen most of the birds had departed the lagoon, but there was still a flock of 50 Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Greenshank.

It seems most of the birds in the harbour had gone to Holes Bay due to the ice with impressive counts of 3212 Black-tailed Godwit, 562 Dunlin and 60 Knot. 1 Ringtail Hen Harrier was in Lytchett Bay as well as 1 on the Arne Peninsula. At Middlebere there were 1 Spotted Redshank and 1 Spoonbill.

Ringtail Hen Harrier – Mark Wright

There was no sign of yesterdays Waxwing in the Upton/Lytchett Bay area, despite much searching by the locals! On the plus side there were 4 White-tailed Eagles around today with the local pair mooching around the  southern shores and then brief visits by females G801 and the recent Christchurch Harbour bird G818. An adult male Hen Harrier was in Middlebere this morning where there was also a Merlin. There was also a Hen Harrier in Brands Bay with the Slavonian Grebe still there too. There was a big 3201 Black-tailed Godwit in Holes Bay north. At Bog Lane in Stoborough the Cattle Egret flock were moving around the Frome Valley.

Well, it’s about time! Finally, after months of waiting Poole Harbour finally saw its first Waxwing of the winter. But….don’t get too excited just yet, as it wasn’t the viewing spectacle we’ve all been waiting so patiently for. Nope, it was chance encounter with a single Waxwing sat a top a tree in Slough Lane, Upton which was fortunately photographed by local photographer Peter Corbin before it then soon disappeared never to be seen again! Well, not today any way. This could be the start of ‘the arrival’ though as it was mid-January in 2013 when groups started being seen more regularly in Dorset during the last national irruption. Our best advice is now to check the top of every tree, bush and TV aerial around the area, in both urban and rural areas. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was still off Jerry’s Point, a White-tailed Eagle was over Swineham, there were 3 Pochard on the gravel pit and 2 Cattle Egret were at Bestwall.

Waxwing – Slough Lane, Upton – Pete Corbin

It was good to see the Barnacle Geese return to Swineham this morning with 13 in fields just west of gravel pits, viewable from the footpath above the B&B road. There were also 2 Spoonbill on the Stilt Pools at Swineham, 1 Pochard on the gravel pit and 4 Marsh Harrier off the point. A Water Pipit and Spotted Redshank were on Lytchett Fields, off Jerry’s Point there was 1 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 3 Great Northern Diver and 9 Goldeneye. The White-tailed Eagle pair were along the southern shores and then headed towards the Wareham Channel. I’m Brands Bay this afternoon there was 1 Golden Plover (present for its 3rd day) and 1 ringtail Hen Harrier. At Slepe Moor, 14 Spoonbill were roosting but got spooked, 3 Goosander were at Holmebridge again, 14 Cattle Egret were near Bog Lane SANG.

Sparrowhawk – Mark Wright

Not as cold as yesterday, but still pretty parky! The Black-throated Diver was in Holes Bay again, this time joined by a Great Northern Diver. From our School Bird Boat this morning there were 8 Great Northern Diver spread across the harbour. A Hen Harrier was in Middlebere where there were also 7 Spoonbill. In Poole Bay from Branksome Chine there were 2 Red-throated Diver, 6 Razorbill, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Wigeon and 10 Gannet. Holes Bay was teaming with birds again, with 2489 Black-tailed Godwit, 32 Knot and 641 Dunlin.

Peregrine Falcon – Middlebere Osprey Nest Platform