Here at ‘BoPH’ we really enjoy receiving your sightings, and many thanks to those of you that email us regularly. It has become very obvious that since we set up ‘BoPH’ it’s prompted people to start looing at Poole Harbour in a bit more detail. It’s made our year hearing all about the lifers, and harbour firsts people have been experiencing and are thrilled that people now have new, regular patches that they watch. With this in mind, we urge you to carry on sending in more and more sightings, especially of open water species. This is a cracking time of year for scarce species like Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Red-necked Grebe to arrive, so reports like this would be of great value. To give you an example I found a redhead (female or first year) Goosander off Hamworthy beach yesterday, a species seldom seen on saltwater, also the long staying Scaup that has set up home out in the middle of the harbour this winter.  There are still currently 5 Eider near the harbour mouth and the Surf Scoter doesn’t seem to be going anywhere fast. There are many decent sized flocks of Goldeneye at the moment, often containing 20-30 individuals. It’s well worth scanning through these flocks for species like Velvet Scoter and Long-tailed Duck. There are still at least 4 Great Northern Diver in the harbour with these strong winds over the next 24 hours keep your eyes peeled for Grey Phalarope and tiny Little Auk. A guided walk at Arne yesterday produced the ringtail Hen Harrier in Middlebere along with 400 Avocet, 800 Black-tailed Godwit and 200 Lapwing. The track down to Shipstal was littered with Redwing, Fieldfare, Song Thrush and Blackbird and there were 2 Dartford Warbler on Coombe Heath. Out over Swineham 3 Marsh Harrier were circling together.

Click Here for information on a recent ringing session that took place in the west of the harbour, looking for wintering Woodcock, Snipe and Jack Snipe

DON’T MISS THESE UP AND COMING EVENTS

RSPB 20 YEAR ANNIVERSIRY BIRDBOAT – 08/12/13 (Important notice – there will be no refreshments on board so please bring tea or coffee with you)

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/wareham-channel-rspb-cruise

MONDAY BLUE SKY’S AT ARNE  – 09/12/13

http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/monday-blue-skys-arne

EXCELLENT AVOCET RECOVERY

This Avocet was photographed in Lytchett Bay about a week ago on 30/11/12. After a bit of research and numerous emails we have finally managed to track down where it was originally ringed. It was ringed as a chick in 2012 at Ile de Re, western France. An intriguing recovery showing that this Avocet actully traveled north to spend the winter in Poole Harbour.

Ringed Avocet – Lytchett Bay 30/12/13   

Northerly route to wintering grounds in Poole Harbour