Stormy conditions in the harbour today making birding tricky. The 1 Ruff was still at Lytchett Fields along with 12 Greenshank, 3 Spotted Redshank and 1 juvenile Cuckoo. 1 Osprey was also fishing over the bay. At Middlebere there were 14 Spoonbill, 1 Cattle Egret and 1 Whimbrel. A Black Redstart was reported in a private garden in Keysworth, Wareham and a juvenile Cuckoo was in and around Lytchett Bay.
Poole Harbour sightings blog
A record of all interesting and notable sightings from around the harbour throughout the year.
Latest Sightings
Harbour Update – 04/08/25
Harbour Update – 03/08/25
An excellent Summer Safari cruise this morning! Both the territorial White-tailed Eagle pair were present, with the male G463 sat on Gold Point and the female G466 sat on Shag Looe in the Wareham Channel. They were both still sat there an hour later! 2 Osprey were present, one juvenile (likely a chick from the Carey nest) and an adult female. c200 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding out on the exposed mud and 1 Great White Egret was sat along the shoreline. On the Brownsea Lagoon, there were 9 Spoonbill, 8 Avocet, 9 Ringed Plover, and 1 Wheatear briefly on the lagoon wall. 1 Ruff was seen at RSPB Lytchett Fields and 6 Yellow-legged Gull were present on Arne Moors this evening.
Male White-tailed Eagle (G463) – Gold Point – Alison Copland
Osprey – Wareham Channel – Alison Copland
Great White Egret, Black-tailed Godwit, and Cormorant – Alison Copland
Harbour Update – 02/08/25
There were plenty of general migrants around today with Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Stonechats seemingly on the move in good numbers. There were multiple Osprey once again withe 3 seen in Lytchett Bay, 3-4 seen around the Wareham Channel and sightings also in Middlebere. The Brownsea Lagoon held 12 Spoonbill, 6 Sanderling, 120 Dunlin, 1 Knot full summer plumage, 22 Avocet, 72 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Ringed Plover, 19 Greenshank, 53 Common Redshank and 17 Common Sandpiper. At RSPB Arne a Pied Flycatcher was on Coombe Heath.
Female Osprey CJ7 seeing off yesterdays male Honey Buzzard – Carey Secret Garden
Harbour Update – 01/08/25
It’s August! A month full of potential and migrant birds. With autumn migration having started so early this year, it will be interesting to see how extensive and busy the main passage month will be for many of our warbler, flycatcher and chat species, not to mention Ospreys, waders and a whole host of other birds. Today a fine adult male Honey Buzzard came and gave our Osprey family some grief briefly, before soon being escorted out of the area by male Osprey 022. It already feels like it’s going to be a busy Osprey season this year, with 3 over Lytchett Bay together this morning, 2 in Middlebere, 3 seen in the Wareham Channel and at one point at Carey 5 together, one of which was definitely an intruder Osprey. Although some of these will relate to the same individuals, including our family of 6 from the Carey Secret Garden nest, there’s probaly no less than 10 present currently. Also in Middlebere were 7 Spoonbill, 1 White-tailed Eagle over, 1 Great White Egret and 1 Hobby. At South Haven, Studland a Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Whitethroat were in scrub and at the PCW Drain, Fleetsbridge a Garden Warbler and 2 Whitethroat were in the ditch.
During the sunset safari this evening, female White-tailed eagle, G466, was ensconced on Gold point, Arne, watching and ruling over her harbour. An Osprey successfully caught a fish in the Wareham channel and headed west towards the Carey nest, soon afterwards another Osprey but this time an unringed individual was hunting in the same location. A few Bearded tit were ‘pinging’ in the reed bed at the mouth of the harbour and two harbour seal were loafing on the edge of the salt marsh.
