Absolutely freezing once again, but winter beauty welcomed us all at dawn. With potential snow at the end of the week will we see a potential big weather movement? There have definitely been Lapwing on the move this last 4 days, not in huge numbers, but small parties of 20+ have been passing west, north of the harbour, and once again Redwing are still very numerous, entering urban gardens since New Year. The settled weather seems to have put everything else on hold though with no other new arrivals with todays highlights consisting of pretty much the same as yesterday with 10 Glossy Ibis moving over Wareham at dawn, 44 Russian White-fronted Goose at Ridge/RSPB Arne Moors, 1 Black-throated Diver in through the harbour entrance at dawn, 2 Slavonian Grebe and 4 Black-necked Grebe, 10 Goldeneye, 3 Great Northern Diver and 1 White-tailed Eagle were off Jerry’s Point, 2 Purple Sandpiper were on the Sandbanks groynes by the Haven Hotel and 14 Tundra Bean Geese in the Frome Valley, just beyond Holmebridge.

Purple Sandpiper, Sandbanks groynes

So, so cold, but also so, so beautiful. The bright winter sun, and HUGE full moon rising this evening was just perfect in all regards. The full moon and cold weather is certainly seeing some cold weather movements occurring with Holes Bay hosting nearly c4000 wildfowl alone including 1912 Wigeon, a Holes Bay record of 288 Pintail, 1070 Teal and 191 Shoveler. There were no new scarcer arrivals (as of yet) but all the hangers on were still present including the c40 Russian White-fronted Geese moving between RSPB Arne Moors and the field at Ridge, the 10 Glossy Ibis were briefly in the Frome Valley but then flew into Swineham GP to roost this evening, 7 Black-necked Grebe were off Jerry’s Point along with 2 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver, 8 Goldeneye and 1 Black-throated Diver. There was 1 Purple Sandpiper on the Groyne around from the Haven Hotel, 8 Mandarin Duck were on the River Piddle this afternoon. A Barnacle Goose was on the Piddle Flods early doors then relocated to the Swineham paddocks, and 46 Cattle Egret flew up the Frome Valley this morning, the 15 Tundra Bean Geese were still frustratingly a few hundred meters just outside our harbour recording area at Binnegar, just up from Holmebridge and what seems to be the final Studland Ring-necked Parakeet was in trees at Fort Henry, Studland. Finally there was 1 Slavonian Grebe and 1 Great Northern Diver off Middle Beach, Studland.

Russian White-fronted Geese – Ridge, Wareham 

Once again, it was another bird-packed day across the harbour recording area, with this morning seeing our first ‘Safari Cruise’ of 2026 which logged a great mix of winter species including the drake Scaup off Goathorn, 7 Black-necked Grebe out in South Deep, 4 Great Northern Diver spread across the harbour, 18 Spoonbill and c200 Avocet roosting on the Gull Islands in the Wareham Channel, 1 White-tailed Eagle in the Wareham Channel and 7 Marsh Harrier and 1 Merlin around Swineham. Other highlights from the day included the flock of c40 Russian White-fronted Geese moving between their favourite field at Ridge and RSPB Arne Moors, 1 Barnacle Goose at Swineham, the 10 Glossy Ibis were feeding in the mid-Frome Valley, just off the by-pass and later flew into Swineham to roost along with c50 Cattle Egret, 2 Great White Egret and a Bittern flew across the pit at dusk. There was also 1 Black-throated Diver that flew into the harbour at dawn and 1 Slavonian Grebe was off Jerry’s Point and a drake Pochard was on Swineham GP. Elsewhere there were 15 Tundra Bean Geese just outside the recording area between Holmebridge and Wool, just below Binnigar.

Female Merlin – Swineham GP from this mornings Winter Safari – Martin Wright

Happy New Year everyone! What a stunning start to 2026……cold, crisp and full of birds. Many a folk now ‘year list’, whether it be logging and tallying the birds they see in their gardens over the year, in Dorset or even across the country. Over the calendar year Poole Harbour offers a great opportunity to see and count a great range of birds, and New Years day often see’s many people out searching high and low for some of the tricker/scarcer species to ensure they’re on their lists nice and early. The big question for today was whether yesterdays Smew would hang around and provide a nice early 2026 gift. The short answer is no…..they didn’t hang around….or at best, simply weren’t found. Maybe, just maybe they’ll reappear somewhere in the coming days?

Regardless of the absent Smew, there were still loads of birds logged today, starting off at dawn with 4 different Great White Egret flying down/around the Lower Piddle Valley at first light as 3 Woodcock headed back to their woodland day time roosts and a Little Grebe called, passing in the dark overhead. As the light built 35 Cattle Egret then headed towards Wareham Common to feed. The 10 Glossy Ibis appeared from the Swineham direction about 8:30am, looking as if they were going to settle in the fields just south of Wareham train station, but in fact, took a detour and headed to the Frome Valley instead where they were later found feeding just west of the bypass. The White-fronted Goose flock grew to 43 today, still feeding in teh field just east of Ridge with a lone Barnacle Goose there too. The Tundra Bean Geese hadn’t been seen for a few days, but an amazing total of 14 were found further up the Frome Valley, just west of Holmebridge in fields below Binnegar. Whilst searching for the Smew, incidental finds included 7 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver and 1 Scaup. There were also 3 White-tailed Eagle soaring over Brands Bay along plus another was in the Wareham Channel. Merlin were seen out on Arne Moors and at Middlebere, a Pochard was on Swineham GP, Spoonbills were on the Gull Islands (6), Lytchett Bay (7), Brands Bay (1) and Holes Bay (2). being early January some birds are already starting to sing with Crossbills seen and heard displaying at Greenlands Farm and Slepe Heath. There were 2 Spotted Redshank, one in Upton CP and 1 in Lytchett Bay. Marsh Harrier totals are still good with no less than 7 floating around the west of the harbour. This afternoon a Great White Egret was at Holmebridge and 53 Cattle Egret were seen flying over Wareham Common into roost. Finally, there was a late but unconfirmed report of a White Stork at Sunnyside, Ridge.

Two juvenile White-tailed Eagles over Brands Bay – Mark Wright