A few months ago we, ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ began a small project at Holton Lee which involved re-furbing an existing hide, adding some screening and improving the habitat out in front of the hide. The project is now almost complete with just a few minor finishing touches to carry out. The owners of the site, national charity ‘Livability‘ have kindly stated that birders are welcome to use the site and new hide facility and request that anyone visiting to please use the new car park situated outside the main buildings at the end of the access road. Please do not park on road verges anywhere along the access road at any time. To be honest, the main car park gives you quickest access to the hide anyway. Anyone finding themselves visiting regularly should also consider becoming a ‘Friend of Holton Lee’ which is a small annual fee which goes into the running of the site. You can enquire about joining and donating in the main reception building. 

Huge thanks to Livability for allowing us to carry out this project and we hope it proves to be a successful new site for birds and birders. Through the development process we have already had Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Grey Plover and Green Sandpiper on the new scrapes so hopefully in autumn it will attract a few goodies too. We will be christening it ‘Holton Pools’! Please let us know what you think in the sightings log that’s been placed in the hide. A map guiding to the hide can be found below.

Sightings from today were again few and far between, indicating that spring migration is now nearly up, however an Osprey along the southern shores near Arne was a bit of a surprise. With Marsh Harriers at Keysworth and Wytch Lake. With all the newly felled areas of conifer plantation around the harbour it seems to have had a positive increase on the Poole Harbour Tree Pipit population. There was a Cuckoo in Ashley Cross.