The sighting of the day undoubtedly is awarded to the late news of a male Ring Ouzel that’s been over-wintering in a private garden in Bournemouth since mid-December! A cracking record. A commute from work saw one observer flush 2 Snipe from Holes Bay shoreline near Asda, at 04:15(!). The lone Swineham Ring-neck Duck remained present throughout the day. No sign of the Red-throated Diver or yesterday’s Little Gull. Chiffchaff and vocal Cetti’s Warbler also noted, and 4 Greylag Goose occupied Curlew Pool, of which one colour-ringed bird – U060. Baiter Park recorded a max count of 55 Dark-bellied Brent Goose and a Bar-tailed Godwit feeding among a flock of 99 Oystercatcher on the playing fields early morning. Other records included 2 Mediterranean Gulls kicking around from the site and a Sandwich Tern briefly west through Parkstone Bay. PC World Drain featured 2 collybita (Common) Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Teal and a small mixed tit flock.A decent tally of 115 Bar-tailed Godwit were recorded at Whitley Lake at low tide, accompanied by 6 Curlew, 8 Turnstone and numerous Oystercatcher. Are things finally winding down for Jerry’s Point? A ‘mere’ 1 (female) Scaup, 1 Great Northern Diver 31 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Sanderling and only one species of grebe (Great Crested) logged today.

Dark-bellied Brent Goose – Baiter Park

Bar-tailed Godwit & Oystercatcher – Baiter Park

Goldcrest – PC World Drain

There was a beautiful adult Little Gull at Swineham this evening and 2 Egyptian Geese too. A Red Kite drifted NE over Alum Chine, Westbourne early afternoon. Hihglights from Middlebere Channel included a female Marsh Harrier, 3 Spoonbill (1 first-winter bird with white colour ring), 17 Grey Plover, 50 Avocet, Shelduck, 7 Curlew and Buzzard. A quiet day for sightings at Holes Bay today with a single Chiffchaff  present at PC World Drain. Two Pintail pairs present from the Stone Bench, 37 Curlew in nearby fields, Water Rail calling in Holes Bay NW and a Kingfisher that dashed across the Bay just before sunrise. Plenty of Poole Town Peregrine activity logged throughout the day, focused around the ASDA highrise.

Little Gull – Swineham – Peter Moore

Dartford Warbler – Holton Lee – Tony Furnell

The Poole Peregrines are getting really active between the Asda and Barclays building, likely looking to set up a territory. We’d be really keen to hear about any activity noted of this pair in regards to the amount of time spent on and their behaviour on each building. It’s likely they’re going to try and set up territory again this year and we’re keen to know and understand which building they’re most likely to use. So please either email us or contact us on social media with updates.

A single female Ring-necked Duck continues to occupy Swineham Gravel Pit and a Red-legged Partridge was still kicking about the Holme Lane fields to the east of the railway line. Rough count of Holes Bay produced 500+ Wigeon, 120+ Teal, 50+ Shoveler & Shelduck, 4 Pintail, 3 Gadwall, 3 Brent Goose, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe and 1 Red-breasted Merganser. Wader totals hit 350+ Black-tailed Godwit, 150+ Dunlin, 75+ Redshank & Avocet, 50+ Curlew and 2 Lapwing.  Of note were 2 pairs of Great Crested Grebe showing the first signs courtship behaviours, roll on spring! A Water Rail heard in Symes Rd reed beds (Holes Bay South), with Kingfisher and female Goldeneye also seen. Firecrest and Treecreeper were both logged at Upton Country Park.

Peregrine – Barclays Building, Poole – René Goad

Ring-necked Duck – Swineham – Peter Moore

Another fairly yucky day with the main highlight being first Little Gull of the year seen on Shell Beach. Also the Red-throated Diver was seen on the River Frome again and a Ring-necked Duck was on Swineham GP with a flyover Merlin there too. Two Goosander were on the River Piddle and off Baiter there were 2 Great Northern Diver with another 4 off Jerry’s Point with 4 Slavonian Grebe, 4 Common Scoter, 1 Goldeneye and 6 Black-necked Grebe.

Little Gull – Shell beach – Thomas Beer

The Swineham Red-throated Diver was seen again but no sign of the Ring-necked Duck. The surrounding area featured 2 Raven, 68 Teal and 20 Shoveler, 250 Lapwing, 50 Curlew, 1 Egyptian Goose, 2 Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier.

A Great White Egret battled the weather at Little Sea, Studland. A single Scaup, 3 Slavonian Grebe, 3 Black-necked Grebe, 11 Goldeneye, 4 Common Scoter, 17 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Great Northern Diver, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Avocet, 1 Ringed Plover and 2 vocal Green Woodpecker made up the highlights at Jerry’s Point. A flock of 161 Oystercatcher & a Bar-tailed Godwit were feeding Baiter mid morning. Both Peregrine were stationed on the ASDA highrise, 40 Avocet in Holes Bay NE and further 80 from Stone Bench along with c30 Curlew, 60 Shoveler and 20 Dunlin.

