Although the ice had largely gone, the cold was very much still in the wind, but with a lot of snow forecast for much of the country over the coming days, will we see the birding benefits? This afternoon a fantastic count of 52 Russian White-fronted Geese landed on Swineham GP, having gone missing from their favourite fields at Ridge since January 5th. The Tundra Bean Geese were also at Binnegar again this morning, but were seen heading in from the harbour direction about 9:15am, so they could be roosting somewhere in the Frome Valley at night? The Yellow-browed Warbler was pleasing crowds at Hatch Pond pretty much all day and this morning the Black-throated Diver entered the harbour just after sunrise. There was 1 Purple Sandpiper on the angled groyne at Sandbanks near the Haven Hotel, 5 Great Northern Diver were spread across northern areas of the harbour and there was 1 each of Black-necked Grebe and Slavonian Grebe off Jerry’s Point. The roaming Glossy Ibis of 10 flock were seen around Wareham and headed to the Swineham roost at dusk, plus there were 20+ Cattle Egret in fields around the west of Wareham. A Green-winged Teal was found out from Shipstal Point, RSPB Arne this afternoon.

We also received some fascinating extra news today in relation to a sat-tagged dark-bellied Brent Goose, ring number ‘SY’, that was seen and photographed by Simon Johnson on December 29th at Baiter, and again by our team member Mya Bambrick at the start of the year. Not only have we received the ringing location back which was in March 2025 at Butjadingen, Lower-Saxony in NW Germany, we’ve also received tracking maps highlighting the birds migration route, breeding grounds and over-wintering site from the last 11 months. Plus, a detailed map of this birds movements around Poole Harbour since it’s arrival in early November. This is such great data for a bird that we see so frequently, but often don’t take too much notice of!

Dark-bellied Brent Goose ‘SY’ photographed on Dec 29th by Simon Johnson – Baiter Park

Data highlighting ‘SYs’ migration route, breeding location and over-wintering location

Data highlighting ‘SYs’ movemnets around Poole Harbour since it’s arrival in early November. 

Tricky to photograph Yellow-browed Warbler – Hatch Pond – Rene Goad

Absolutely freezing once again, but winter beauty welcomed us all at dawn. With potential snow at the end of the week will we see a potential big weather movement? There have definitely been Lapwing on the move this last 4 days, not in huge numbers, but small parties of 20+ have been passing west, north of the harbour, and once again Redwing are still very numerous, entering urban gardens since New Year. The settled weather seems to have put everything else on hold though with no other new arrivals with todays highlights consisting of pretty much the same as yesterday with 10 Glossy Ibis moving over Wareham at dawn, 44 Russian White-fronted Goose at Ridge/RSPB Arne Moors, 1 Black-throated Diver in through the harbour entrance at dawn, 2 Slavonian Grebe and 4 Black-necked Grebe, 10 Goldeneye, 3 Great Northern Diver and 1 White-tailed Eagle were off Jerry’s Point, 2 Purple Sandpiper were on the Sandbanks groynes by the Haven Hotel and 14 Tundra Bean Geese in the Frome Valley, just beyond Holmebridge.

Purple Sandpiper, Sandbanks groynes

So, so cold, but also so, so beautiful. The bright winter sun, and HUGE full moon rising this evening was just perfect in all regards. The full moon and cold weather is certainly seeing some cold weather movements occurring with Holes Bay hosting nearly c4000 wildfowl alone including 1912 Wigeon, a Holes Bay record of 288 Pintail, 1070 Teal and 191 Shoveler. There were no new scarcer arrivals (as of yet) but all the hangers on were still present including the c40 Russian White-fronted Geese moving between RSPB Arne Moors and the field at Ridge, the 10 Glossy Ibis were briefly in the Frome Valley but then flew into Swineham GP to roost this evening, 7 Black-necked Grebe were off Jerry’s Point along with 2 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver, 8 Goldeneye and 1 Black-throated Diver. There was 1 Purple Sandpiper on the Groyne around from the Haven Hotel, 8 Mandarin Duck were on the River Piddle this afternoon. A Barnacle Goose was on the Piddle Flods early doors then relocated to the Swineham paddocks, and 46 Cattle Egret flew up the Frome Valley this morning, the 15 Tundra Bean Geese were still frustratingly a few hundred meters just outside our harbour recording area at Binnegar, just up from Holmebridge and what seems to be the final Studland Ring-necked Parakeet was in trees at Fort Henry, Studland. Finally there was 1 Slavonian Grebe and 1 Great Northern Diver off Middle Beach, Studland.

Russian White-fronted Geese – Ridge, Wareham 

Once again, it was another bird-packed day across the harbour recording area, with this morning seeing our first ‘Safari Cruise’ of 2026 which logged a great mix of winter species including the drake Scaup off Goathorn, 7 Black-necked Grebe out in South Deep, 4 Great Northern Diver spread across the harbour, 18 Spoonbill and c200 Avocet roosting on the Gull Islands in the Wareham Channel, 1 White-tailed Eagle in the Wareham Channel and 7 Marsh Harrier and 1 Merlin around Swineham. Other highlights from the day included the flock of c40 Russian White-fronted Geese moving between their favourite field at Ridge and RSPB Arne Moors, 1 Barnacle Goose at Swineham, the 10 Glossy Ibis were feeding in the mid-Frome Valley, just off the by-pass and later flew into Swineham to roost along with c50 Cattle Egret, 2 Great White Egret and a Bittern flew across the pit at dusk. There was also 1 Black-throated Diver that flew into the harbour at dawn and 1 Slavonian Grebe was off Jerry’s Point and a drake Pochard was on Swineham GP. Elsewhere there were 15 Tundra Bean Geese just outside the recording area between Holmebridge and Wool, just below Binnigar.

