There was no sign of yesterday’s putative American Wigeon at Brand’s Bay, however only half of the 600+ strong flock present the previous day remained. Could the bird still be in the harbour?! The Holes Bay wigeon flock would certainly be worthy of a thorough grilling. Other records from the Studland Peninsula included 4 Scaup, 4 Great Northern Diver, 3 Slavonian Grebe, 36 Goldeneye and a Great White Egret from Redhorn Quay. Little Sea hosted 11 Pintail, 1 (Eurasian) Wigeon, 10 Shoveler and a small mix of gulls, and a female Merlin was spotted en route.

To the north of the harbour, staff photographed a Water Pipit on Holton Pools. Please note that the site remains closed to the public. Be sure to check for any colour-rings when observing a potential Water Pipit. The Common Sandpiper remained at Holes Bay, feeding south of the PC World Drain outlet. Poor visibility during a high tide roost count logged 50 Curlew, c.150 Avocet, 100 Black-tailed Godwit and 500 Wigeon. A Great Northern Diver was off the Hamworthy shoreline and the Lytchett Bay Cattle Egret was observed again late afternoon, along with a male Merlin.

Water Pipit – Holton Pools (site closed) – Tony Furnell

Lockdown Birding: Poole Park & Baiter Park

The Studland area certainly seems to be having a good year with what looked to be a 1^st winter drake American Wigeon in Brands Bay, photographed with Eurasian Wigeon. Ideally a good look at the bird needs to be obtained to confirm it’s ID but many of the features seem good. Hopefully if it is one, it will make its self feel at home in Brands Bay long enough to clinch the ID. Off Jerry’s Pojnt today there were 3 Great Northern Diver, 4 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Common Scoter, c600 Wigeon and 12 Avocet. At Swineham an adult male Hen Harrier visited briefly but then headed back off west. There were still 2 Pochard on Swineham GP and a Spotted Redshank off Swineham Point.

Possible 1st winter male American Wigeon – Brands Bay – Garry Hayman

We’d like to thank everyone that’s continued to send us sightings whilst out on their daily exercise, we really appreciate it. Today was also Poole Harbour WeBS so quite a few sectors were covered as well. As it transpired there were several highlights, most notably the sunning harbour scene once the fog cleared leaving a glass calm harbour to be counted. The best from the day included 4 Long-tailed Duck, 4 Slavonian Grebe, 4 Common Scoter, 4 Scaup, 2 Great Northern Diver, 31 Great Crested Grebe, and 15 Goldeneye off Jerry’s Point whilst out in central harbour there were 48 Goldeneye, 82 Great Crested Grebe, 42 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Great Northern Diver and 8 Black-necked Grebe. Surprise of the day was when c50 Barnacle Geese came in low over Lytchett Bay and started circling the sub-urban northern fringes of the bay, circling so low residents could sound record them in their gardens! A Cattle Egret was at Lytchett Fields and a Great White Egret was in Brands Bay. Pochard seem to be having ‘a better’ winter in the harbour with 2 on Holme Lane GP and 1 on Little Sea at dusk with the roosting wildfowl flock. Spoonbill’s were in Middlebere and the Wareham Channel. Merlin and Marsh Harrier were seen at different sites with 3 Marsh Harrier at Lytchett Bay and Merlin at Middlebere and Arne.

Cattle Egret – Lytchett Fields – Shaun Robson

Rather quiet today but the sighting of an almost certain Siberian Chiffchaff at the KFC end of the PCW Drain was a welcome find as none have been found yet this winter. Off Jerry’s Point/Brands Bay area there were 4 Scaup, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Great Northern Diver, 3 Slavonian Grebe, 16 Goldeneye, 2 Common Scoter and 25 Red-breasted Merganser. In Brands Bay were c220 Brent Geese, c130 Wigeon, c300 Teal, c95 Pintail, 10 Shoveler, 27 Knot and 11 Grey Plover. Holes Bay was busy with it’s standard array of Avocet, Dunlin, Wigeon etc. and 6 Common Snipe were kicking around Lytchett Bay.