Red-breasted Merganser – Jerry’s Point – Garry Hayman

A ringtail Hen Harrier patrolled the Lytchett Bay reedbeds this morning. Redhorn Quay and Jerry’s Point clocked up 1 Scaup, 4 Great Northern Diver, 3 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Black-necked Grebe, 18 Goldeneye, 26 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Common Scoter and a solitary Bar-tailed Godwit. A Great White Egret continues to frequent Little Sea, Studland. Before opening the photo, the thumbnail preview of this pale Common Buzzard on one of our Osprey platforms raised heartrates! With the earliest confirmed Osprey in the harbour recorded on March 16th last year (& March 13th in 2019), we’re into the last 4 week countdown until our first Ospreys of the spring!

Common Buzzard

Bar-tailed Godwit – Jerry’s Point – Garry Hayman

Miserable weather saw limited coverage across the harbour today with short weather windows keeping daily exercise brief. Of note was an Egyptian Goose that dropped down onto Bestwall rugby pitch. The Ring-necked Duck remained present on the Gravel Pit, a Merlin chasing Skylark in the area and the flood plain logged 76 Curlew and 55 Lapwing. Full summer plumage Mediterranean Gull are always a treat, and calling birds from the Stone Bench, Holes Bay are a welcome sign that spring is just around the corner. Both Holes Bay Peregrine were present on the highrise ASDA block mid-morning.

Sparrowhawk – Creekmoor Garden – Twitter: @TanglewoodSteve

A day of reports with both of the harbour’s northern bays receiving special attention, released within a matter of minutes of each other. The 29th consecutive Lytchett Bay annual report documents the strong year for the site. And if that was exciting enough, the Holes Bay Nature team have put together the superb first Holes Bay wildlife report – hopefully the first of many for years to come!

Lytchett Bay 2020 annual report »

Holes Bay 2020 annual report »

So you’d better fill that kettle right up and get reading! The reports provide the perfect inspiration before we welcome a series of big lows from the west, drawing in winds from as far south as North Africa over the next 10 days. The same happened in 2019 and delivered Swallow, Sand and House Martin in Dorset between Feb 22nd and 28th…

As for today’s sightings, the River Frome Red-throated Diver continued to show this morning.

Red-throated Diver – River Frome – Clive Hargrave

Ten Great Northern Diver were logged across Studland in all, 5 off Old Harry’s, 1 from Shell Bay and a further 4 off Jerry’s Point. A female Scaup reappeared with 4 Common Scoter at Jerry’s Point. Two Long-Tail Duck, 4 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 11 Goldeneye and 9 Red-breasted Merganser made up to supporting cast. South Beach, Studland featured 1 Common Scoter, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet. Swineham Gravel Pit attracted the Red-throated Diver as well as one of the female Ring-necked Duck. A male Marsh Harrier and Peregrine made appearances through the day, along with Kingfisher, 40 Lapwing on the flood plain and 2 Spoonbill that dropped into the Wareham Channel. A Marsh Harrier was also observed doing the rounds at Holton Pools in the morning. Highlights at Wareham Common included a pair of Goosander on the River Piddle, a male Merlin, 1 Firecrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 17 Common Gull, 7 Common Snipe, 1 Skylark and 10 Bullfinch. A Goldeneye made a welcome appearance on the Holme Lane pit and a single Red-legged Partridge in the field east of the railway line.

Join Birds of Poole Harbour on virtual adventure around Whitley Lake & Surrounding Area, one of the harbour’s urban birding gems. The large, shallow area is a hotspot for kite and wind surfers on a high tide, but transforms as the tide recedes, exposing vast, nutrient-rich mudflats to be exploited… The latest episode draws on footage from our archives, supplemented with new content captured whilst out and about on our daily exercise. With continued limitations on our ability to enjoy the harbour and its birdlife, hopefully this latest instalment will offer a virtual connection to nature that we are all craving. As always, please adhere to and follow all current government advice, rules and guidelines when exercising locally.

Marsh Harrier – Holton Pools – Tony Furnell

Scaup & Common Scaup – Jerry’s Point – Garry Hayman

A grim day, but another good find in the Swineham area with a Red-throated Diver on the River Frome along the Two-Rivers walk. Why it didn’t settle on the gravel pits is a bit of a mystery, but instead opted for the fast flowing water of the river but it stayed in the general area all day between Redcliff and Ridge Wharf boat yard. One of the female Ring-necked Ducks was still on the main pit at Swineham and at Holes Bay the Spotted Redshank was showing well in the mouth of the PCW Drain as was the Common Sandpiper. It’s good to see a Spotted Redshank back in this area as it used to be THE winter spot to see them during low tides, but they haven’t been seen there for a few years now, so its good that one is back! There were 6 Spoonbill in Middlebere and a Merlin off Swineham Point. Several Kingfisher continue to be seen along the Holes Bay shoreline at close range.

We’ve also just published our third podcast in our Rewilding and Reintroduction Summit which can be listed to on the player below.

Podcast 3 – Celtic Reptile & Amphibian

Charlie chats with Harvey Tweats and Tom Whitehurst of Celtic Reptile & Amphibian to dive deeper into understanding their ambitions, how they see themselves fitting into the bigger conservation picture, and what they’ve taken on board since attracting national attention.

Red-throated Diver – River Frome, Nr Redcliff – Peter Moore