Female Merlin – Swineham GP from this mornings Winter Safari – Martin Wright

Happy New Year everyone! What a stunning start to 2026……cold, crisp and full of birds. Many a folk now ‘year list’, whether it be logging and tallying the birds they see in their gardens over the year, in Dorset or even across the country. Over the calendar year Poole Harbour offers a great opportunity to see and count a great range of birds, and New Years day often see’s many people out searching high and low for some of the tricker/scarcer species to ensure they’re on their lists nice and early. The big question for today was whether yesterdays Smew would hang around and provide a nice early 2026 gift. The short answer is no…..they didn’t hang around….or at best, simply weren’t found. Maybe, just maybe they’ll reappear somewhere in the coming days?

Regardless of the absent Smew, there were still loads of birds logged today, starting off at dawn with 4 different Great White Egret flying down/around the Lower Piddle Valley at first light as 3 Woodcock headed back to their woodland day time roosts and a Little Grebe called, passing in the dark overhead. As the light built 35 Cattle Egret then headed towards Wareham Common to feed. The 10 Glossy Ibis appeared from the Swineham direction about 8:30am, looking as if they were going to settle in the fields just south of Wareham train station, but in fact, took a detour and headed to the Frome Valley instead where they were later found feeding just west of the bypass. The White-fronted Goose flock grew to 43 today, still feeding in teh field just east of Ridge with a lone Barnacle Goose there too. The Tundra Bean Geese hadn’t been seen for a few days, but an amazing total of 14 were found further up the Frome Valley, just west of Holmebridge in fields below Binnegar. Whilst searching for the Smew, incidental finds included 7 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver and 1 Scaup. There were also 3 White-tailed Eagle soaring over Brands Bay along plus another was in the Wareham Channel. Merlin were seen out on Arne Moors and at Middlebere, a Pochard was on Swineham GP, Spoonbills were on the Gull Islands (6), Lytchett Bay (7), Brands Bay (1) and Holes Bay (2). being early January some birds are already starting to sing with Crossbills seen and heard displaying at Greenlands Farm and Slepe Heath. There were 2 Spotted Redshank, one in Upton CP and 1 in Lytchett Bay. Marsh Harrier totals are still good with no less than 7 floating around the west of the harbour. This afternoon a Great White Egret was at Holmebridge and 53 Cattle Egret were seen flying over Wareham Common into roost. Finally, there was a late but unconfirmed report of a White Stork at Sunnyside, Ridge.

Two juvenile White-tailed Eagles over Brands Bay – Mark Wright

Now, it’s not like we want to blow our own trumpet, but if you read yesterday’s sightings blog, which we wrote less than 24 hours ago, we were hypothesising and day dreaming that today a dream end to the year would involve the arrival of something special like a Smew or Bewick’s Swan. Well, at about 10am this morning, not one but two Smew were found out in Brands Bay, one being a fine drake. The last Poole Harbour Smew record was on Feb 23rd 2016. However, the last drake Smew record was as far back as 2008, and even more amazingly it was also logged on Dec 31st of that year. Smew are such special winter birds, especially the drakes, we really hope they hang on for several weeks as they’ll be great additions to our Winter Bird Boat lists. Also logged from Jerry’s Point/Brands Bay was the drake Scaup, plus 2 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver and 1 White-tailed Eagle. There were 38 Russian White-fronted Geese at Ridge, but no sign of the Tundra Bean Geese. The 10 Glossy Ibis were once again in wet fields just south of Wareham train station. Out off Middle Beach, Studland 9 Black-necked Grebe were present along with 3 Great Northern Diver and 10 Great Crested Grebe.

Now we don’t want to start getting too cocky and start making outlandish predictions for tomorrow, but a new years day Red-breasted Goose or Sociable Plover wouldn’t go amiss.

From all of us here at Birds of Poole Harbour we want to wish you all the very Happy New Year and we look forward to a bird-filled and inspiring 2026.

Drake Smew (White Nun) and redhead Smew (and male Red-breasted Merganser) – Brands Bay/Jerry’s point – Phil Bentley

Drake Scaup (and male Red-breasted Merganser) – Brands Bay/Jerry’s point – Phil Bentley

With only one day left of 2025, we’re laying down the gauntlet for a whole suit of great birds to be found on the final day! With the developing cold spell and the recent goose arrival, thoughts of Smew and Bewick’s Swans start to muster….now that would be a nice end to 2025 (and start to 2026)

Today the goose party arrived in at dawn from the west and settled in the field close to Ridge, but then later de-camped over on to RSPB Arne Moors with 38 Russian White-fronted Geese and 5 Tundra Bean Geese present. There was a Black-throated Diver close to the harbour entrance, the drake Scaup was also still present, viewable from Jerry’s Point between Redhorn Quay and Brownsea. The 10 Glossy Ibis were once again in the flooded fields just south of Wareham train station and 9 Spoonbill were in Lytchett Bay this afternoon.

Glossy Ibis – Wareham floods – Annabel Sharpe