Goldcrest – Slepe Heath

A quick overview today. Most notably the increase in the number of wildfowl that are using Little Sea currently which today stood at 477 Wigeon, 81 Pintail, 17 Teal and 27 Shoveler. This is a marked increase since the dire situation the areas been in over the last 10-15 years. Maybe the National Trusts efforts of removing the carp are already paying dividends? Long may the recovery continue! Also today 2 Slavonian Grebe 4 Scaup, 3 Great Northern Diver, 19 Goldeneye, 31 Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Common Scoter were off Jerrys Point. The Common Sandpiper at Holes Bay was becoming a bit braver and was even seen walking along the main cycle path during the morning!

Common Sandpiper – Holes Bay – Ian Ballam

We haven’t seen freezing fog for a while, and despite not being able to see much for pretty much all day, several new species managed to find their way into the harbour. First of all 2 White-fronted Geese entered the harbour mouth at dawn along with a Long-tailed Duck and then by mid-morning there were 4 new Eider off Jerry’s Point. Then, out of nowhere an over-wintering Common Sandpiper appeared at the entrance of the PCW drain channel in Holes Bay NE. And there’s almost certainly more out there lurking around the harbour! Other highlights included a Great White Egret in Brands Bay, 3 Slavonian Grebe, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Common Scoter, 4 Scaup, 23 Goldeneye and 2 Great Northern Diver off Jerry’s Point. At Swineham a Pochard was on the gravel pit and there were 4 Bearded Tit off the point.

Common Sandpiper – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

Some more interesting sightings today including a Short-eared Owl flushed from the heather backing Redhorn Quay.  Also off Reddorn were 4 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Common Scoter, 12 Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Northern Diver with the Goldeneye flock now up to 20. Off Jerry’s Point were 2 more Great Northern Diver, 4 Long-tailed Duck off Brownsea and a Black-necked Grebe.  The 4 Scaup were in Brand’s Bay, also c50 Pintail, c80 Shelduck, c150 Brent Geese, c400 Wigeon and c200 Teal.  In Upton CP there were 5 Lesser Redpoll near the Stone Bench with 804 Black-tailed Godwit, 82 Redshank, 101 Avocet, 62 Curlew and 1 Grey Plover on the tide line there. In Holes Bay SE there were 2 Goldeneye and 2 Red-breasted Merganser. Off Baiter Park were 5 Goldeneye, 1 Great Northern Diver, 2 Med Gulls, 40 Brent Geese and 4 Great Crested Grebe. In Lytchett Bay a series of ringed birds were logged with data back already for some including a Dutch ringed Avocet and Spoonbill, a Curlew from the New Forest and another Avocet yet to be traced. On Littlesea there were an amazing 434 Wigeon roosting on Littlesea!

Lesser Redpoll – Upton CP – Martin Adams

Definitely a ‘lockdown’ vibe across the harbour today, but people still able to report sightings from their daily exercise allowance where a Goshawk was reported from Godlingston Heath. At Holes Bay a single Spoonbill settled and fed close to the cycle path and there were 100+ Black-tailed Godwit again in the NW sector with 426 Dunlin and 130 Shoveler. A Red-breasted Merganser and Goldeneye were in the SE sector. Another 6 Spoonbill were in Lytchett Bay. Off Redhorn Point a Long-tailed Duck was showing nicely along with 3 Scaup, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Great Northern Diver and 14 Goldeneye. A Firecrest was was near the discovery centre at Knoll Beach and at Sandbanks Shore Road a Purple Sandpiper was again on one of the groynes. A Firecrest and 3 Chiffchaff were at the top (B&Q) end of the PCW Drain. Another Great Northern Diver was off Baiter too.

Spoonbill – Holes Bay NE – Ian Ballam

Very quiet from across the harbour today with many people now back to work and Christmas holidays over. The news that 2 Red-crested Pochard arrived at Longham Lakes today highlights that birds are still moving and responding to the cold weather and that there’s still a possibility of species like Smew turning up, or simply an increase in common duck species and some winter ‘grey’ geese? Highlights today saw 2 Firecrest in Poole Park behind the model railway hut, also 1 Great White Egret at Holmebridge, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier at Middlebere along with the Merlin on the post at dusk. A night-time survey returned c20 Woodcock on the top fields at Hartland, 8 Jack Snipe and 7 Skylark. At the PCW Drain there were 5 Common Chiffchaff and 1 Great Northern Diver off Baiter. The male Pochard was still on Holme Lane GP.

Pochard – Holme Lane GP – Garry Hayman