During the journey over to Brownsea lagoon and on the lagoon itself, a noticeable increase in Mediterranean gulls with at least 20. 8 Spoonbill were seen flying west towards Ower bay and a further 6 were on the lagoon. On the lagoon; 30 Dunlin, 8 Ringed plover, 6 Turnstone, 6 Common sandpiper, 5 Greenshank and 10 Redshank and a single Wheatear on the sea wall
Bullish passing male Honey Buzzard giving the Carey Osprey family grief at 10:45am today
Harbour Update – 31/07/25
A rainy end to July which made birding tricky with intermittent downpours. Nice numbers of waders building up in Holes Bay for our pop-up watch today with c15 Curlew, 3 Whimbrel, 3 Common Sandpiper and c50 Black-tailed Godwit as well as 2 Peregrine sat very distantly on the Asda building in Poole. In the early afternoon at the Middlebere hide there were 2 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Osprey, 1 Hobby, 2 Whimbrel and c200 Black-tailed Godwit. At Shipstal point there were 1 Spoonbill and 2 Whimbrel.
At the Piddle Valley ringing site another 80 birds were ringed before the rain came in with 38 Sedge Warbler, 4 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Reed Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff and 10 Willow Warbler. There was also a bit more variety with the first Lesser Whitethroat of the season, 1 Firecrest and 1 Grey Wagtail.
We have a couple of bird ringing demonstrations coming up, including 1 next Friday, hoping to show you some of these autumn migrants up close and talk to you all about the bird ringing process. Book online here.
Lesser Whitethroat – Piddle Valley Ringing Station – Ed Betteridge
Firecrest – Piddle Valley Ringing Station – Ed Betteridge
Harbour Update – 30/07/25
More signs of Autumn migration well underway today in the harbour. The first 2 Wheatear of the Autumn were present up on Ballard Down this morning and 1 Juvenile Redstart was seen on the edge of Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne. Plenty of Osprey activity with 1 sat up in the dead trees at Middlebere this afternoon and later another fishing in the Wareham Channel (022?). Wader numbers are continuing to build in Holes Bay with 107 Black-tailed Godwit, 91 Redshank, 38 Curlew, 5 Whimbrel, 6 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, and 3 Oystercatcher, as well as 1 Kingfisher, and 1 hunting juvenile Peregrine Falcon. 2 Great White Egret were briefly seen earlier dropping into the wetland near the Wareham Causeway.
Harbour Update – 29/07/2025
Another excellent summer safari cruise this morning produced a wide range of species. No sooner than 15 minutes into the trip, male G463 White-tailed eagle, was seen sat on the salt marsh at Arne, he didn’t move from that location throughout the morning. An Osprey was briefly see in the same area and then a juvenile female Goshawk circled over the woodland at Arne before heading over the back of the boat and towards Hamworthy and Ham common area. An incredible start to the boat trip!
The Wareham channel contained the usual growing flocks of Black-tailed godwits (at least 200), 15 Common sandpiper, 1 Spotted redshank, 12 Greenshank, 50 Curlew, 10 Lapwing and 7 Great crested grebe. An usually early Common scoter was seen in the Wareham channel too.
One of the Carey juvenile Ospreys, male 5R5, was spotted and photographed practicing his hunting techniques while another Osprey, probably his father, 022, fished nearby. Later in the cruise, female White-tailed eagle, G466 was sat on the salt marsh waiting for her opportunity to steal a fish from an unsuspecting Osprey.
Whilst travelling across the harbour towards Brownsea Island, another Osprey was seen catching a fish off Arne whilst the same male White-tailed eagle watched on. Perhaps the fish wasn’t big enough for him to consider chasing down and stealing?
On the Brownsea lagoon, 11 Avocet, 100 Oystercatcher, 10 Ringed plover, 100 Dunlin, 6 Mediterranean gull, 50 Common tern, 150 Sandwich tern and 9 Spoonbill provided a brilliant conclusion to the cruise.
