Sadly there was no sign of the Surf Scoter today, despite much looking from various birders. The Arctic Skua put in another appearance again, this time around the old Lifeboat station on the quay, where again, it was getting harassed by gulls, before moving off towards Baiter. Off Middle Beach, Studland there were 6 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver, 11 Common Scoter and 1 Red-throated Diver. There were also 2 Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point. This morning a Short-eared Owl was flying around the east end of Hartland Moor and an adult male Hen Harrier was seen bombing around Middlebere several times today. A Ruff was on the Lower Piddle Floods and a male Goldeneye was in Holes Bay, which is actually a good record these days with Goldeneye having become almost non-existent in the northern bays (Lytchett and Holes) in recent years. There were also 15 Spoonbill reported in Holes Bay this afternoon. Last night we hosted our first Sunnyside ringing demo of the winter in partnership with Stour Ringing Group and the season got off to a great start with 2 Woodcock, 1 Common Snipe and 2 Jack Snipe caught, with one of the ‘Jacks’ being a re-trap of our from the same site but originally ringed in February 2022, proving winter site fidelity again for Jack Snipe at this site.

Jack Snipe – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Alick Simmons

Common Snipe – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Alick Simmons

Woodcock – Sunnyside Ringing Demo – Alick Simmons

Even though the weekends storms didn’t produce much either in or out of the harbour, it’s always worth continuing to check several days after as you never know what storm driven waifs may turn up. Thats what happened today when a late afternoon scan of Studland Bay suddenly produced a 1st winter male Surf Scoter which was sat out on it’s own off Middle Beach. This is the 4th record for Poole Harbour and is a really great find. The last one which was found in Nov 2013 actually ended up over-wintering and stayed until early April 2014, so there’s a chance this bird could stick around? Also, this afternoon, it sounded like yesterdays Arctic Skua which was first seen off Poole Quay, had moved to Holes Bay as it was getting beaten up by gulls this afternoon in the southern sector. Also in Holes Bay was a Great Northern Diver and 16 Spoonbill flew over. A vis-mig session up on Ballard produced a decent find of a Cirl Bunting which passed over heading north.

1st winter drake Surf Scoter – Middle Beach, Studland – Mark Wright

dark-bellied Brent Geese waiting for their coffee order – Baiter Park

It was a true bird-fest from this afternoons Winter Safari with a whole range of species encountered around the harbour. Most amazingly was a dark phase Arctic Skua which was sat off the harbour sea wall, close to Poole Quay before we set off. Annoyingly it flew off towards Baiter just as we were departing and couldn’t be relocated, but still a lovely record. In the Wareham Channel there were 5 Spoonbill feeding, 3 of which really close to the boat, a drake Goosander flew over Giggers, 4-5 Marsh Harrier gave great views around Swineham, 2 Great White Egret were on the gravel pit and Arne Moors/Swineham held masses of Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and a few Pintail. Off Brownsea SW shore a Black-throated Diver casually drifted right past the boat and a Red-throated Diver sat a bit further off the boat. A second Red-throated Diver was off the Brownsea north shore along with a Common Scoter and on the Brownsea Lagoon c500 Avocet were settled before it got dark. A Barnacle Goose with Canada Geese at Swineham and at Holmebridge there were 22 Egyptian Geese whilst a female Pochard was on Holme Lane GP. Out in Studland Bay there were still 13 Common Scoter, 3 Black-necked Grebe and 1 Great Northern Diver, and 1 Slavonian Grebe was off Jerry’s Point. This afternoon 4 Spoonbill were in Holes Bay.

Black-throated Diver – Brownsea SW shore – John Thorp

Black-throated Diver – Brownsea SW shore – John Thorp

Storm Bert soon passed and this morning it was crystal clear sky’s and more importantly, calmer waters. This meant a newly arrived Black-throated Diver could be located out in Studland Bay, off Middle Beach along with 4 Black-necked Grebe and 17 Common Scoter. Out in Shell Bay there 1 Great Northern Diver with another 2 off Jerry’s Point and 1 in Brands Bay. A Whimbrel flew across Jerry’s Point and there were 49 Great Crested Grebe and 18 Red-breasted Merganser also off Jerry’s Point. A Goshawk was in Middlebere this morning, both White-tailed Eagles were in the Wareham Channel this morning then headed south over the Purbeck ridge and 5 Marsh Harrier were in and around Swineham where 2 Great White Egret were on the gravel pit.

Avocet – Middlebere – Kate Plater

Storm Bert (which will hopefully be soon followed by Storm Ernie) didn’t produce much yesterday, but it delivered a bit today in the shape of 3 European Storm Petrel out in Poole Bay, viewed from Branksome with a fourth logged off Durley Chine this morning too. At the harbour entrance this morning 2 more Great Northern Diver entered as did 56 Shag. Out in Poole Bay c30 Kittiwake also moved across in two’s and three’s and 2 Sandwich Tern were in the harbour entrance. The/a Purple Sandpiper was feeding off Jerry’s Point this afternoon, a male Goldeneye in Brands Bay was also new in, as was an adult Little Gull which was logged in Holes Bay NE. There was a good count of 9 Black-necked Grebe off Fitzworth along with a Spotted Redshank there. Finally, 5 Cattle Egret were on Wareham Common, south of the railway line.

Little Gull – Holes Bay NE – Martin Adams

Bitterly cold again today with more evidence of movement/arrivals with 4 Goldeneye in the harbour (2 south shore and 2 off Redhorn Point), and out off Middle Beach there were 16 newly arrived Common Scoter in Studland Bay along with 2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver, 8 Great Crested Grebe and 5 Red-breasted Merganser. In between Jerry’s Point and Furzey 2 Slavonian Grebe were feeding and there were 2 Red-throated Diver, one close to Jerry’s Point and the other off the SW Brownsea south shore. Off Fitzworth 18 Spoonbill were roosting and 4 more Black-necked Grebe were off Gold Point, RSPB Arne. Down at Swineham a Great White Egret was feeding on the edge of the gravel pit, 4-5 Marsh Harrier were floating around (on the breeze) and c200 Avocet were feeding near the mouth of the Frome. The Brownsea Lagoon was busy and saw another c500 Avocet, c30 Bar-tailed Godwit, c800 Dunlin, c50 Grey Plover, 4 Knot, 1 Sanderling, c30 Ringed Plover and 5 Greenshank. Bird of the day goes to a lone Purple Sandpiper which was on one of the first groyne along from North Haven Hotel. At Lytchett Bay a Spoonbill was roosting on Otter Island and a Spotted Redshank was out in the bay and in Holes Bay numbers were still high and saw 1097 Wigeon, 72 Pintail and 1200+ Black-tailed Godwit. Brands Bay had a good count of 287 Pintail and a Red Kite was over Middlebere.

Marsh Harrier – Swineham from Winter Safari this AM – Sue Ketteridge

Great White Egret – Swineham from Winter Safari this AM – Sue Ketteridge

Great Crested Grebe – Wareham Channel from Winter Safari this AM – Sue Ketteridge

Red-throated Diver – South Deep from Winter Safari this AM – Sue Ketteridge