The Harbour’s overwintering Great White Egrets have been very faithful to Littlesea recently, however 1 was seen from Wytch this afternoon. The Scaup remained visible south of railway bridge at Holes Bay through out the day. An enjoyable Whitley Lake guided walk this afternoon offered a crash course on Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gull ID, as well as superb views of Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank feeding on the mudflat and several Red-breasted Merganser just offshore. The walk provided great opportunities to become more familiar with the various species of Gull in the harbour at the moment, with Common, Great Black-backed and Herring Gull also logged. We then concluded with wonderful sightings to compare both Rock Pipit and Meadow Pipit in the field.

Whitley Lake Guided Walk

There was good coverage today which saw 4 Great Northern Diver dotted around the harbour, also 3 Slavonian Grebe and 2 Black-necked Grebe were of Jerry’s Point. In the Wareham Channel there were 13 Spoonbill, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier and 300 Lapwing. On the low tide around the harbour there are still great numbers of Black-tailed Godwit with a record count of 3061 counted only a couple of weeks ago during our Poole Harbour WeBS count. In Holes Bay the 4 Scaup were still present and there was also a fresh Pochard new in, along with 3 more in the Wareham Channel, suggesting a bit of movement of this species considering there have only been 2 over-wintering in the harbour this winter, both at Swineham. Last night we hosted our second to last Sunnyside ringing demo which was tricky with the bright moon, but we still managed to pull strong with 2 handsome Woodcock and a Jack Snipe to show our guests and to talk through their ecology.

Woodcock – Sunnyside Farm 

A stunningly calm day with the whole harbour like a millpond. The 4 Scaup were in Holes Bay SE really close to the cycle path, along with an odd female Wigeon x Pintail hybrid that was associating with the Wigeon flock. The 2 Long-tailed Duck were again in the Jerry’s Point/Brands Bay area along with 2 Great Northern Diver, 2 Slavonian Grebe and 5 Black-necked Grebe. At Holton Pools a Marsh Harrier was over the reed bed, a Water Pipit and 4 Greenshank were on the pools and the Little Owl was calling at dusk. The Great Grey Shrike was still at Morden Bog.

Scaup – Holes Bay SE – Paul Morton

Sanderling – Shell Bay – Rene Goad

A cold, windy day today with little coverage. A Water Pipit was on Holton Pools, at Poole Harbour mouth 5 Great Northern Diver and 2 Black-necked Grebe were logged and 2 Marsh Harrier were out over the Wareham Channel.

Water Pipit – Lytchett Fields – Ian Ballam

Today the 4 Scaup showed well in Holes Bay SE again with a female Goldeneye there too. In Middlebere there were 5 Spotted Redshank, 75 Grey Plover, c125 Dunlin, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Firecrest and 1 Marsh Harrier. At dawn 13 Spoonbill lifted off Arne Moors and headed to the Wareham Channel. At Lytchett Fields there were 3 Water Pipit.

Pintail – Holes Bay – Rene Goad

Middle Beach, Studland offered 5 Black-necked Grebe and 4 Common Scoter. Middlebere featured a minimum of 350 Avocet, 300 Dunlin and a ringtail Hen Harrier flying towards Hartland Moor. The long-staying Scaup continued to frequent Holes Bay and the Hatch Pond Pochard continued to show today. PC World Drain still held the Siberian Chiffchaff. Poole Park boating lake produced 3 Goldeneye and 2 Red-breasted Merganser this afternoon.

Highlights from a visit to Lytchett Fields this morning included a quartering Marsh Harrier, 30+ Dunlin, Green Sandpiper and Common Snipe. A further 2 Green Sandpiper were recorded at Raptor hide at Arne. Middlebere channel held large numbers of the usual winter crowd, namely Curlew, Grey Plover, c500 Avocet, Dunlin, Redshank, Pintail, Red-breasted Merganser, Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck, 3 Spoonbill and Oystercatcher. A Marsh Harrier sent the Sunnyside Lapwing flock into the air this morning, leaving c60 Teal.

Red-breasted Merganser – Poole Park – Clare Slade

The gloom set in early today, but the daylight hours are slowly lengthening. A rising tide at Lytchett Fields this afternoon saw singles of Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Green Sandpiper, as well as 32 Dunlin, 35 Redshank and 28 Shelduck. Middlebere channel produced 57 Grey Plover, 225 Dunlin, 2 Spotted Redshank, 31 Redshank, 23 Oystercatcher, 31 Curlew, 1 Greenshank, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 200 Avocet, 1 Peregrine, 3 Little Egret and large flocks of Teal and Wigeon. A Firecrest occupied the sewage plant nearby.

Dunlin – Middlebere – Gary Hayman

Only a few sightings reported today, inlcuding the Siberian Chiffchaff still at PC World Drain off Holes Bay. 4 Scaup, 3 females and adult drake, remain in Holes Bay South East, just south of the railway bridge. A Sandwich Tern was also reported at Holes Bay. 1 Red-Breasted Merganser and low numbers of Goldeneye were seen at Poole Park today. Birds of Poole Harbour are hosting another guided Poole Town Walk on Wednesday 5th of February from 10am-1pm, birding through Poole Quay, around Baiter and Poole Park. Head to our bookings site for more info.

There was some good coverage today with a decent range of species logged. At Middlebere the ringtail Hen Harrier flew by the hide and on the mud there were c250 Avocet, c150 Lapwing, 31 Curlew, 110 Dunlin, 27 Grey Plover, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank and 2 Firecrest were around the cottages. In the Frome Valley a Great White Egret was with a few Little Egret, but for some reason this winter we’re totally devoid of Cattle Egret. Our Poole Town walk came up trumps with a Slavonian Grebe in Parkstone Bay along with 2 Great Northern Diver off Baiter and on Poole Park Lake 4 Goldeneye and 1 Red-breasted Merganser were present. Off Jerry’s point there were 3 Great Northern Diver, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 39 Red-breasted Merganser, 12 Sanderling and 25 Turnstone and in Brands Bay 2 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, c600 Black-tailed Godwit and good numbers of Pintail. In the Wareham Channel only 3 Marsh Harrier have been present in the last few days and the Merlin was on its roosting post this evening. Finally the 4 Scaup were still in Holes Bay SE this morning.

Red-breasted Merganser – Poole Park – Rene Goad