Male G463 White-tailed eagle – Arne – Conor Macleod
Harbour seal – Wareham channel – Conor Macleod
Juvenile Osprey 5R5 – Wareham channel – Conor Macleod
Juvenile Goshawk – Wareham channel – Conor Macleod
Common scoter – Wareham Channel – Conor Macleod
Harbour Update – 28/07/2025
Ospreys are beginning to be seen all over the harbour at the moment as the very early stages of their migration begins to kick in. One Osprey was seen in the dead tree at Middlebere during the morning. 2 adult unringed Osprey were seen at Morden bog, alongside a recently fledged individual from the Carey nest, 5R5. Great to see him exploring the edges of the harbour!
Male Osprey (nestling from two years ago) 5H3, was seen on Coombe heath in the morning, perched up eating a fish. Turlin Moor also had a fly past Osprey, along with 6 Lapwing, 1 Whimbrel, 11 Curlew, 1 Common sandpiper, 15 Redshank, 16 Greenshank and 1 Marsh harrier.
At Arne, off Shipstall point, 10 Spoonbill (the highest number so far this autumn) 1 Avocet, 14 Curlew, 4 Black-tailed godwit and in the woodland, 2 Firecrest, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Treecreeper. During the morning, male White-tailed eagle, G463, was sat at Gold point watching and waiting for the perfect moment to launch an attack flight.
Osprey 5R5 exploring the Morden bog area – wessexwildlife.bsky.social
Harbour Update – 27/07/25
The first Pied Flycatcher of the Autumn turned up today with 2 being seen at the Pond platform at Coombe Heath, RSPB Arne. Later, 1 was closer to the road but very mobile. 1 Osprey was also at Middlebere along with 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Common Sandpiper. There seemed to be lots of movement again today with several flocks of Crossbill moving around the harbour and lots of juvenile Willow Warblers seemingly fresh in. 1 Whimbrel was off Shipstal point. 5 Common Sandpiper were at Lytchett Fields with plenty still moving through all across the shorelines of the harbour.
From our Summer Safari Cruise this morning the 2 White-tailed Eagles were showing well with one sat on Gold Point, Arne before giving us a flyby and 1 in the Wareham Channel. Male Osprey 022 was hunting in the Wareham Channel and Lytchett Bay. 1 Spoonbill was in the Wareham Channel and 8 were on the Brownsea Lagoon bringing the harbour total to 9. Also on the Lagoon were c100 Dunlin, 10 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling, 7 Greenshank, c100 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Turnstone.
146 birds were ringed at the Piddle Valley ringing site this morning with 33 Willow Warbler, 7 Garden Warbler and 74 Sedge Warbler.
Pied Flycather with metal ring- RSPB Arne, Coombe Heath – Sam Ryde
Harbour Update – 26/07/25
Another busy day in the harbour, with the same mystery Osprey that’s been in the harbour for the last couple of days seen from Coombe Heath at RSPB Arne. Male Osprey 022 was also seen in the Wareham Channel fishing and heading back up the River Piddle, towards the Carey nest. Both White-tailed Eagles of the territorial pair, G466 and G463 were seen on the breeding gull islands. On the Brownsea Lagoon, there were increasing numbers of Dunlin with 92 counted, including 2 juveniles, as well as 3 Ringed Plover, 55 Redshank, 55 Redshank, 17 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 8 Avocet, 8 Spoonbill, and 1 Peregrine Falcon flushing all of the birds this morning. The Purple Heron was reported once again at Littlesea, Studland, with another report of Purple Heron from Furzey Island this afternoon. Most likely the same one, but could it be another? In the Lower Piddle Valley, 99 birds were ringed, including 15 Willow Warbler, 12 Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 9 Reed Warbler, 42 Sedge Warbler, 13 Chiffchaff, and 5 Cetti’s Warbler. The 1000th bird to be ringed so far this Autumn at the site was a Sedge Warbler!
Same ‘mystery’ Osprey in the harbour seen for last couple of days – @dizzygirl66.bsky.social
White-tailed Eagle pair (G463 and G466) in the Wareham Channel – @petey632.bsky.social
Sedge Warbler – Lower Piddle Valley – Ed Betteridge
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