The tides this week have been huge! Many of the flood plains have been under water for much of the week creating excellent feeding areas for waders and wildfowl that have been forced out from their normal high tide roosts.

There is still a large group of between 1000-1500 Black-tailed Godwit feeding out on the Stoborough Causeway flood with around 200 Lapwing.

The floods at Lytchett Bay produced 123 Redshank, 31 Dunlin, 17 Lapwing, 1 Spotted Redshank, 83 Wigeon, 4 Shoveler, 5 Green Sandpiper, 432 Teal, 183 Wigeon and a Peregrine Falcon.

At Holes Bay 502 Wigeon, 213 Teal, 410 Black-headed Gull, 1 Pintail, 1 Spotted Redshank, 10 Little Grebe, 2 Spoonbill, 1 Kingfisher and a Water Rail.

My favourite sighting of the week goes to a Black Redstart that was seen near Asda at Holes Bay. Not an easy bird to find in Poole Harbour.

At Arne, still 24 Spoonbill off Shipstal, also a Common Scoter and small parties of Siskin with the odd Redpoll.

There were 10 Black-necked Grebe off Middle Beach, Studland also 2 Common Scoter and 1 Red-breasted Merganser.

There were 4 Marsh Harrier ‘playing’ over the Swineham area early evening, the male Hen Harrier dashed across Arne Moors as did a Merlin and a Barn Owl was out hunting at Arne. 

Don’t forget to book on to the next ‘Birds of Poole Harbour’ Field Trip – 3 Bay Bumble, a gentle amble looking at the bays of the western harbour in seach of waders, wildfowl sea ducks, grebes and geese. For more information and to book on click on HERE