An official account of all species that have been recorded and reported by birdwatchers and naturalists in the Poole Harbour area since records began.
The data for this list has been extracted from various sources, but George Greens 'The Birds of Dorset', Mansel-Pleydell's Birds of Dorsetshire, Naylor’s reference manual of rare birds and the back catalogue of Dorset bird reports have provided most information. Data is currently still being researched and records will be updated accordingly.
You can view this information in two different ways. Our alphabetical list provides information on the status of each species within the harbour, finder dates and names, photos and favoured locations. By clicking on the Systematic List button you will be presented the full Poole Harbour systematic list which includes status of species, pending records and historical accounts.
To date, 333 species have occurred and have been accepted within the Birds of Poole Harbour boundaries. A further 11 distinct subspecies have also been seen. In addition, we have two species/subspecies which have been recorded, but are awaiting acceptance by the appropriate records panel.
There are a handful of historical records, for which there is currently insufficient information to allow their inclusion onto the Poole Harbour list, but are believed to be genuine records. They are listed at the end of the list.
Finally, there are a number of feral or escaped species that have been recorded within the Birds of Poole Harbour boundaries. They are included for completeness, but are not included on the Poole Harbour list.
We would be interested in hearing details of any species that do not appeared on this list.
The Birds of Poole Harbour systematic list is a PDF which you can view by clicking on the button below. It was last updated on December 2019.
Full Poole Harbour Systematic List
Rough-legged Buzzard
Latin Name
Buteo lagopus
Status
Vagrant
Site And Records Information
Scarce winter migrant to the UK averaging c7 birds per year. It is very rare in Dorset and Poole Harbour only has 6 records all between October and April
1 shot in 1862 at Rempstone
1 on 28th March 1908 at Middlebere Heath
An immature was found in a weakened state at Sandford, after care it was released at Arne on 9th December 1978 and seen again on the 11th and 13th also seen at Studland NNR on 17th
1 on 12th and 14th February 1979 at Corfe Castle
1 on 25th April 1982 at Arne
1 on 16th Oct 2005 at Lytchett Bay (T Elborn, R Gifford, S Robson)
Ruddy Duck
Latin Name
Oxyura jamaicensis
Status
Former Visitor, No Recent Records Following UK Culling Program
Site And Records Information
Ruddy Duck first occurred in the area in early 1979 at Poole Park. Since then there were between 30-40 records up until around 2008. Good places to look used to be Poole Park during a cold snap, but the best place to see Ruddy Duck by far was Swineham gravel pits. They were also occasionally seen at Little Sea, Studland but no recent sightings have been had due to the rise in culling activity of this species and its likely they’ll soon be extinct in the UK over the next decade if not already.
The harbour maximum is 16 on 17th January 1982 at Arne. It was also recorded at Ridge, Ham Common, Poole Quay, Rockley and Hatch Pond.
Ruff
Latin Name
Philomachus pugnax
Status
Scarce Passage Migrant & Winter Visitor
Site And Records Information
Occurs in small numbers mostly in Autumn (Aug- Oct) at Lytchett Fields, Bestwall, Wareham Meadows, Swineham and Middlebere. In cold winters they can turn up in anywhere even ice skating on Poole Park lake!
Flocks of 40-100 were common on the Wareham water meadows in the late 1960’s with a maximum of 186 on 24th February 1976, however despite much of the area being conserved, numbers in fact declined quite rapidly and since 1980 it has become rather an irregular visitor.
Call 01202 641 003
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