A pretty chilly day still, but with things due to warm up a bit later in the week, we can expect some more migrants to arrive as the wind swings round from further south. The start to March (and the New Year) has been great, with an excellent birding vibe right across the harbour, with what has been arguably one of the best starts to a birding year for Poole Harbour in a very long time. So much so that visitors from far and wide have come to see some of the harbours top birds this year such as the Forster’s Tern in Poole Park. Over the last few decades the monitoring, assessment, protection and research of Dorset’s birds has been carried out by a range of organisations such as Portland Bird Obs, Durlston Country Park, CHOG, Dorset Bird Club and our local NGO’s right here in the harbour. This work has been crucial in understanding the fate of Dorsets birds, and it’s great to see friendly, familiar faces from these orgs out enjoying teh harbours bird life recently.

The Forster’s Tern was still around being enjoyed by visiting birders today, initially in Holes Bay this morning, and it was then on the Brownsea Lagoon on and off this afternoon, where there were also 2 Eurasian Spoonbill, c50 Avocet, 4 Sandwich Tern and c500 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit. Most Great Northern Diver have now gone, but a lone bird was off Salterns Marina and 2 were in close to the harbour mouth. There seems to be fantastic numbers of Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit spread across the harbour currently. Perhaps not as many as a few weeks ago, but in the Wareham Channel this afternoon there were 1000+, many if full breeding plumage. There were 4+ Marsh Harrier around Swineham this afternoon, the Red-necked Grebe was reported out in Studland Bay again, the Little Gull was still in Lytchett Bay along with a Spotted Redshank and the 3 Glossy Ibis were still out on Wareham Common. Great news was received this morning when it was confirmed the Asda Peregrine female laid her first egg at around 3am last night. Here’s hoping for another exciting and busy season for that family again this spring and summer.

A rare and welcome sight of Portland Bird Obs wardens Martin Cade and Jodie Henderson visiting the harbour last week – Phyl England

Avocet – Brownsea Lagoon